A/N: *Sigh*... how did I end up back in this mess after all this time?

Hello everyone, and welcome to this brand new story, "Melting Walls." Frozen 2 reignited my Frozen fever, so I started writing this sequel to "The Girl Behind the Door" to give some more time to all these characters we know and love... not to mention lord knows nobody has anything better to do these days.

Some housekeeping before we get started. Now, if you've been around here a while, you might remember that TGBtD already has a sequel called "Where the Snowflakes Fall." I'm gonna try to explain this as succinctly as I can... this story is NOT connected to WtSF. Part of why I wrote this was because that story got wiped out by canon when Frozen 2 came out and TGBtD did not (disregarding the original epilogue). Think of it like Star Wars: WtSF is Legends, and this story is the new Disney canon. (Or possibly the other way around depending on your preferences.)

Quick warning: This story occasionally goes to some much darker and/or more mature places that it's predecessors. Part of that is me being older, because there are some things 15-year-old me would not do that 21-year-old me would! So consider yourselves warned, this might deal with some uncomfortable and possibly triggering topics.

Final note: Updates will be once a week, on Sundays. (At least that's the plan.) Sadly I'm an adult now with adult things to do and I can't update four times a week like I used to.

Hopefully I've covered everything and won't have to do any other unnecessarily long A/Ns, so without further ado, I hope you enjoy "Melting Walls."

Disclaimer: Dang it! Six years and I STILL don't own Frozen!

Prince Johan of Landvik was in the music room when he found out. Playing his flute sometimes helped to ease his nerves, but right now all he really wanted was to be out on the town getting a drink with the boys from his unit. Yes, he was still a few months shy of legally being able to buy alcohol, but a few of his favorite bartenders would usually let him get away with it because, well, he's the prince.

But right now he was waiting for news. He'd asked his friend Noah, who was standing guard at the council meeting, to report to him as soon as it was over. He hoped the council wasn't suspicious of his request. It was unlike him to ask for this and they all knew it.

He sighed and stared at his sheet music, his flute resting in his lap. This used to be his favorite pastime, but since he joined the navy he always found himself restless. There was a certain freedom in being out on the open seas, and the fact that the war ended before he could actually be deployed just left him itching to do something. The walls of this castle were starting to make him feel boxed in.

Finally, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," he called.

The door opened, and Noah walked in, his new royal guard uniform looking completely pristine. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked smug as he sauntered up to the prince.

Johan stood and looked his friend in the eye, his lips curling into a suspicious smile.

"They said yes, didn't they?"

Noah smiled. "They want you to go with him."

Johan's face lit up with excitement. "Oh, Noah!" he said, patting him on the back. He turned to put his flute back in its case as Noah continued.

"They want you to go with your father to Arendelle to negotiate the new trade treaties," he said. "They think your previous experience in the kingdom make you suited to help ensure that these treaties are well in our favor."

"And the alliance?" Johan said. "The alliance treaty is being renewed as well?"

"Oh, yes, of course!" Noah replied.

Johan beamed as he stood up. "Can't believe I'm finally getting out of this blasted kingdom for a bit!"

"Well believe it. You're going back to Arendelle, man!"

"And here I thought the end of the war wouldn't bring me any opportunity!"

Noah sat down in the chair Johan had been sitting in while the prince paced the room.

"You know if it weren't for everything my father did to me I'd have joined the navy so I could get out with you," Noah said. "I'm really rather envious."

Johan chuckled dryly. Noah had this habit of making light of his childhood trauma, but Johan knew it still had a major effect on him. It was good to hear him able to address it, though. That hadn't always been the case.

"I gotta go into town to get gifts for the princesses," Johan said, walking to the window. "And I think I know where to start."

"Won't they bring them gifts from the state?"

"Yeah, but I want to bring gifts that are from me."

He stopped in front of the glass and looked down at the kingdom. He could only remember one thing that Anna liked, and it was chocolate. Lucky Landvik's chocolate store made the best chocolate in Denmark. As for her sister, he had an idea...

"Think I'll get to see her?"

Noah smirked. "Possibly. Elsa's the least of your worries right now, believe me, Johan."

The prince turned around to look at his friend. "What do you mean?"

The young guard stiffened and sat up straight as he looked Johan in the eye.

"You realize this is a test, don't you?" he said. "They'll never say it out loud in the council meeting, but they all know it and so does your father... It's not something to be taken lightly. They want to see how you'll handle this, whether you'll be true to your responsibilities or run off doing God-knows-what, and with how much you've been off lately... they're questioning your ability to be king more than ever before."

Johan laughed shamelessly. "What are you trying to do, scare me? You sound like my mother. You know I don't give a damn what those pompous fools think of me. I know I'm not the leader they want, but I can't help being my father's only son."

Noah looked at him seriously. "Johan, they're seriously starting to look into amending the succession law."

Johan stopped laughing and looked away. He knew this already. Leah was the golden child in their eyes. They wanted to change the law so that the crown would go to the king's firstborn child rather than firstborn son.

"My father would fight for me."

"Your father can only do so much."

Johan sighed and looked at the floor in front of him. He knew he had to step up. It was what was expected of him, and he would be disgraced if he were to forfeit his birthright to the council, unintentionally or otherwise. He couldn't let his father down. And his mother? Well, even though she would have supported him no matter what, she wouldn't have wanted him to just throw it all away.

He turned his head to look out the window again. It was mid-afternoon, and the streets were bustling with people. His people.

He shook his head. "It would never get through parliament."

Noah stared at his friend pensively. "Well, that depends how well you can prove yourself going forward," he says. "It starts in Arendelle."

Happy Easter to those celebrating! And don't forget to wash your hands, everyone!

Read on, write on, dream on. -bandgeek63