First of all, regarding what is currently going on with the world, I'm fine, if not rusty in my ability to write, had been busy with college and stuff, though now as we're advised to make as little human contact as possible I'm gonna be sitting at home for a few weeks it seemed.

The commotion outside of her study's doors was expected. At least, that was what she thought.

There was no denying that after everything that had happened, Arendelle and it's residents were never been the same ever again. The lifting of the curse upon the Enchanted Forest had released those who were trapped inside, letting them return to the lives they once had, though it was proven to be difficult as many years had passed. The relation that she had with the four ancient spirits made sure that every decision that she took would not harm nature and yet still beneficial for the kingdom. The reveal of the dark past that her own grandfather had caused had raised a certain turmoil with her Council and her people, as now the golden statue of him in the town was no longer viewed as a symbol of heroism.

Anna had handled the situation with the people, both in telling them about the truth of the past and that they would not let anything similar to what King Runeard had done to happen again. For now, the statue still stood in it's place, though the plan to replace it was underway. Not with her statue though, the idea of a large version of her made entirely of gold did not sit well in her mind and she would rather not have her reign immortalized that way.

Her deep talk with Hans was long overdue, and it truly had brought them back together -if not even closer than before as they come to understand each other more, thankfully.

She never thought she would say this but she truly appreciated the paperwork that she had right now. No matter how high the piles were on her desk, no matter how her back was starting to ache from sitting around too much, and no matter how tired her eyes could get from the endless reading; she much preferred this repetitiveness than exploring outside where danger lurked at every corner.

Besides, she was comfortable enough with the cushioned seats and warm tea that was brought in whenever she requested of it, of the calming view outside her window and the warming spring sun against her skin.

Knocking against her door was greet with her call for whoever it was to come in, finding Anja -one of Wilhelm's nannies that he apparently had taken the most liking to, standing by the doorway, bowing her head. "Your Majesty, forgive me to interrupt, but we could not find the young Prince."

Fingers coming to an immediate stop from it's duty of writing across the parchment, her brows had furrowed at the young woman's words. "What?"

"We have searched everywhere but we couldn't find him."

Halfway through Anja's words she had stood up from her seat, already putting away her quill and securing the lid of her ink bottle before she had moved around her desk, fixing her dress on her way as the nanny stepped aside to let her pass through the doorway. "What exactly happened?"

"I was watching over him," there was a glimpse of fear among the panic in her voice, which she couldn't really blame. "I only took my eyes away from him for a moment, and I've told him to stay right where he was, but when I turned back around, he was gone."

The clear disobey of not listening to what he was told to do was strangely not as surprising as it was for her, because Wilhelm tend to run away lately. His game was that people chase after him as he runs, giggling all the way as he wanted for them to catch him. Hide and seek was an intentional game, where one of them was to close their eyes and count, allowing the others to hide including him.

But Wilhelm never combined sneaking away and hiding before. Perhaps that was what drove her and the rest of the nannies in a verge of worrying. Though she really was trying not to show it, especially in front of the arriving guests, as she made quick through the halls, only managing to give them a small polite smile and a nod as they bowed upon seeing her.

The Great Hall was, thankfully, empty saved from the round tables that the servants had placed, clothed with white tablecloth that reached down to the floor. With light footsteps she made her way across the hall, slow as her ears sharp in listening in, trying to find anything that was amiss. There was a sob, small and quiet, from two tables away at her left, prompting her to raise an eyebrow as she made her way there.

"Wilhelm?" Bending down, her fingers curled at the hem of the tablecloth, lifting it as she peeked inside, finding the pouting boy sitting underneath. "There you are. Would you like to come out?" Reaching out, she offered her hand for him to take, but he had shaken his head. "May I come in then, please?"

At his silent approval of head nodding, she had crawled underneath the table as well, letting the tablecloth to hide their presence. Sitting underneath tables were more of an Anna's thing, but if she was to do it for her son then she would, even when her head was merely inches away from the wooden bottom despite the fact that she was already bowing it as she sat on the floor.

Wilhelm had crawled and snuggled against her side then, arms did their best in holding against her as her own arms wrapped around him in a form of comfort. "What are you doing here?"

"There's so many people, Mama." His voice of complain was low, in a murmur, as he watched his own finger toyed with the rosemaling embroidery on her dress, tracing the design on her stomach. "I don't like so many people."

Her son had sounded so much like her when it came to having a crowd of guests. "They're here for you, darling." Just like they did for his baptism and every other event afterward, but perhaps it had been a little overwhelming for him now that he had grown and becoming more aware.

The auburn-haired young Prince had looked up then, with wide pleading eyes. "But I don't want to turn three, Mama."

"Why not?" His eyes casted downward, once again paying more attention to the design of her dress rather than her face, lips moving in a mumble that she unfortunately could not catch. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I don't want to grow up!" Wilhelm's exclaim had been accompanied by his whine as he finally looked back up at her to reveal his apparent distress. "People say I'm grown and I won't be your baby anymore! I don't want that!"

Honestly, a part of her wished to laugh at the silly reason behind this, but her laughter was the last thing her son needed of her, so she had gathered him close in her arms instead, holding him tight. "Wilhelm, you'll always be Mama's baby, okay?"

"Even when I'm as old as Papa?"

"Even after that." Though she could tell that once he had grown up, he would probably regret ever asking this. Either way, it had brought a smile on his face, and that was what she needed the most at the moment. "How old do you think Papa is?"

"Very!"

Not quite the answer she was looking for, but Wilhelm was still learning his numbers -especially high ones such as his parents' ages, so she supposed the answer was appropriate for now. Wiping her son's face, she had given him a smile of her own, relieved that this had not turn into a lengthy tantrum.

"I'm not that old!"

The exclaim, as well as the sudden removal of the white tablecloth as her husband's head plopped into view, had made her jump until the top of her head crashed against the bottom of the wooden table with a rather loud sound, sending a jolt of pain as her hands came to soothe it, thankful that she was not wearing her crown as she would rather not imagine how that would end up.

"Hans!"

"I'm so sorry!" The auburn-haired Prince Consort had scrambled down onto his knees, in panic as his attempt of surprise had turned rather bad -honestly what did he expect from surprising a grown woman sitting underneath a round table? "Are you hurt?"

Wrong question. Glaring up at him, her nose had scrunched up as she still feel the faint pulsing of pain under her hair. "You think?"

"Papa, you naughty!" Wilhelm had crawled over to him, just so he could smack his Father over his shoulder with a scowl on his face, before he had turned his attention back toward her, small hands trying their best in comforting her by patting her cheeks. "It's okay, Mama, you will be okay."

The sweetness of her son alone could really dismiss of any pain she had in an instant, as the boy threw his arms around her in a comforting hug, and when her eyes met those of her husband's over their son's shoulder, she could not help but sticking out her tongue at him while he himself rolled his eyes.

"Don't Papa get a hug as well?"

The auburn-haired boy had released his hold against his mother then, turning around to once again return to his father, arms wrapping around his neck as he returned the gesture sweetly. "But how did you find us, Papa?" it was a question that she was starting to wonder as well, as she was sure that they both had been keeping their voices low.

"Well, Mama's skirt doesn't exactly provide total discreet in hiding." Hans chuckled, as he gestured at the rest of her skirt that had apparently peaked past the white tablecloth, trailing on the wooden flooring as a dead giveaway to those who may have been looking for them. "Maybe she should stick to the seeker's role, yes?"

Rolling her eyes, she had only shoved her husband lightly on his arm as she made her way out of the hiding place she and Wilhelm had occupied earlier, running her hands over her dress to dismiss of any dust or wrinkle that may have appeared as Hans held their son against his hip.

"The Council has been looking for you." The Prince Consort had allowed his free arm to circle around her waist as he pulled her close, lips pressed in a gentle kiss against her temples. "It raised quite the alert when both the Queen and the Crown Prince had suddenly 'disappeared'."

"I'm sure it has."

"Do spare me mercy, oh mighty Lord!"

With the newfound share of duties between the Queen and the Princess -of how they cooperate in bridging the nobles and the people in the last year since their journey into discovering the truth between Arendelle and the Northuldra and saving their kingdom in the process of it all, the Princess had often found herself to be more busy than she ever had before, with more responsibilities that she now had to face and handle in her hope of helping her older sister and keeping her from overworking herself.

She never complained, even when she had less time to just relax herself as now whenever she had come out to the town there was always a reason for it, it gave her a purpose of being the Princess, it made her less feeling as if she was merely the spare that her parents had should something was to happen to Elsa. Besides, she always loved meeting the people, loved to interact with them and to help with whatever she was able to.

It did mean that she would be away from the castle most of the time during the day, and while Kristoff did dutifully accompany her to wherever she was going if he was not harvesting ice up in the mountains, it was her beloved nephew that she missed the most.

Thus why when she had seen him playing in the Recreational room with a harmless wooden sword that she often see him playing with his father, she really could not help but snuck behind the boy that had grown so much and yet remained forever her adorable nephew, the exhaustion of having spent her whole day outside suddenly forgotten as her fingers found themselves tickling his sides until his cheerful laughter burst.

Wilhelm was a smart boy though, and soon enough he was able to turn the table around until he had leapt for her instead, driving her into lying down onto her back on the floor as he returned the favor until tears gathered in her eyes and her sides were starting to hurt from all the laughter.

"Never!" the auburn-haired boy declared with a delightful laugh as he continued with his assault.

Catching the sight of platinum-blonde hair out of the corner of her eyes had never been more relieving as she turned her head around, seeing her older sister lurking at the doorway. "My Queen, save me!"

It was apparent that Wilhelm had not noticed his mother's presence, for the moment she had called out for her, his head and whipped up as a wide grin grew on his face, tickling his aunt abandoned as he had basically made a run for it for his mother out of excitement, and she had rolled onto her stomach just in time as he crashed against her sister's legs, arms wrapping around them in a hug as Elsa chuckled while she bend forward for her son.

"I leave you for five minutes, and already you've caught your Auntie Anna." The platinum-blonde haired Queen chuckled as she combed her fingers through her son's hair before she turned her attention to her younger sister. "Have you just arrived, Anna?"

Nodding, she pushed herself up, dusting her skirt for any sort of dirt that may have clung. "Have you seen Kristoff?" he had excused himself to return to the castle earlier than she, and though she expected to see him when she returned, she couldn't find him anywhere.

Her sister's brows furrowed, just as she took Wilhelm's hand in hers. "I'm not sure."

"He's in the gardens!" The boy pipped up, "He's dressed up really nice too!"

Now that was odd. Kristoff rarely ever dressed up, even during social events -not even Wilhelm's third birthday a few weeks ago had been able to get him to keep his suit on for the whole day, especially not when he was the one who did it himself, without anyone needing to tell him to.

Even Elsa had found it odd, as one of her eyebrows had rose in question as she looked down at the young Prince. "Did he?" It earned her a nod of excitement from him, and his request to go with his aunt to find him, which in turn had the Queen shaking her head as she lowered herself into a kneel so she could be in the eye-level with her son, touching the tip of his nose with a smile. "Not until your bath, my darling Prince."

"I better see what he's up to." Whatever it was, it must have been something big if it worth for the Ice Harvester to put on his suit. "I'll see you at dinner, Elsa."

"Good luck, Anna."

Parting ways with the Queen and the young Prince, she made her way toward where the royal gardens were. The sun was starting to set outside the windows as she walked past, casting warm atmosphere of orange sky as she tucked the loose strand of strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear.

Her heart rate had suddenly picked up with the raising nervousness that had overcome her with each step that she took, but she tried to mask it all, especially when she walked past the servants that come and go around the halls, smiling warmly at their respectful bows.

She talked about this with Elsa before, had tugged the older sister aside in the late of the night to pour out what troubled her heart, and though they both had this conversation once already in the Enchanted Forest as they searched for the truth that lies beneath the deep history of their kingdom and bloodline, she still needed to hear her older sister's reassurance, perhaps even looking for another way out.

Though the latter had seemed to be impossible to find, as her answer had been the same as ever.

A commoner man could not propose to a Princess.

"Anna looks a little sullen."

Although it was usually the duty of his nannies when it comes to bath times for the young Prince, she still found herself taking over every once in a while, should she could spare some of her time away from her Council, for she loved watching her son play in the bath as her gently washed his hair throughout each layer of it -and there was a lot considering the fact that the thickness of his hair had come from hers. And Wilhelm loved talking about his day, now that his vocabulary had grown so much, and she enjoyed listening to each and every activity that he did whether it was with his parents or his nannies.

Drying the boy off with a warm towel, she had kissed his flushing cheeks before she carried him out and into his own nursery, noting how his nannies had laid out his clothes at ready on his bed.

She had barely finished buttoning up his shirt when her husband had entered with his comment following suit. Turning to look at him, she had only given him a shrug. "Can you blame her? She's been facing this turmoil since we were in the Enchanted Forest."

"Is Auntie Anna going to be okay, Mama?"

"Of course she will, Wilhelm." Hans chuckled as he approached, ruffling his son's hair with such affection that the Queen had remained quiet saved from the narrowing of her eyes as he had basically ruined her work of brushing his hair. "We'll just need to figure out the best way she and Kristoff can be together."

"But they're already together." The young Prince had tilted his head in confusion then, as he looked up at his father, brows furrowing. "They're like you and Mama!"

Her fingers had combed through her son's hair in an attempt to tame the mess her husband had made while her other hand playfully pinched his cheek. "Not quite there yet, darling. They're not yet ma—"

"Kristoff, it's okay! Come back!"

The shout coming from right outside the door, followed by hurried footsteps, had made both adults paused, exchanging silent looks before they made their way toward the door, though they were not quick enough in opening it, as they could only catch a glimpse of the Princess turning at the corner at the end of the hall, most probably chasing after the Mountain Man.

"We should chase after them, right?"

"I think we should."

So they did, though they had left Wilhelm behind as neither wished for the boy to accidentally ruined whatever it was that happened between the Princess and the Ice Harvester -with a promise that they will be back as soon as they could, making quick way through the halls though held themselves from running as having Anna knowing that they were following them did not sound like such a good idea.

Walking past the tall glass door leading to the balcony, Hans had suddenly taken hold of her wrist, halting her as he earned himself a question look from her, but he had simply gestured toward the balcony, no doubt having seen something that she had failed to notice.

Looking down, she could see the two figures in the gardens -it was such a wonder how they could manage coming down from the castle that fast, just as the larger figure had turned around and starting to walk away.

"What—" He couldn't walk away!

"Wait!" Anna's voice was surprisingly loud enough for even the pair of spying couple to hear all the way from the balcony. "Kristoff Bjorgman of Arendelle," her call had made him stopped in his track, though he still refused to turn around and face her, and Anna had used the opportunity to pluck a single rose from the bushes -the gardener would not be pleased, lowering herself down to one knee.

Wait. No way.

"Will you marry me?"

She did not.

The hand on her shoulder prevent her from voicing something that she would regret, as she looked over at her husband, only to find that he had a reassuring expression over his face. "Technically," he started with a shrug, as he smiled at the sight of the two newly engaged shared a kiss. "It's the royal who propose, so all is well."

But still.

Hans must have sensed her lingering doubt, for even when she was indeed happy for her sister, the doubt about how the Council would take it still gnawed on her mind, and he had taken her chin in his hold then, thumb caressing her lower lip. "If we're not betrothed, you would have been the one required to propose, no?"

That was true. As royal marriages had only allowed for the higher ranking to propose to the lower and not the other way around, seeing the fact that she was Queen while Hans was only a Prince, it was expected that should they were not tied in the betrothal arranged by their parents and wished to marry then technically she would have been the one to propose to him.

Her silence was taken as her confirmation that she knew and understood what he was saying, and Hans had nodded understandingly. "Then it is not wrong for Anna, who is the Princess, to propose to Kristoff, who is a commoner -the lower ranking in this scenario."

"Let's just hope that the Council can accept that theory."