"The water is beautiful tonight." The ripples mesmerized the Queen as the boat drifted casually. She lost her regal composure and allowed her unfolded hands to support her as she leaned over the railing. Brynford smiled lightly as his Queen's platinum hair blew freely in the sea breeze.

Abrasive whispers gruffed unhappily from behind when the other guards began to grumble over their unusual shift. Brynford went to join their griping, "Of all the nights she decides to get out of the castle! I'm burning up out here," Jackdon complained.

"Indeed!" Danjolf chimed, "We're all dressed up in this ridiculous armor and dress and it's adding about twenty degrees."

The men wildly shook their heads. Hort kept his voice as tame as possible while proclaiming, "And we're warriors for crying out loud! Not some dolls she can dress up and drag out to all corners of the Kingdom at this hour!"

"Indeed!" Danjolf said again.

"As a matter of fact," Brynford began, "she CAN dress us up and drag us where ever she wants. We're Her Majesty's guard tonight. Is that tone I'm hearing something you'd want the Queen to hear?"

Hort waved Brynford's words away, "Who's going to attack her out here? There's nobody around for miles! There's nothing for us to guard against!"

Brynford surveyed the waters and admitted to himself that Hort had a point. The other two men seemed to have exchanged a look, one that put Brynford on edge.

"Say, Hort," Danjolf said, "Nobody around for miles, eh?"

Brynford and Hort nodded hesitantly, "Well that should mean there's nobody around to hear us having a good ol' time, then...?"

As Jackdon's words wandered off so had his eyes. They followed the young Queen's movements as she bent over the rail further to catch a better glimpse of two interacting fish just beneath the water's face. The other three men's thoughts followed.

"That's ridiculous! She wouldn't allow for that, Jack," Hort stated.

"Maybe not with you, old goat!" Hort stopped himself from challenging the lankier man, "but I know of one of us she might be more open to."

All eyes turned to Brynford. He dismissed this plan because of its absurdity and promised them that he would not participate and would put an end to any such attacks before they began; the Queen trusted them, after all. It would be not only disrespectful of her, but also treason.

But this job did have its downsides, his coworkers reminded him, and it had been an awfully long time since he had been with a woman. "Stop this foolish idea! Even if she would approve, you wouldn't be able to trust her. She could get scared or angry and kill us within minutes. Have you not forgotten the horrors of the coronation?" Yes, this was the kink wasn't it? How could it be ensured that her powers be under control?

A thought here and there, a suggestion or two found arbitrarily presented led them to nearly put the idea to rest. The whole conversation seemed to be men being men under strained conditions, "Fine, then, Brynford. Ruin our fun- it was merely a conversation."

Bryford's armored boots clinked proudly step by step to take him away from his ridiculous peers.

"Oh to hell with this," Danjolf sighed once he decided Brynford was far enough away to see that no harm would come, but also be out of audible distance. He broke through the circle of guards to speak to Elsa, "My Queen. You look so beautiful tonight."

He continued to bow low as she replied, "Thank you."

"Might I bother Your Majesty for a single snowflake? One as beautiful as the Queen herself?" he requested as smoothly and humbly as possible. From across the deck Brynfold watched patiently to see what he was planning. Jackdon and Hort listened eagerly within arm's reach for a cue.

Else knitted her brow, "Why?"

"My Lady," he scrambled, "I have seen so many wonderful things tonight and I've never been blessed enough to hold witness to your magic being this close to you. I've merely seen from afar. Is that a silly thing to ask?"

"A little. But..." her grin faded, "not tonight."

It was true, then. Danjolf had wondered for some time if the rumors were true.

Many said that Queen Elsa could only give herself so much freedom in her powers before they grew out of control. There was no doubt that she could stop it at any time, a great improvement from when she had unleashed the winter a few years ago, but it was much more difficult after a certain point. And she had been using her magic quite a bit earlier this evening. He saw the fear of spiraling out of control in her eyes- she knew her limit.

The men understood and advanced at once, "You are very beautiful, My Queen," Hort agreed.

"Indeed."

Hort grabbed her shoulders, "Guard! Stand down!" She wiggled uncomfortably.

"Stop Hort," Brynfold demanded while running toward them, "what did I tell you!?"

Jackdon interrupted, "We're not forcing anything, Brynfold."

Wicked grins.

Brynfold locked eyes with the Queen, Jackdon came from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist and Hort leaned in closer, "Yes, my Queen, we're not forcing anything."