Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen, as the copyright claim on my Into the Unknown cover clearly shows! Thanks, Disney!
"Prince Johan? Prince Johan?"
Johan awoke to the sound of a servant girl rapping on the door of his cabin.
"W-what? What is it?" he called groggily.
"Sorry to wake you, sir," the woman said from behind the door.
"No, n-n-no! It's fine. I was already up," he lied.
"I see," she replied. "Well, Arendelle has been spotted on the horizon. We should be there within the hour. The king requests you meet him on deck in thirty minutes."
Johan suddenly sat up in his bed. We're here!
"Ah yes! Thank you!" he called. "Tell him I will be there shortly."
"Yes, sir," the servant replied. He heard her walk away as he jumped out of bed.
Johan had laid out his clothes the previous night, since he knew they would be arriving early. He splashed some water on his face and smoothed back his hair. He needed to look his best for the king of Arendelle.
Listen to yourself, he thought as he pulled on his trousers. When was the last time you cared about making an impression?
If he was being honest, he didn't care about his impression on the king. He cared about his impression on Elsa's father.
He shook his head. Just because he liked Elsa didn't mean anything would come of it. Even if the king liked him, which he seemed to the last time he was there, Elsa wasn't exactly an outgoing person. He had no way of knowing if she felt the same way.
But… she had kissed him…
That was three years ago. And they had both been convinced that they would never see each other again. For all he knew, he wouldn't see her this time. With the exception of two brief occasions, she had practically barricaded herself in her room the last time they were there. It wasn't until that last night that she even spoke to him. All those nights he sat outside her door, he had simply been talking to her, not with her. He might as well have been talking to a brick wall if she hadn't been holding his hand under the door.
But then, maybe things have changed since then. Both King Agnarr and Princess Anna implied that it hadn't always been like this. Maybe she had gotten better and things were going back to the way they used to be.
Johan mentally slapped himself. He had been thinking so much about possibly seeing Elsa again that he hardly gave a thought to the fact that he will see Anna again!
He was curious to see how much Anna had changed. She was only eleven the last time he saw her. Now she'd be fourteen, the same age he was when they met. He had no doubt that she would still be the spunky, rambunctious girl he knew. But now she would be growing into her own as a young woman. She wouldn't be the child she was before.
He smiled as he fastened his naval jacket. If he believed one thing about Anna, it was that, that girl could do anything!
The prince looked in the mirror to examine his appearance. I look so stiff, he thought. But if this is what's expected of me, I guess I'll have to live.
Satisfied, he turned out of his cabin and headed up to the deck. He squinted as he set foot outside, surprised at how bright it was. The sun had just barely started to peek over the horizon, but this far north in the middle of summer, that meant it wasn't even 5 AM yet.
He spotted his father standing by the bow of the ship speaking with the captain. Walking up the stairs he came up behind the Landvikian king.
"Good morning, Father," he said, giving a slight bow.
The king looked over his shoulder and smiled at his son. "Good morning, Johan," he replied. "You got ready quickly."
"My king summoned me, so I came," the prince replied.
King Magnus scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Sure," he said, shaking his head, but smiling. He turned to the captain. "Leave us."
The captain bowed and took his leave. Johan stood next to his father and looked over the railing. On the dimly lit horizon, he could see the spires of Arendelle Castle. It looked just as magnificent as he remembered.
"Ready to get your feet on land?" Magnus asked.
Johan chuckled. "Father, you know I could sail for weeks and not be bothered," he replied. "But yes, I am excited to arrive."
The king nodded before his face turned serious. "Johan, I know you only requested to come so you could get out of the castle, but don't forget you have a job here with me. You will take responsibility for your duty, right?"
Johan closed his eyes to keep from rolling them. "Yes, Father."
"Johan," his father scolded. The prince sighed and turned to look at his father. "Don't make me regret letting you come, this is very important. I need to know I can count on you. Promise me?"
Johan nodded his head slowly and met his father's eyes. "Yes, Father," he said sincerely.
King Magnus put his hand on his son's shoulder and smiled. "I know you can handle all this, Johan," he said. "You've just got to apply yourself. You're so smart, I know you can do it."
Johan smiled guiltily. "Thank you, Father."
The prince turned back to the bow, leaning his arms on the railing. He stared out at the kingdom as they drew ever-closer to it.
These were the moments that made him feel like a terrible human being. The fact that his father believed in him when he had done nothing to deserve it was almost incomprehensible to Johan. He felt blessed to have such a supportive father, but he wanted to earn his father's respect. He didn't just want it to be given to him. Even though he knew his father would love him no matter what, he wanted to make him proud. His father's life had been so challenging as of late. Especially since his mother passed last year.
No use dwelling on things you can't change, Johan told himself. Stay in the moment. Worry about what you can do now.
He focused his thoughts on the kingdom they were about to enter. Many things waited for him on the horizon.
I wonder if she can see the ship coming, he thought. I wonder if she knows I'm here...
"Excited to see the princess, son?" King Magnus asked.
Johan's heart skipped a beat until he realized he was talking about Anna. He looked over his shoulder and smiled.
"Yes, of course!" he replied.
The king smiled. "I'm sure she's excited to see you, too."
With that, the king took his leave, and Johan stood alone at the bow gazing at Arendelle. He needed to get ahold of himself. Thinking about Anna helped him relax. There was less pressure there.
He did mean it. He was excited to see her.
.:.^*^.:.
An hour and a half later, Johan found himself in a familiar position: standing next to his father as the gates of Arendelle Castle opened before them. He had a feeling this whole morning was going to give him deja vu.
They were greeted by the head butler, who told them the king and the princess were waiting for them in the throne room.
Johan smiled. It was good to know that Anna would be there to greet them too. He was kind of impressed they managed to get her out of bed this early.
They followed the butler through the courtyard and into the castle. Johan had missed these halls. There was something warm about them. Something comforting.
Even if the hallway he spent a lot of his time in was usually pretty cold for some reason.
As they approached the doors to the throne room, the prince grinned in anticipation, prompting his father to nudge him in the shoulder.
"Stand tall. Be a gentleman."
The prince adjusted his posture and straightened his collar. "With pleasure!"
For the next few moments, the world seemed to move in slow motion. The doors to the throne room opened, and he could hear King Agnarr's voice speaking to someone quietly.
Johan had good ears, but the few words he could make out, he was not prepared for.
"...Just relax, Elsa. You'll be alright."
Elsa?
The prince looked up as the throne came into view beyond the doors. On the dais stood King Agnarr, regal as any royal Johan had ever met. To his left stood a young woman, no older than seventeen, with pale skin and platinum blonde hair that was wrapped into a bun. She wore a purple and blue dress, with a long sleeve vest that had black and burgundy trimmings. On her hands were white, satin gloves. She stood with her hands folded in front of her, looking at him with a neutral expression.
He couldn't contain his shock as he stared into her cerulean eyes.
Elsa.
He couldn't believe she was here, greeting guests that were all but strangers to her, at least as far as King Agnarr knew. The girl that barely set foot out of her bedroom three years ago was in front of him now in the throne room, and it occurred to Johan that this was the first time they were meeting that wasn't in secret.
Realizing his jaw had all but dropped, Johan quickly collected himself before anyone noticed and walked next to King Magnus toward the dais. Stealing a glance up at his father, Johan could tell that he was surprised to see Elsa too, having never met her before. But he kept a better poker face than the prince.
He returned his gaze to the princess, who was no longer looking at him. Johan wasn't sure what to make of her presence there. He wanted to believe it meant that things had changed and that they would be able to see each other without having to keep it a secret. But something was telling him that wasn't quite the case. Something in her expression, her demeanor, the way she carried herself. It was perfect. Too perfect. Practiced to the point of being ingenuine. Where the less observant eye would see a woman exuding confidence, Johan saw a girl hiding behind a mask.
He turned his attention to the king as they stopped in front of the dais.
"King Magnus and Prince Johan of Landvik," the butler announced.
The foreign royals bowed to the King of Arendelle, who bowed his head in return.
"Welcome back to Arendelle," he said, stepping off the dais and shaking each of their hands. "I trust you had a pleasant journey?"
"Yes, your majesty, it was quite an enjoyable voyage," King Magnus replied.
"That is good to hear," Agnarr said. He glanced over his shoulder at the princess. "Gentlemen, may I present my eldest daughter, Princess Elsa of Arendelle."
Elsa took a step forward and curtsied. Johan and his father bowed in return.
"It is an honor to meet you, Princess Elsa," King Magnus said.
"Thank you," Elsa replied in an even tone. "It is an honor to meet you too."
Johan could hear it in her voice, too. Rehearsed almost to the point of sounding monotone. But even though he could tell she was putting up a front, she wore it well. He had no chance of seeing what was underneath.
"If we may," King Magnus spoke, looking at Agnarr, "we have brought gifts for both of your lovely daughters, if you would allow us to present them to you."
Agnarr smiled and nodded. "Yes, of course."
Magnus motioned for two servants to come forward, each holding a jewelry box. The princess met Johan's eyes again, and for the first time he saw something change in her expression. She raised her eyebrows and had a curious glimmer in her eye. She was... surprised? Confused? Intrigued? Something along those lines!
Feeling bold, and sure no one was looking, Johan gave her a smirk and winked at her. Elsa drew in a breath and turned her attention back to the servants kneeling in front of her father. Johan's face fell. Either that was too much or she wasn't as excited to see him as he was to see her.
The servants opened the boxes to reveal two necklaces identical in all but color. The one closer to Johan, clearly meant for Elsa, had a silver pendant stamped with the Arendellian crocus, hanging on a white ribbon. The other necklace, Anna's, was the same but with a bronze pendant and a black ribbon. Although, Johan couldn't tell if it was the lighting or the angle, but for some reason that pendant almost reflected light green... but a pretty light green. Either way, both necklaces were beautiful.
"These necklaces were made specially for the princesses of Arendelle by the finest jeweler in Landvik," King Magnus proclaimed.
King Agnarr smiled and nodded approvingly. He looked behind himself at Elsa, catching her eyes and nodding for her to step forward. Elsa drew in a breath and held up her skirt as she stepped off the dais.
"They are lovely, my lords," she said, looking at King Magnus but stopping in front of Johan. "Thank you very much."
She looked at the prince and gave him a shy smile. This time, he could tell it was genuine. He smiled in return.
"You are very welcome, Princess," he said, holding out his hand toward her. To his surprise, her face fell as her eyes looked to his open palm. He saw her steal a quick glance at her father, who raised his eyebrows in some kind of silent message that only he and Elsa knew the meaning of.
Slowly, she lifted her hand and placed it in his. He bent over and pressed his lips to the back of her knuckles, the fabric of her glove cold to the touch. She drew in another nervous breath, and he stood up and looked her in the eyes. He could see that she was uncomfortable, but as they stared at each other, her discomfort seemed to fade. As she looked deep into his eyes, he could see her relax.
After a brief moment, she broke out of her daze and pulled her hand from his. He hadn't even realized he'd still been holding it. She took a small step back and wrapped her arms around herself as if she were cold, her gaze falling to the floor. She flicked her eyes back up to his face and offered him a small, reserved smile.
Before the silence could go on too long, Johan heard his father clear his throat and tap him on the shoulder. Johan turned his head and saw his father holding the box containing Elsa's necklace toward him. The prince took it in his hands and held it out to the princess. She reached out and took the box from him, her gloves just barely touching his fingers. She glanced down at the necklace and then back to him.
"Thank you," she said, smiling at him as she closed the box and held it to her chest. Johan felt his stomach flip as he realized that those were the first words she had said (or well, written) to him three years ago. When he promised in his letter not to tell anyone that he saw her sneaking out at night.
"You're welcome, my lady," he replied. He thought he saw something sparkle in her eye for a moment before she sighed and turned to King Agnarr.
"Father, may I be excused?"
Agnarr smiled softly and nodded. "Yes, you may go."
"Thank you." She turned toward the Landvikian royals. "It is a pleasure to meet you gentlemen," she said.
Johan remained silent for a moment, waiting for his father to respond. He quickly realized he wasn't going to because he wanted him to reply. "You as well, Princess," he said.
With this, Elsa turned and walked toward the door to the left of the dais.
Johan turned to give his father a questioning look. Magnus simply smirked and raised his eyebrows. The prince brushed him off and watched Elsa as she left. At the door, she stopped for a moment, and then glanced back over her shoulder. He could hear the kings talking, so they weren't watching them. Johan was mostly just confused about this whole encounter, and stared back at her curiously. She gave him what he thought was a smile, but if he learned anything today it's that her expression is harder to read than the Mona Lisa's. After a moment, she disappeared behind the door.
"...Well it's good to hear that your girls are doing well. And if I may, I am very sorry again about Ingrid. I know I sent a letter when we first heard, but I wanted to offer my condolences in person."
Johan was brought back to attention at the mention of his mother.
"Thank you very much, Agnarr," King Magnus said. "It means a great deal."
Agnarr smiled and patted his old friend on the shoulder. "Now then," he said. "If all your belongings have been taken to your rooms you are welcome to settle in until breakfast. Kai will show you the way."
The butler, Kai, stood up tall and motioned all three out the door to the right of the dais. Johan walked behind King Agnarr, gathering all his courage before he spoke.
"Excuse me, King Agnarr?"
Agnarr spun over his shoulder to look at the young prince. "Yes?"
"Forgive me, your majesty, but... did I do something wrong when I was speaking with the princess? She seemed... uncomfortable."
The king smiled softly and shook his head, placing a hand on Johan's shoulder.
"No, my boy, you did nothing wrong. Rest assured," he replied. "Princess Elsa is just not very comfortable around people, is all. She was here this morning because we've been trying to ease her into more formal interactions. But most likely, this will be the extent of her appearances during this visit."
Johan hid his disappointment at this revelation. "Well," he said, "if I did do something that made her uncomfortable, please give her my apologies."
Agnarr nodded. "That I will."
"Your daughter is very lovely, Agnarr," King Magnus cut in. "Although I have to wonder, where is Princess Anna this morning?"
King Agnarr laughed brightly. "Anna could sleep through an earthquake! There is no way we could have ever gotten her up this early! But she will be at breakfast, I'm sure."
Johan's face lit up, and he chuckled. "Good," he said. "I have something for her."
Agnarr smiled. "She is very excited to see you, Prince Johan."
"Thank you, sir," Johan replied.
The king nodded in acknowledgement and stood up straight. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I must return to my work."
Prince Johan and King Magnus bowed as King Agnarr took his leave. Turning around, Johan saw Kai waiting for them, smiling.
"This way please, my lords."
As they followed him toward the guest rooms that would be theirs for the next two weeks, Johan thought about the encounter in the throne room and wished he could forget it ever happened. More importantly, he wished Elsa could forget that it ever happened!
His father must've known what he was thinking from the look on his face, and he nudged the prince's shoulder as they walked. Johan turned to look at him. The king was smirking.
"What?" Johan said indignantly.
King Magnus chuckled. "That was smooth!"
"What?"
.:.^*^.:.
Anna fastened her hair as she ran out of her bedroom. Normally it wouldn't matter if she slept past breakfast because somebody would just bring her a tray. But today was different. Today, they had company.
When she found out Johan was returning, she had practically woken the castle with her high-pitched squeals of joy. The days he had spent with her, playing, reading, or just talking, were some of her happiest in recent memory. It wasn't often that she got to meet with someone close to her own age. And Johan was such a good friend.
Coming to the spiral staircase, she slid down the banister and sprinted toward the dining hall. When she came through the double doors, she saw her father, mother, and Johan's father, King Magnus, sitting at the table.
"Sorry I'm late!" she cried as she ran in the room.
"Anna!" Queen Iduna scolded, giving her daughter a warning look. "Walk!"
Anna skidded to a halt and grimaced, biting her lip. "Yes, Mother."
Iduna shook her head. "You're fourteen years old. I shouldn't have to remind you of these things"
The princess smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. She was saved from a lecture when King Magnus stood to greet her.
"Princess Anna, it is wonderful to see you again," he said, bowing.
"Thank you, your majesty," Anna replied, quickly dipping into a curtsey. "It's wonderful to see you again, too."
She looked around and saw that one face was missing.
"Is Johan here?" she asked, concerned. The three adults smiled at her, and she felt a tap on her shoulder.
She turned around and saw the prince smiling at her, his demeanor as welcoming and friendly as she remembered.
"Good morning, Anna!"
"Johan!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck.
Johan heaved as she knocked the wind out of him, and he wrapped his arms around her back, his left hand clutching his gift for her. She released him and stepped back, and he got his first good look at her.
She had changed more than her sister had. She had gotten taller, though still not as tall as Johan, and both her face and her voice seemed more mature. She was wearing a green and brown dress with a black bodice and flowers decorating the bottom of her skirt. Her hair was fastened in plaits, just like how she usually did before. And her smile was still just as bright. The prince could not deny that his friend had grown into a beautiful young woman.
"It's good to see you," he told her. "It's been too long!"
"Yeah it really has!" Anna agreed. "I've missed you. It was too quiet around here after you left."
Johan chuckled. "The paintings weren't company enough?"
Anna laughed, thinking back to her childhood antics. She was flattered that he remembered.
"I have something for you," the prince said with his hands behind his back.
"A present?" Anna said, waving her hand at him. "Johan, you shouldn't have!"
Johan smirked. "Alright," he said, holding up a small, neatly packaged parcel topped with a red bow. "I guess I'll just have to keep this box of chocolates and eat it all by myself!"
Anna gasped and reached for the box. "On second thought, yes you should have!" she said, taking the box in her hand. She pulled the lid off to reveal an assortment of chocolate truffles. She looked up at the prince and smiled before popping one of the chocolates into her mouth.
"Mmm!" she said through a full mouth. "This is so good!"
"They came from the finest chocolate maker in all of Denmark," Johan proclaimed. "Only the best for you, Anna!"
Anna swallowed and smiled at him, blushing. "Well thank you, Johan. That was very thoughtful of you."
"You're welcome," he said, as she reached for another one.
"Anna!" King Agnarr said. The princess turned around to see her father smirking at her with raised eyebrows. "Save some for after breakfast."
Anna placed the chocolate she had picked up back in the box and replaced the lid. "Right," she said. "Of course!"
She turned back to Johan, who chuckled. "I'm glad to see some things never change."
"Yeah," Anna said sheepishly. "Me too."
The prince smiled at her. "Why don't you go start your breakfast? I have to run back to my quarters briefly, but I'll be right back and we can catch up."
"Y-Yeah, sure!" she replied. "Absolutely!"
Johan took his leave, and Anna made her way over you her chair next to the queen. She sat down and started twiddling her thumbs, biting her bottom lip and smiling widely.
"What?" Iduna asked her daughter, curiously.
Anna looked up at her, blushing furiously. "I forgot how cute he is!"
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Read on, write on, dream on. -bandgeek63