Notes:

A little shorter than last chapter- we've got a bit of Elsa/Kristoff interaction and a generous helping of social awkwardness. Next chapter will cover Elsa's speech, and the fall out from that.

As ever, thank you so so much for your favourites, follows and reviews. They mean the world, and I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Feedback always appreciated. X

The next morning dawned bright and clear. Elsa, as usual, was up at the crack of dawn.

Today was the day, she thought, and her stomach flip-flopped. She owed Arendelle an explanation – an apology – and this morning, they would get it. But would they accept it?

Stretching, Elsa got up. It still felt strange to be in her own bed. She walked to the mirror.

Her hair was piled up in a bun and ruffled from sleep – a good sleep – and the smudges of make-up she hadn't managed to remove last night darkened her lower lids. Sleepers crackled at the corners of her eyes.

She splashed her face with water and stared into the mirror.

She felt she should have looked different – but she didn't. The same blue eyes stared back at her, and the same white-blonde hair fell about her face in jagged strips. Her mouth was still small and naturally rested with the corners downturned. She still had the beginnings of worry lines etched between her eyebrows.

Elsa probed her face with long fingers, pulling the skin of her cheekbone up, imagining what she would look like without bags under her eyes. She pulled down her lower lip to see whether a fuller mouth would suit her. Every imperfection and flaw in her skin was familiar and unpleasant – she'd studied her face a thousand times before, always asking why she had to be this way.

Elsa sighed. This was not the time for doubt. There was not time today.

After brushing out her hair, she pulled it into a neat bun at the base of her skull. She'd thrown away her tiara at the top of the North Mountain – stupid, that tiara was worth a fortune – so echoes of the hairstyle she'd had at the coronation would have to do. So much had happened over the past few days that it could only be a good idea to pull the memory of Arendelle back to before all this madness.

Going over to her wardrobe, she lovingly ran her hand over the sleeve of her ice gown, but sighed and picked out something slightly more… regal. And not as ice-themed. No use labouring the point.

"Hi, everyone, sorry about the past few days… as you now all know, I have uncontrollable magic ice powers. Sorry about that. But look at this enchanted ice-dress I made! Pretty!…"

Elsa sighed.

Eight o'clock came and went. She had always been an early riser, and the servants always had her breakfast prepared and in her room at eight on the dot. She'd left no orders to change this last night, so waited. But after ten minutes passed, she ventured downstairs.

Cautiously, she pushed the dining room door open; the room had been prepared. The miniature ice castle still sparkled on the table, and last night's detritus had been replaced by plates of Danish pastries, fruit, and a steaming pot of coffee – which had to be for her. Anna didn't drink coffee.

The servants had caught onto the changes quicker than perhaps she had given them credit for.

Elsa suddenly felt a little overwhelmed.

"Hi! Good morning, Elsa!"

"Olaf! You're up early. I didn't expect to see anyone."

"I don't sleep. I'm made of snow. How are you?"

"I'm ok. A little nervous. But ok. Did you – how did the servants know I was coming down for breakfast?"

Olaf blinked at her. "Everything's different now, Elsa. Even I know that."

Elsa sat down slowly, nodding. "You're right, Olaf. I suppose it is."

Kristoff had been up for hours. In the mountains, you started work as soon as the sun rose. Daylight hours were precious, and as such his sleeping pattern had always been inextricably tied to the sunrise.

Yesterday had been an exception – he supposed the fact that Anna had basically forbidden sleep until they found Elsa had really taken it out of him – but already he could feel the old habit returning.

He didn't have a clue what to do, though. What did people do in the morning at a castle? Where did breakfast come from? What time would it be at? It was unlikely that they just ate a hunk of bread before shouldering an ice pick and heading off to the frozen lakes.

Very cautiously, he poked his head around the guest room door.

The corridor was deserted. It seemed to stretch endlessly in both directions.

Now, last night, he and Anna had come from the right… but where before then? He knew the mountain roads and passes like the back of his hand, but he'd never had much of a memory for new places. Much less new places that were also castles and labyrinths.

"Are you all right sir?"

He was saved from indecision by an unfamiliar voice.

A small woman with an armful of linen appraised him.

"Um. Yes. Do you know where I can find Princess Anna?"

"Oh, she won't be up yet sir. Princess Anna doesn't usually wake until about half past ten or eleven. Though as queen Elsa is to address the people this morning, she may be up a little earlier." The servant bobbed into a curtsey and made to leave.

"Wait! I mean – just a moment," Kristoff said, feeling impending panic at being completely lost and alone in a strange castle. "I, um – what time is Queen Elsa's address?"

"Eleven o'clock, sir."

Eleven. That was still two and a half hours away.

"Would you be able to direct me to the stables?"

"Certainly sir. If you go down this corridor, take the stairs on your left down two flights, you will find yourself in the entrance hall. From there, out the front doors and round the right of the courtyard are the stables."

She curtsied and left.

Down the corridor, stairs on the left… Kristoff repeated the directions to himself. You got this. You found your way around yesterday.

Kristoff found his way to the entrance hall, and was just getting his bearings, when –

"Kristoff?"

He spun round.

"Elsa. I mean, your majesty," Kristoff did the funny little bow again. "Sorry. I was just looking for the stables."

"That's all right." She paused. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Oh, no, I'm ok, I was just going to go see Sven –"

At that moment, his stomach gave a huge, traitorous rumble.

Elsa laughed.

"Come on. Anna's not up yet, but I'll show you the way."

She gestured for him to follow, and Kristoff thought it would be only rude to object.

Elsa hadn't been able to eat too much that morning – nervous about the address at eleven – so there was plenty of food left for Kristoff.

He mumbled his thanks when she motioned for him to sit down, and helped himself to a single pastry.

Elsa remained standing and hesitated, about to go. This whole entertaining thing was very new to her.

"Have you eaten?" He asked politely.

"Oh, yes, thank you."

There was a slight silence.

Elsa made a sudden decision and sat down.

"Kristoff. About Anna."

He almost choked on the pastry.

"Was she all right in the mountains? Did anything else happen to you both? I know she would hold back anything she thought would upset me."

Oh. "Yes, she was fine. She did well, actually." The corner of his mouth twitched at the memory of her trying to climb the mountain. "She's tougher than she looks."

Elsa dropped her head into her hands. "I can't believe she came after me alone. In a ball gown."

Kristoff's mouth twitched again, but he didn't really know what to say. "I'd believe most things of her."

"I really can't thank you enough, Kristoff. I'm sure you saved her life more than once out there."

Kristoff smiled awkwardly. "This is pretty heavy conversation for half nine in the morning."

At this, Elsa burst out laughing. Kristoff was very taken aback.

She wiped her eyes. "I like you, Kristoff," she said, still chuckling. "You're so direct. How long are you staying for?"

He finished his first pastry and took another thoughtfully. "I'm not sure."

"I think Anna would like you to stay a while."

"Well, I can't go anywhere without a sled. I need it for my ice business."

"Oh, of course," Elsa thought for a moment. "We'll have to sort that out for you. Well," she thought for a moment. "Anna may have to sort that out for you; it depends how this speech goes later."

Kristoff nodded. "It will go fine. I'm sure of it."

Elsa raised her eyebrows slightly at this. Kristoff flushed a little. Gruffly: "You probably didn't see how excited Arendelle was about the coronation. I was delivering some ice for the party, and honestly, I've never heard people so excited about open gates."

Elsa contemplated this for a second. "I won't get my hopes up. But thank you, Kristoff. Now," she smiled at him. "I should go see if Anna is awake."

Kristoff hastily swallowed the rest of the pastry and stood as Elsa rose. She saw this unexpected display of courtesy with interest: perhaps there was hope for him.

Then he wiped crumbs from his mouth with the back of his hand. Maybe not.

"Thank you for breakfast, your majesty."

"You are very welcome, Kristoff."

He dipped his huge frame into his funny little bow and lumbered out of the dining room. Elsa watched him go with a smile.

"Anna. Anna."

"Mmmnn."

"Wake up, you."

"Mmmelsa?"

"Yes, sleepyhead. Time to get up."

"Elsa!" Sleepy Anna was the sweetest kind of Anna, Elsa thought, as her sister mumbled the greeting and threw her bed-warm arms about her without even opening her eyes.

"How did you sleep?"

"Like a baby," Anna mumbled, collapsing back down into her blankets. "You?"

"Really well, actually. Are you ready for breakfast?"

"Always." Anna sat up and let out a huge yawn, stretching her arms high above her head. "Is Kristoff up?"

"Yes. I just met him in the entrance hall."

"Entrance hall?" Anna's eyes pushed themselves open in distress. "Is he going?"

"No silly. He's just gone to see Sven. It is Sven?"

"Yeah." Happy again, Anna wriggled her legs up under the covers until she was cross-legged. "I should go say hi."

"Breakfast first." Elsa suddenly grinned. "Do you really think he'd go without saying goodbye?"

"Shh," said Anna, "It's early."

"It's ten o'clock!"

"Early," Anna insisted.

Elsa waited whilst Anna got dressed and fixed her hair. When she emerged, slightly brighter-eyed and in a periwinkle blue dress that Elsa thought looked beautiful on her, she took her arm.

"When's your speech, Elsa?"

"Eleven."

"It will be fine," Anna smiled up at her sister. "They love you!"

"That's what Kristoff said. In more words."

"More words?" Anna was horrified. "It really is early."

Elsa chuckled. "Are you going to eat in the dining room, or just get something from the kitchen?"

"Kitchen," Anna hummed. "Tea and toast."

"Say hello to Kristoff for me."

Anna elbowed her sister.

Elsa grinned wickedly for a moment. Then her smile faded. "Anna. If things don't go well at the address –"

"They will."

"If they don't. I want you to keep Kristoff around. He'll look after you. And I trust him."

"The speech will go well, Elsa. You're not going anywhere. But can we keep Kristoff around anyway?"

Elsa chuckled. "He's not a pet, Anna."

Anna's eyes went very wide. "No, no I didn't mean like that – I just mean –"

"I know. And yes. Of course we can."

"You like him then, huh?"

"I really do."

That was good enough for Anna.