The next morning dawned clear and bright.

True to her word, Anna had a servant rouse her much earlier than usual – half past nine.

She got dressed – gingerly pulling long sleeves over her burnt shoulders – tamed her hair, and hurried to the dining room for a swift breakfast.

Elsa was already there, of course. As Anna entered, the French ambassador beside her got to his feet.

"Good morning, Princesse."

"Good morning!" Anna took her seat and hungrily grabbed for some pastries. Elsa poured her a cup of tea.

"Good morning Anna. You're up early."

"Lots to do! Where are the other dignitaries?"

"Most of them have already eaten and are preparing for departure. Émile – I mean, Ambassador Perrault and I – are just discussing ice rinks."

Anna was intrigued.

"Ice rinks?"

"Ambassador Perrault has persuaded me to hold a very controlled demonstration of my powers this afternoon. We weren't too sure what this could be at first, but then I remembered skating with you when we were little."

Anna laughed. "That sounds wonderful! Is everyone invited? And don't you remember how terrible I was at skating?"

"Absolutely, the Gates will be open to all. And don't worry," she smiled. "I'll teach you. Also,"

She held up a flat purple box that was sitting on the table – the sort that jewellery was normally presented in – "on a slight change of subject, I was about to come and find you."

Anna was intrigued.

"What's that?"

Elsa lifted the lid. Inside, nestled onto a velveteen cushion, was a large silver medallion, emblazoned with a single, glittering snowflake. "I thought there should be at least one kind of formality associated with the role of Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer. It's for his reindeer."

Anna gasped and seized the medallion, breakfast utterly forgotten. She held it up and it glinted in the light.

"Elsa, this is amazing! And the snowflake looks very… real."

Émile, the French dignitary, chuckled. He glanced at the queen, who replied with a smile: "I had one of the servants run into town this morning to get a plain medallion from the blacksmith's. The snowflake was me."

Anna held the medal close to her chest. "Elsa. This is perfect."

Elsa smiled. She had a lot of things to say – but now was not the time.

"Thank you."

Anna scoffed her breakfast and made a quick curtsey to her sister and the ambassador before dashing off again.

Émile watched her go. "So much… vigour, your sister."

Elsa's mouth twitched into a smile and she poured herself another cup of coffee. "You could say that."

Anna skidded to a halt outside the stables.

Kristoff, of course, was already there. He'd been up for hours. Anna quickly hid the medal behind her back and strolled in, nonchalant.

"Good morning!"

"Good morning. You're up early."

"Lots to do. Can I borrow Sven?"

Kristoff raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Confidential. Royal business."

Sven wagged his tail, but Kristoff remained highly suspicious.

"You better take good care of him."

"I promise."

Very reluctantly, Kristoff patted Sven's side. "Go on then."

Anna flashed him a grin. "Come on, Sven!"

Back in the courtyard, Anna turned to Sven:

"…so, I'm going to get the sled now," she explained, stroking his nose. "And check it's all ok, and get a lute, and this," – she triumphantly held up the medal – "is for you. The Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer's noble steed."

Thankfully, the medallion's ribbon was fastened with a shiny clasp – it would have been an impossible challenge to negotiate it over Sven's antlers otherwise – and Anna wondered if she would ever stop marvelling at her sister's meticulous attention to detail.

Sven clearly felt very, very special. He puffed out his chest, and strutted about the courtyard, head held high. Anna nodded very seriously.

"Perfect. You are the handsomest reindeer I've ever seen."

Sven wagged his tail happily.

Anna gestured to him and they started to head to town – when she realised she had no idea where they were going.

Telling Sven to hold on a minute, she went to seek the font of all knowledge: Gerda.

"Gerda?"

The stout little woman turned. "Good morning, my lady. You're up early."

"Lots to do! I need to go pick up a sled for Kristoff. And get a lute. Do you know the way to Pleasurable Sledding? I'm going to get totally lost on my own."

"Of course, my lady. When would like to go?"

"As soon as possible, really."

Gerda put her current task on hold and led Anna and Sven across the courtyard and along the Great Road that bridged the fjord, connecting castle and kingdom mainland.

The town was bustling. It was market day.

Anna's eyes were saucers: she wished she could look in every direction at once and was on the verge of running to every stall in sight – but no. They had a job to do.

Sven sniffed the air. He could smell carrot cake.

Gerda led her to a stall laden with ribbons and bows and broad sheets of paper in every conceivable colour. Anna umm-ed and ahh-ed and Sven sniffed about curiously – but they eventually chose a long blue sash, two red bows and a length of matching ribbon.

Next, was the stall of a tiny, wizened man whom Gerda had on good authority made the finest lutes for miles. Anna, who had always been incredibly enthusiastic but never very good at music took her word for it and bought the instrument she thought looked most similar to the one she'd fended off wolves with. Sven snorted his approval.

"And it's only quarter past ten, Gerda! We are so efficient! Do you think we have time to look at the cake stall?"

After being sidetracked by the cake stall and a chance meeting with Olaf – who, it transpired, having acquainted himself with all the castle staff, had decided to come and meet as many of the townsfolk as he possibly could – they finally made it to the merchant's workshop.

Anna's eye grew wide again and she spoke through a mouthful of Norwegian layer cake. "Ohhh, look at it, Gerda!"

The sled was perfect.

Anna crammed the rest of her cake into her mouth and ran over, examining every inch of the new sled. When, finally, she deemed it satisfactory, she asked four of the stronger looking craftsmen to bring it down the street, closer to the waterfront. Once there, she fussed about placing the lute and the bows and the ribbon and finally stood back to admire her handiwork.

"What do you think Sven?"

Sven brayed happily.

"Me too." She gave him a pat on the back. "Do you think you're up to guard duty whilst I go get Kristoff?"

Sven puffed out his chest importantly and stood proudly before the sled, medallion flashing in the sunlight.

Anna found Kristoff by the stables – of course. He was sat on the cobbles, leaning back against the outside wall, facing the wide courtyard. The sun lit his hair, and he was focused so intently on something between his hands that he didn't hear Anna approaching.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

He jumped and looked up. He hauled himself to his feet.

"Hey. Whittling. Where's Sven?"

"He's standing guard until we get there."

Kristoff frowned. "Get where?"

She grinned. "Confidential."

Kristoff sighed and shook his head. He was about to reply when he noticed Anna looking curiously at the hand still curled around his whittling tools.

"Whittling?"

"Oh. Yeah." He held up and opened his palm. "Whittling."

In his hand was a small knife, and a nearly-finished wooden model that looked very like –

"Is that a tiny reindeer?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Anna very gently picked up the tiny thing and examined it in fascination. It was kind of crude – broadly cut planes, uncomplicated three-pronged antlers, large triangular ears, a big nose – but there was something unbelievably charming about it, and Anna was enthralled.

"You can have it. If you want." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not quite finished yet. And it's kind of simple, so you don't have to, obviously, but –"

"I would love to." She was delighted. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Let me finish it first, though."

Anna obligingly handed it back. Kristoff plodded into the stable to stow away the knife and carving. When he returned: "So, where are we going?"

She flashed a mischievous grin. "You'll see."