Chapter 15

Good natured laughter filled the great hall as everyone revelled in the wedding feast. Numerous long tables had been set around the room, leaving the center open for dancing, while the band filled the air with merry music as the patrons dined and caroused joyfully. As they did so several waiters made their way about the hall, refilling drinks and clearing dishes while offering an array of foods, including but not limited to suckling pigs, grilled ptarmigans, roasted game, smoked salmon, various stews and things of that nature. To say that it was a small affair would have been a serious understatement.

Not that Aaron was paying that much attention to the rest of the room. He was too engrossed in conversation with the other people at the head table. To his right sat Kresta and her brother, both of whom were busy investigating the foreign cuisine before them, while to his left, at the center of the table, was Kristoff and Anna, who hadn't left each others side since the ceremony had concluded several hours earlier. Seated on their other side was Elsa, enjoying a lengthy discussion with her sister, and beside her Cyrus. He might have protested to seating arrangement but she was focused on Anna, leaving the man no choice other than to try and talk with the aloof Prince Erik at the far end of the table.

Of course, he was too caught up in a discussion with Kristoff to notice, or care for that matter. "Just as well," Aaron said, taking a sip of his drink. "You'll be looking for a new profession anyway."

"What do you mean?" Kristoff replied as he helped himself to some ham with a goodnatured smile.

Giving him a frank look, Aaron smiled after draining the rest of his glass. "I hardly think that ice harvesting is a suitable livelihood for a prince. Even if you are the master ice harvester and deliverer or whatever." Setting the empty vessel aside, he turned his attention to the salmon on his plate.

"Ice master and deliverer," Kristoff corrected sternly, waving his fork at him. "And who says I can't continue to harvest ice for a living?"

Putting up his hands in mock defeat, he grinned at the false condemnation. "Hey, I'm not telling you what to do, your highness. Just thought I'd remind you that you're royalty now. You don't need to do anything for a living."

That only cause Kristoff's expression to sour. "Alright, new rule. You're not allowed to call me that."

"Whatever your highness wishes."

"Hey."

Shaking his head, Aaron laughed as he said, "Okay, okay. Just poking a little fun." Pausing, he popped some food into his mouth before speaking through the mouthfull. "However, there is one person you really should check with before making any life decisions."

Kristoff's brow wrinkled and he shot a confused glance. "Who?"

"Your new wife, of course."

That got an instant smile on his face as he turned to look at the woman to his left. "Yeah. My wife."

After some thought he reached out to tap her on the shoulder and draw her attention from Elsa. Holding up a finger to her sister, she turned to look at him with a smile of her own and asked, "What is it, love?" The last thing she was expecting was to be greeted by a passionate kiss but that's what she got as Kristoff caressed her chin. When they finally parted she still looked surprise, blinking several times before asking, "What was that for?"

"Nothing," he replied as he took her hand in his. "I just still can't believe that I'm actually married to the most beautiful woman in the world."

Anna smiled and ducked her head, glancing away. "Stop it. You're going to make me blush."

"Isn't that a good thing? Aren't you supposed to be my blushing bride?"

"Wow," Aaron interjected before she could reply, exchanging an amused glance with Elsa who was also watching the pair. "You two haven't even been married for a day and already you're too insufferable to be around."

"Oh, like you two have never been all lovey dovey," she retorted with a wink, keeping her voice low so no one but them could hear her. "What about that time you two sat around making googoo eyes at each other for an afternoon?"

"You would bring that up," Elsa quipped, smirking as she deliberately looked away from Aaron.

In the following pause he gave a chuckle before turning his attention back to the newlyweds. "So, what's it like to be finally married? Feel any different?"

"You know, it kind of does," Kristoff replied, giving Anna a loving smile. "I've wanted to spend the rest of my life with you for so long and now that I'm officially yours and you mine… I'm really excited for the years to come."

"Aww," she replied with a sweet smile, planting another kiss on Kristoff before saying, "I couldn't have said it any better myself."

Seeing that they were quickly reverting to where they'd just been a few moments ago Aaron shook his head and chuckled. "Alright, you two. Before you two descend into matrimonial bliss again why don't we get your first dance out of the way."

Anna's eyes lit up at the thought as she nodded eagerly. "Yes, I think I could go for a little dancing," she said before turning to her sister. "And you, Elsa? Remember, you promised."

Rolling her eyes, Elsa gave a sigh but still smiled when she replied, "Yes, I remember. Don't worry, I'll be out there for a song or two. But first I think some toasts are in order."

"Oh, good idea. Here, let me get everyone's attention for you." Anna picked up her fork and made to tap it against her glass but that proved unnecessary as a hush quickly fell over the room as soon as Elsa stood, all eyes turning to her.

The band faded away when she held up a hand and once they'd gone quiet she turned to address the room as a whole. "I know I've said this many times already, but on behalf of my sister and her husband I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for being here to help us celebrate this joyous occasion," she said, her voice ringing clearly throughout the room. Elsa then turned to her sister and smiled.

"Anna… I know life here hasn't always been easy for you. There were so many trials you had to endure on your own and no one was there to help you. But, if you ask me it was worth it if it meant that you would grow up to become the amazing young woman before me. And now, with Kristoff, you've found something that many of us will never find in our whole lives. Some would say that you've been blessed. Only, I would disagree. Rather, I'd say that, and I'm sure Kristoff would agree with me on this, we're the ones who are blessed to have you in our lives. May your years of marriage be everything that you ever dreamed they would be." Looking back at the onlookers, she picked up her glass and held it aloft. "Skål."

The crowd responded in kind, all raising their glasses and taking a sip before giving a polite applause. Elsa made to do the same only to be interrupted when Anna stood to give her a fierce hug. A small laughter sounded at the surprised look on Elsa's face but that quickly faded when she returned the hug while the pair shared a few whispered words. They then retook their seats before she looked at Aaron and gave him a nod.

Returning the gesture, he took a deep breath before standing and lifting his own glass. Silence once more fell as all attention now flipped to him, everyone waiting patiently as he gave Kristoff a long, level stare. After a pensive pause he glanced out at the crowd. "When I first met Kristoff I didn't know much about him. Here was this bum who'd just come traipsing out of the wilderness asking for a place to stay. And I thought, 'Who the hell does this guy think he is, demanding free lodging?'" That got a polite chuckle as he flashed them all a smart grin before continuing. "To be honest, if Anna hadn't been with him I probably would have thrown him out on the spot and, if I'm being even more honest, I still would. I mean, look at this guy. Would you let him into your home?"

Another laughter sounded and he waited for it to fade while shaking his head thoughtfully, looking back at the groom. "No, I didn't know much. But there was one thing I did know. That he was already hopelessly in love with Anna. He denied it at the time but look where we are now, in attendance to their wedding. Tell you what I should have done, I should have made him bet money on it, that way I would have gotten something out of it besides just this lousy toast. Nevertheless, I can honestly say that I've never seen either of you happier than you are today so, if you would all join me, allow me to raise a glass to your new union." Raising his glass, he gave them both a warm smile. "May you have many years together filled with as much joy as you feel today. Skål."

Applause once more sounded as he drained the remaining champagne from his class. Once it was empty he set it aside and spoke over the ovation, saying, "Now, I do believe it's time for a little dancing. Would you all help me in encouraging these two to get out on the dance floor?" The applause quickly turned to cheering as the pair both looked at each other with adoring smiles and making to stand before Aaron set his hand on Kristoff's shoulder, holding him in place. "But first, let's see a kiss."

A raucous demand rose over the din, not stopping until they consented and gave each other a lingering kiss as Aaron sat back down, laughing quietly as he did so. When they eventually broke apart he gave the band a nod, who in turn struck up a slow yet lively tune to coax the couple out to dance. The onlookers once more quieted as they rounded the table, Kristoff spinning Anna to face him as they began to waltz. When he'd first come here Kristoff hadn't really known the first thing about dancing but, under Anna's patient tutelage, he could now dance admirably. Or at least not awfully. Not that that mattered to either of them. They were too caught up in each other's eyes to care what they looked like, staring lovingly as they slowly spun while muttering things that no one else could hear but were no doubt sweet proclamations of love. It took the ending of the song to finally make them look away from the other, giving a polite clap for the band.

As the applause faded the band began another song, this one much more solemn than the first, and their dancing slowed to match it. All eyes were on the couple as they languishly spun around the room, both still completely enraptured by the other. And, while everyone was watching them, Aaron was watching Elsa. The way she followed the dancers as they twirled, how her eyes lit up when she saw how happy her sister was. It made him want to enfold her in a hug and give those beckoning lips a kiss. However, since he couldn't do that with other people around he would have to settle for the next best thing.

Sliding his chair back and climbing to his feet, he quietly walked beside her and placed a hand on the back of her chair while leaning down to whisper into her ear. "My queen, I was wondering if you would do me the honor of a dance," he said, offering his other hand.

Though her attention was still on her sister he thought he could see a hint of a smile. "I don't know," she replied coyly, glancing at him.

Giving into a grin, he added, "As I recall the bride specifically requested it of you. More importantly, though, I'd just like the opportunity to dance with the most beautiful woman in the realm."

That got a genuine smile as Elsa placed her hand in his. "That's what I wanted to hear," she whispered as she rose from her chair, allowing him to escort her around the table and out onto the dance floor.

A quiet murmur went up at the sight of them but Aaron ignored it, waiting until they reached the middle of the floor before turning to face Elsa and giving her a sudden twirl. Like so long ago she couldn't resist a quiet giggle at the movement as her cape splayed out behind her, though she dissolved it with a flick of her wrist. That got a more substantial gasp from the onlookers and it occurred to him that many of them had never seen what she could do yet he still ignored them, choosing to instead focus on the woman before him as he drew her a step closer to place his hand against her waist while she rested hers upon his shoulder. Then, they too began to dance.

Keeping it simple so as not to detract any attention from Anna and Kristoff, they slowly moved about the floor while maintaining a fair distance from the other couple. Attention slowly began to shift back to the newlyweds but Aaron didn't care. He only had eyes for the woman in his arms and it was all he could do to keep his grin cordial rather than affectionate. Elsa, on the other hand, was making no effort to temper her own smile, watching him with strong adoration in her eyes. "Don't look so happy," he muttered with a smirk after a short dip. "Otherwise people might actually catch on to the fact that we're secretly together."

Elsa's smile only grew as her eyes darted away coquettishly. "I can't help it."Quickly growing bolder, she gave him a defiant look. "Besides, it's my sister's wedding. I'm allowed to be happy on a day like today."

"Happy, yes. But jubilant? Tone it down lest I be left with no choice but to kiss you."

"Alright, fine," she replied with a pouty look that quickly gave way to another smile. "Still, you have to admit, this is a fine party."

Nodding, he glanced around the room briefly before his eyes returned to hers. "Agreed. A fine day all around I'd say. I think we managed to give Anna and Kristoff the wedding they wanted. No mean feat considering the days leading up to it."

"Yeah." Elsa was watching the pair for a moment as he spoke but her smile dimmed when she glanced back at Aaron. "Speaking of, can I ask you something while we have a moment to ourselves?"

Perplexed by the shift in her mood, he nodded. "Anything."

It took some time but she eventually seemed to summon her courage and threw caution to the wind. "Why did you look so upset yesterday? You looked angry about something."

His smile faltered at her words and he had to strain to keep it in place, glancing away as he said, "Okay, I know I said anything, but can we not talk about that right now?"

"Why not?" A subtle concern had begun to creep into Elsa's voice.

Heaving a sigh of his own, he forced himself to meet her gaze once more and, though he was opposed to the idea, opened his mouth to answer . "Because you've looked so happy today and I'd hate to spoil that by upsetting you."

Her smile returned as she tried to look encouraging. "I won't get upset."

Aaron was still reluctant to say yet when she looked at him like that… there was nothing in the world he would deny her. "Promise?"

"Promise."

"Very well." After waiting a moment or two as they continued to leisurely spin he finally decided just to get this over with and consented. Doing his best to appear casual, he admitted, "Let's just say that I was a little miffed when you neglected to tell me that a bunch of suitors meant for you were going to come a'calling."

"Oh." That wiped the smile from her face and now it was Elsa's turn to look away. "That."

"Yes, that." Aaron let it sink in for a moment before pressing the fact. "Since you made me bring it up, any particular reason you didn't tell me?"

Chewing her lower lip, she seemed to be debating how to answer when her eyes returned to his. "I will… but first you also have to promise that you won't get upset either."

"I promise."

If he'd paused to answer then she became mute as they continued to waltz. People might have been watching them but he'd stopped caring a while ago as he patiently waited for her to answer. "I… I didn't tell you because I was afraid of how you might react. That you might be angry or frustrated. And it's not like it was ever that big of a deal. None of them actually have a chance." Her voice turned nervous when he didn't respond or react in any way other than a long, slow blink as she asked, "Are you okay?"

Giving an exasperated sigh, he nodded with a frown. "Yeah, I'm fine. But honestly, Elsa, this is the whole queen thing all over again. You know you can just tell me these things and I won't be mad at you, right?"

"I know," she replied quietly, though she once again refused to meet his gaze. "It's just that… I've gotten so used to keeping secrets if I think they might hurt someone. I carried a particularly large one for most of my life."

A saddened look crossed his face when he saw how distraught she was becoming. Turning his voice as gentle as possible, he muttered, "I know you did. And I'm so sorry that you ever had to do something like that. Elsa, would you please look at me?" It took a little while but she eventually gave him a reluctant glance. "If this is ever going to work between us then we need to be able to tell each other everything. That doesn't mean I need to know every part of you or your past but we do need to be able to share. So no more secrets. Okay?"

..."Okay."

Though she agreed a deep forlornness had begun to enter her eyes, becoming distant for the rest of the dance and as soon as the music ended she turned to make her way back to her seat. Before she could, though, Aaron kept ahold of her hand, forcing her to look back to him. When she was once more looking at him he gave her an encouraging smile as he gave her hand a delicate kiss. That got a sad smile but she still turned away, returning to her seat with distant look in her eye.

Watching her go, Aaron felt like he ought to say something more to her only before he could Kristoff walked up beside him and clapped him on the back. Completely oblivious to whatever Aaron was thinking, the man looked like he'd just won a marathon as he was wearing a broad grin. "You know, I never did thank you for helping to set this all up. It's going so much better than I ever could have imagined."

Not wanting to bring Kristoff down, he quickly put on a smile and shrugged. "Just doing my duties as your best man. And I see you're already trying to ditch your wife." Glancing around, he added, "Where is she anyway?"

"Over there," Kristoff replied nodding to a small gathering of people with Anna at the middle. "As soon as we stopped dancing it seemed like everyone wanted to congratulate her personally. Actually, I should probably get back so they don't overwhelm her or anything. Just wanted to take this chance to say thanks."

His smile turned more genuine as he patted Kristoff's shoulder. "Anything I can do to make you and Anna's day better."

"Are you going to dance some more?"

"Naw, I think I'll just watch for a bit."

"Aw, that's too bad. I was hoping for a dance."

The voice caught both their attention and they looked up to see Kresta standing before them. She was looking particularly radiant that evening, having worn a silken jade dress that enhanced her emerald eyes while blending perfectly with her olive complexion and also curling her hair into twin flows that framed her elegant neck. Had Aaron not been concerned about Elsa at that moment he would have admitted she was looking quite lovely. Though he did notice that she was giving him a rather expectant look.

Part of him immediately wished to oblige her, which struck him as odd as he wasn't the sort to dance much at formal occasions in favor of just watching, but it didn't quite feel right considering the circumstances. After exchanging a glance with Kristoff he shook his head. "Sorry, your highness. I'm just feeling a little tired at the moment."

A brief look of disappointment flashed across her face but that quickly morphed into a smirk. "That's too bad," she replied, shaking her head. "I just thought that I was in the presence of a knight. Guess I was mistaken." With that she made to turn away.

The passing remark stung slightly and for some reason Aaron felt himself wanting to respond. It was a blatant attempt to bait him yet he still felt himself rising to the challenge, his face hardening, so before she could walk away he retorted, "Excuse me, I am a knight."

Hesitating, Kresta gave him a cursory glance. "And yet you're afraid of a little dance."

With that their eyes met and a minor battle of wills began, neither blinking or looking away as they waited for the other to give. They stared at each other for a moment, not backing down, until Aaron was finally the one to cave, holding his arm out to her. "You know what? I think I will take you up on that dance." To Kristoff he said, "If you'll excuse us."

"Oh, yeah, sure," he replied, watching the pair move off before shrugging and returning to Anna.

Escorting Kresta out onto the dancefloor, Aaron waited until she was facing him before taking her hand in his and placing his other hand on her hip only to have her slide it to her back, bringing them closer together. The move only served to unsettle him further but he found he had no choice but to clear his throat and do his best to appear distant as they began to waltz. Other couples had begun to move onto the floor and they shifted seamlessly into the rhythm though he still tried to look disinterested. The last thing he needed was for Elsa to see him engaged in another woman. Especially since she was apparently feeling a little melancholy. At least, that was his thinking until he heard Kresta giggle.

Glancing over at her, he saw that she was giving him an amused look, and when their eyes met, she shook her head. "Relax, Lord Aaron. It's just a dance. Besides, I don't bite," she purred softly, though a mischievous gleam was creeping into her gaze.

After repressing an urge to reply with a playful quip of his own he offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I guess I'm a little preoccupied."

"No need to apologize," Kresta replied as they slowly wove through the other dancers. "After all, you did just have what looked to be a somewhat deep conversation with the queen."

Though a spike of panic shot through him his expression remained relaxed as he glanced towards Elsa, who just so happened to look away as though she'd been watching them. "You saw that, did you?" he asked returning his attention to his partner.

"You were dancing in front of a room of onlookers. Kind of hard not to." Pausing, she allowed Aaron to give her a quick spin before asking, "May I ask what about?"

It took a while for him to answer but Aaron ultimately decided it was probably best to be as vague as possible. "Let's just say that Queen Elsa and I have a bit of history. After all, I was her personal bodyguard before my… let's call it a promotion to Lord Protector. Kind of like the woman who's always following Prince Cyrus around." Realizing a chance to change topics he quickly latched onto the thought and casually added, "Have you met Prince Cyrus?"

He'd hoped for Kresta to either confirm or deny it and then move onto some other subject, but what he got was a hardened stare hiding thinly veiled contempt. "Yes, we've… met a few times," she responded coolly, all the warmth suddenly draining from her enigmatic eyes. An almost hostile edge had entered her voice as she said, "They weren't the most cordial of encounters."

Like a man who'd unwittingly wandered onto thin ice, Aaron hesitated. Her sudden shift from beckoning warmth to harsh cold could only mean that he'd accidentally stumbled onto some touchy history and, judging from the anger that was now entering her expression, all he could do was back away slowly. "That's what I assumed," he offered blankly with a soothing tone. "All these kingdoms are so close together that it seems like everyone knows everyone."

Kresta's visage remained chilled but she at least seemed to accept his attempt to defuse her tension. "Yes, it does feel like that sometimes. After all, we are always seeing each other at these sorts of gatherings."

A lull fell between them as she paused to think about whatever he'd reminded her of and it was in this lull when Aaron noticed the perfect opportunity to shift the conversation onto firmer ground. Not to mention he could learn about something that he found curious. "Speaking of meeting people, I never did ask. How do you know Arendelle's royal family? It seems like you three go back a ways."

"In a way, yes," she replied, breaking from her reflection though still looking slightly aloof. Fortunately, that began to thaw as she shifted her focus to apparently happier memories. "Years and years ago, when we were all children, they used to come and visit us in Maneva a few times a year." A small smile broke across her face as warmth began to pool back into her eyes. "Oh, how we used to laugh and play, spending the whole day together from dawn till dusk getting into all kinds of mischief. And if we ever got caught we'd just blame it on my brother. Those days quickly became the highlight of each and every year. Until they stopped coming, that is."

"So, what, they just came to Maneva to see you?" Aaron asked, pausing their waltz for a moment. The dance had actually ended and was moving into another one but now that he had her talking about this particular subject he wasn't about to call off their dancing.

"Heavens no," said Kresta, now smiling openly. "We were only kids after all. No, their mother would bring them along whenever she came to visit family."

"The previous queen had family in Maneva?"

That got a confused look from her and she broke from her musing to scrutinize him. "Of course. Why, don't you know?" When all she got was a bemused look she gave a patient smile and added, "Elsa and Anna's mother was from Maneva. Born in the capital if I'm not mistaken."

"Really?" Elsa's mother wasn't from Arendelle? She was actually from Maneva? "I guess I always just assumed she was from Arendelle," he replied, his brow furrowing. He'd never thought to ask Elsa or Anna much about their parents, much less where they were from. However, as he thought about it a prevailing question arose. "But then how did she meet their father?"

An instant look of excitement bloomed on Kresta's face at the question, all thoughts of Cyrus clearly forgotten. "Oh, it's so romantic!" she exclaimed eagerly. "It's one of my favorite stories. Only, I don't think I could do it justice if I tell it."

"Give it a try," said Aaron for encouragement. Now that she'd piqued his curiosity he was kind of anxious to know. "How badly could you tell it, anyway?"

After a quick debate, she shrugged. "True. But I warn you, it's kind of a long story."

Giving a grin, he gave a shrug in return. "I think we've got time."

That seemed to be all the convincing she needed as Kresta's eyes grew distant and she began to speak. "Once upon a time, in this very kingdom, there was a wise and benevolent king who led his people with all the virtues that a king should. But he was beset by a disease to which there was no cure and before long the crown was passed down to his young son."

"Mm. That's a fun start to the story," he cut in with a chuckle.

"Well that's how it starts," she scolded, giving him a reproachful look and adding, "Now shush," before continuing.

"While competent and of sound mind it became apparent he did not possess all the knowledge his father did of the surrounding land so it was decided that he should visit all the neighboring kingdoms in order to learn what he could about them and hopefully foster good relations for Arendelle. Starting in the east, he visited each one in turn until, after weeks of travel, he eventually made his way west to Maneva. There our king, who'd always been a close friend of his father, threw him a marvelous feast and insisted that he stay a while before returning to Arendelle. So, not wanting to turn down the generous hospitality, he lingered for a time, getting to know the king and the Manevian people, but eventually set sail for home. Only, unbeknownst to anyone else, there was an extra person aboard his ship."

"I was beginning to wonder when she would come in," interjected Aaron, grinning when he got another scowl.

"Patience, Lord Aaron. And I said shush."

"For you see, when he was in Maneva all manner of women took a fancy towards this young king and made many attempts to capture his attention yet, to the disappointment of all, he ignored them. That was because he'd already met someone. Some question how they met but the story goes that he was wandering the castle's many gardens late one night when he stumbled across a maiden fair. Upon seeing one another they instantly fell madly and irrevocably in love with one another, giving root to a passionate yet secretive affair in which they would meet in the gardens each and every night to will the hours away in the other's arms. But, like all great romances, adversity soon arose.

"Eventually the time came for him to return home to assume the title that his father held before him and do his duties as king of Arendelle, without his secret love. But the thought of being separated from one another was so unbearable that the young lovers hatched a plan to change all that. Sneaking her aboard his ship with the aid of a few trusted companions, he whisked her away to Arendelle as fast as the winds would take them before anyone noticed her absence. Upon their arrival he promptly revealed her to his people, demanding that they be wed at once. Since he was king no one dared deny him and by the time anyone in Maneva knew what was happening it was too late to do anything to stop them so the couple had their deepest wish come true. They were married in the same chapel we were in today and lived out the rest of their days in blissful happiness together, as well as gifting the world with two wonderful daughters, one of whom would go on to rule in his stead."

Falling silent, Kresta let the tale sink in for a moment but was clearly too excited by it to remain quiet for long. "So what do you think? Is that the most romantic story you've ever heard or what?"

"It's certainly up there," Aaron replied, slowly going over it in his head. So they met in secret got married on a whim. Wish Elsa and I could do something like that. After a little thought he asked, "Is that all true?"

"As far as I know it is," she said with a nod. Then a challenging smirk arose and she added, "And if you don't believe me go ahead and just ask one of the sisters. They'll both tell you the same story, though probably a bit better than I did."

"Nonsense. You told it fine. And I don't disbelieve it. It's just… quite the tale. Like Romeo and Juliet."

"Oh, you know that one?"

"Of course. Why, do you?"

Nodding, Kresta smiled. "I do. In fact it's one of my favorites."

"Really?" Aaron asked, giving her a surprised look. She didn't strike him as the bookish type yet she seemed to enjoy the same works he did. It would appear we might have more in common than I thought. "What part did you enjoy the most?"

With that they continued to dance, engaged in a lively chat together. Whatever his original intentions for the wedding feast may have been, ranging from helping Kristoff or trying to spend some time with Elsa, that quickly fell by the wayside. They continued to dance for a while and even continued to talk for some time after they'd retaken their seats, as the newlyweds seemed to be constantly beset by a barrage of wellwishers and Elsa had stepped aside to deal with some official matter or another so there was nothing to distract them from one another.

It was in these talks that he found that he had a surprising amount in common with the Manevian princess. They did in fact enjoy many of the same writings but also she turned out to be quite the outdoors enthusiast, spending a large amount of time in the hills and forests of Maneva with nothing but a horse and her thoughts for company. While not very adept with a bow she did engage in some minor hunting and even did some swordplay on the side, though her brothers disapproved as they didn't think of it as ladylike. Of course, to Kresta what made something ladylike was if a woman could do it, not if it were considered proper.

Not that that her extracurricular activities caused her to neglect her duties as a princess. She just wasn't quite as formal as someone like Elsa. Actually, he found that she more reminded him of Anna. Someone who would do anything and everything for the people of her kingdom but still wanted to have a little fun now and then. Only her idea of fun was slightly more mature than Anna's. If anything, though, the more he learned about her the more Kresta struck Aaron as a combination of the two sisters, with Elsa's authority and devotion while having Anna's sense of wonderment and desire for adventure. And, he noticed, the more he learned the more intrigued with her he became.

Over an hour had passed and they were still deep in discussion with one another at the head table when some mounting commotion finally broke their concentration and they both looked to see what the cause was. Shifting to his left towards Kristoff who was once more sitting next to him, he asked, "What's going on?"

"It's time to cut the cake," Kristoff replied, rising to his feet and giving Kresta a friendly smile while taking Anna's hand in his. "It's getting kind of late and some people are looking to retire early so we figure we should go ahead and get it over with. You coming?" he added as he and Anna rounded the table and made for one side of the room.

"Of course," Aaron said, quickly standing only to hesitate and give Kresta an apologetic smile. "Apologies, I have to go. Best man duties are calling. But I did enjoy our little chat."

"As did I," she responded with an understanding nod. "Though I don't think it will be our last. You're an interesting man, Lord Aaron."

That caused him to smile as he gave her a short bow. "As are you, Princess Kresta. If you'll excuse me." With that he hurried after Anna and Kristoff.

Elsa was already waiting for them near the far wall and gave him a quaint smile as he came to a halt beside her. She no longer looked nervous or upset but having had to deal with a minor dispute between some of the guests she looked weary after a long and eventful day. Once they were together she muttered, "Hello. I hope you had a fun time."

"You know what? I did," he replied, casting a glance towards Kresta as he did so. She was watching the married couple as they made their way across the room though it almost looked like she was watching him out of the corner of her eye with a soft smile on her lips. "And you?" he added, reverting his attention to Elsa.

"Well enough. Let's just say I'm ready for some needed rest."

He was going to ask her how she was feeling after earlier but was forced to remain silent as Anna and Kristoff had made their way over to them after a hail of more greetings and wishes and had stopped before their wedding cake. Sitting on a small round table, it was a simple yet elegant double tiered cake with frosting patterns woven around the sides. A lovely creation, it almost seemed a shame to eat it but Anna did appear to have that same qualm as she accepted a knife from a nearby waiter and sliced off a sliver for Kristoff.

The groom opened his mouth with the apparent expectation that she would gently feed him so it only made his look of surprise even more amusing when Anna instead smeared it across his face. She giggled at the sight of his disheveled expression but that quickly faded when he excised the knife from her hand and quickly gave her the same treatment. A quiet gaufa arose from the onlookers as they watched the pair wrestle for a bit before coming to an apparent truce and giving each other a lingering if frosted kiss. After a minor applause they broke apart and gave an appreciative nod to the crowd, only instead of continuing to cut the cake Anna held her hand up for silence.

Once everyone had gone quiet she said, "On behalf of my new husband and I I'd like to thank you for attending our wedding. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to us that you all came all this way to see us get married or happy it makes us to finally be married. That said, though, Kristoff and I are going to turn in a bit early." That got a disappointed groan to which she smiled. "Don't worry, we'll be around for a few days so that's plenty of time to talk with each and every one of you. We just want to get to bed is all." Another laugh sounded and several people exchanged knowing looks, which in turn caused Anna's cheeks to flash crimson as she flusteredly stammered, "That's n-not what I meant! I meant that we only want to… nevermind."

Finishing lamely and clearly embarrassed, she took Kristoff's hand and looked like she was going to make for the door before any more laughter could come but seemed to think better of it, instead turning to give Aaron a quick hug. "Thanks for everything," she muttered into his ear with a squeeze.

"You're most welcome," he replied, returning the embrace. Anna's surprise hugs didn't catch him off guard as much as they used to so he was ready for this one, giving the redhead a squeeze of his own.

They were going to step apart but before they could Anna added in a playful tone, "Who knows, maybe we'll be attending yours and Elsa's wedding soon."

Chuckling, Aaron should his head as they parted. "We'll see." After exchanging another smile they both turned as Elsa and Kristoff stepped apart, apparently also having shared a hug. The sisters quickly gave each other an embrace and, while neither was really thee hugging type, the gentlemen exchanged a brief hug.

As they did so he heard Kristoff mummer, "Thanks so much, Aaron. I couldn't have asked for a better best man."

"Like I said, you didn't really need me for any of it." Breaking apart, Aaron clapped him on the shoulder and nodded at Anna. "You two would have been just fine without me." After some thought he gave Kristoff a wolfish grin and added, "Now, go get her, big guy."

He couldn't help openly laughing at the uncomfortable look that crossed Kristoff's face at the comment but that quickly faded as he watched the pair link arms and make for the door, where most of the patrons had gathered to see the newlyweds. They were going to step out of the room amidst applause when Anna suddenly came to a halt, remembering something. "Oh! I almost forgot!" she exclaimed, turning and hurrying towards the head table, snatching up the awaiting bouquet that was lying there forlornly, having been forgotten. Rushing back to Kristoff, she gave the crowd of eager women that had suddenly formed behind her a smile before turning and tossing the flowers back over her head.

Several hands reached up to catch the bouquet but none were successful as Anna had put a little too much force behind it, sending it sailing over all of them. That was how, much to the surprise of everyone and especially hers, the flowers just so happened to fall into Elsa's hands. She'd just been standing off to one side to watch the toss with mild amusement and silence instantly fell when she inadvertently caught it. Many people looked shocked but none so much as Elsa as she stared down at the violet blossoms in her hands. To her credit, though, she only glanced at Aaron for a fraction of a second before looking away.

After a tense pause that was punctuated by Anna's excited gasp when she turned and saw who had actually caught the flowers Elsa managed to put on a small smile and gave her sister a nod. "Thanks for the flowers," she said amusedly, giving them a light shake.

A somewhat relieved laughter sounded as attention returned to the couple, of which Anna was still giggling at the sight of her sister's shocked face, as the pair turned and finally exited the room arminarm. At long last they were finally bonded in the matrimony that they both so desperately wanted.