Author's Note: Usually I post in the morning, but I kind of...forgot...sorry. It's the same day, though, so I beg all you lovely people to let it go. Anyway, I know this chapter is a bit shorter, but I couldn't figure out what to add that wouldn't be boring. I will be uploading the next chapter on the first Saturday of August (August 1, actually). Let me know what you guys think and I'll see you all in a month!

Four. An Excellent Dinner

"I don't care what they're going to say."

—Frozen, Elsa

Deep breath, Elsa told herself, her hands freezing as she felt her stress come and go. She had promised her sister she would endure the guests until after the wedding, and she was going to keep that promise.

She stepped out into the banquet hall, making her way past the guests and to the seat at the head of the table. Her only comfort was that she was surrounded on either side of her by two advisers of her parents, thus enabling her to keep her distance from any of the unfamiliar guests.

On the far side of the table, she could see Anna smiling. Even from far away, Anna was still her silent strength.

Elsa took a deep breath as she reached her seat. She was the queen, and these were her guests.

"Gentlemen, ladies," she announced in a loud voice. "My thanks go out to each one of you for your keenness in helping my sister prepare for her wedding." Her voice was only a bit lined with sarcasm, considering she doubted they were there to help anyone's wedding but their own. "I am certain that you must all be hungry from your journey, so let us eat."

The dinner went by surprisingly quickly, with little to remark. Elsa kept telling herself to take deep breaths, and the food, as always, was delicious. However, the constant sounds of talking soon gave her a headache.

After the dinner had ended, everyone filed into the ballroom for "socializing." Naturally, everyone came by to congratulate Anna—who looked giddy—and Kristoff—who looked a bit strained, but they seemed very quick to move unto Elsa. Soon, she found herself surrounded by princes and kings, all wishing to find themselves in a conversation with her. Finally, she had had enough and excused herself to go to bed early.

Her headache was rapidly turning into a migraine and she was getting exhausted trying to control her power. As she headed up towards her room, Anna intercepted her.

"Elsa, are you leaving so soon?"

"Yes, Anna, I'm sorry. I'm tired."

"That's alright. I can handle them. You look a little pale, actually. Oh, and by the way, have you seen Kristoff recently?"

Elsa shook her head. "No, the last I saw him he was next to you greeting guests."

"I know, but he said he was going to the restroom to throw up the wine—apparently he hates expensive wine. But that was twenty minutes ago and he hasn't come back."

"Did you ask the servants?"

"Of course, but they didn't help much. Some said they saw him heading upstairs. Some said they saw him heading to the garden. I was heading upstairs now to see if he's up there."

"If you like, I could go to the garden. I could use the fresh air."

"Oh, would you? Elsa, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd probably be a bit warmer."

Anna responded by giving her sister a quick hug and peck on the cheek. "You're an angel, Elsa." And off she went, running to find her fiancé.

Elsa smiled and rolled her eyes, heading out the side door to the garden. Luckily, most of the guests had either stayed inside or were near the very front of the garden, so Elsa easily avoided them and made her way to the outside. Kristoff, however, was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he had gone down to the town stables to visit Sven.

She signed as she reached the edge of the garden, in which sat a balcony overlooking the lake. Staring out onto that lake, she remembered the day that had changed her life. The day she had learned out to reverse her powers by melting her sister. The act of true love.

"Gorgeous view, isn't it?"

Elsa turned, spotting one of the many princes leaning against a hedge several feet behind her. She didn't recall his name, but he looked like he was from down south. Tanned skin, black sleek hair, and a smirk made Elsa dislike him already, but she told herself to be civil.

"It is," Elsa commented abstractly. "Do you like snow?"

The prince came forward to stand on the balcony next to her, surveying the mountains across the river. "Not really, it's quite…cold."

"And lonely, but then again it has so much power in it."

"Ah, but in great power there is also great weakness."

Elsa crossed her arms. "Are you a prophet then?"

"I prefer to call myself a cynic."

"A cynic of what?"

The prince spread his arms. "The world, I suppose, but mostly the people occupying the world. People have such potential to weakness."

Elsa smiled, mimicking his words. "Ah, but in weakness there can also be found strength."

The prince snorted. "I see you are an optimist, your majesty."

"No, I like to think I see reality, that there is both good and bad in this world."

"Hmm, you strike me as somewhat of a melancholy. Hiding your emotions away from the world."

Elsa felt annoyed. She didn't even know this prince's name, and yet it appeared like he had figured her out already. "And you, sir, strike me as someone who always believes he's right. The type of person under the arrogant assumption that you are infallible."

"Aren't I?"

She rolled her eyes. Now she disliked him even more. "And that is your weakness. Pride has always been a downfall of powerful kings. Now, excuse me."

Bowing her head, Elsa walked away. Kristoff clearly wasn't in the garden, which meant she could head upstairs. If she spent any more time with this prince, she would start to get angry. And she still wasn't sure how much she could control her power when she was angry.

As she walked away, she clenched her fists, ice unconsciously surrounding her hand. She shook it off and headed inside the servants' way, hoping she wouldn't run into any more unpleasant princes.