A/N: This is a joint collaboration with grrlgeek72. She was in charge of fighting; I did feels and fluff. Mistakes are mine. Cool words like "indeedy" are hers.
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Chapter 3 – The Manly Art of Hunting, or,
A Sailor and an Ice Harvester Walk into a Bar...
Kristoff knew of an inn. Well, he knew several, but this was apparently his favorite. He and Fitz had procured a room; Sven had a space in the stable, which he suffered as an indignity. And after a well deserved nap that lasted well into the evening, they had made their way downstairs to the tavern proper.
Fitz drained her second tankard of ale and pushed back from the bare remains of her dinner of roast lamb, potatoes, and mushy peas; it was almost like being home. Certainly it was superior to swilling troll juice and spitting out shot pellets from a poorly roasted rabbit while slapping at the flying insects that infested the bloody woods of Arendelle. There had been a moment or two of awkwardness when the barmaid, a comely young lass named Brandy, had greeted Fitz with a surprised and pleased, "Captain Fitzwilliam!" Fitz vaguely - very vaguely - remembered her from a drunken binge the night of Elsa's birthday ball. It seemed the world, Arendelle in particular, was a very small place. But the girl seemed only pleased to see her, and Kristoff just grinned. She felt herself relaxing into something resembling bonhomie with Kristoff. They had come to a truce ... about Anna ... about Elsa ... about each other. At least enough of a truce so that there shouldn't be any more obscenity laden brawls, and enough so Elsa and Anna wouldn't notice any residual issues. That would be ... awkward.
Fitz did worry a bit about her unguarded admission to Kristoff about Elsa. She wasn't comfortable admitting she was afraid ... of anything. She didn't think Elsa had signed up for someone who was afraid. She certainly deserved someone who wasn't afraid of her own feelings, which sent Fitz down that whole rabbit hole again. But at least Fitz felt she could trust Kristoff's discretion with her confession. The man simply didn't have a devious bone in his body.
'Stop worrying,' she told herself. She wasn't at court in Avalon, where you had to watch your every move and every word. What was it Hanson had called it? 'Bastard Billy's snakepit of backstabbing intrigue.' The phrase struck her as particularly funny when she recalled it, and she was chuckling when Kristoff slapped her on the back.
"Come on, Fitz. You need to catch up. INNKEEP!" Kristoff bellowed, waving his empty tankard and pointing at Fitz's as well. Brandy rolled her eyes, but soon enough she was there and placed two more pints of Arendelle's finest in front of them. Fitz had to admit the kingdom had a better brewing industry than she would have expected for the climate. Any port was bound to have at least one decent pub with one decent beer, but she hadn't had a bad drink all night.
One small niggle of worry crossed Fitz's mind. Just how often did Kristoff go drinking like this? He was a big man and should have a fairly good capacity for his liquor, but still ... he looked a little unsteady.
The third and fourth pint soothed the worry, both about love and Kristoff's sudden lack of grace on his feet. Fitz was feeling mellow, regaling Kristoff with a story about a hunt involving a prissy Viscounte almost falling off his hunter on the first jump over some brambles. Kristoff laughed far more heartily than the story deserved. He had a silly grin on his face.
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Anna was just drifting off to sleep ….
Knock, knock, knock knock knock.
At first she thought it was a dream … a dream where she was knocking on her own door, hoping she would answer … no, that didn't make any sense … then she wondered if it was Gerda, or maybe Kai, but they just knocked … finally ….
"Anna … are you awake?"
"No," she groaned.
"Yes, you are." Elsa pushed open the door and came over to her bedside. She was in her night gown and had a robe on, but she seemed almost giddy, certainly not sleepy. "You're talking."
"I'm really not, this is just a dream … oooof." Anna flailed and tried to get up after Elsa jumped on her. They wrestled briefly. Anna had no problem tossing her sister off, but she over balanced … or Elsa grabbed her … or something, so that they both ended up tumbling from the bed in a tangle of limbs. With another groan, Anna looked over at Elsa from her vantage point on the floor. "What's the matter?"
"I can't sleep." Elsa rolled herself to a sitting position.
"That's two of us."
"You can't sleep either?" Elsa said almost cheerfully.
"Yeah, someone jumped on me."
"Oh," Elsa blushed, scrunched up her shoulders, and grinned, "Sorry."
Anna yawned, and then crawled back up on to her bed, hanging her head over the edge to face Elsa. "So you can't sleep?"
"Yes."
Anna gestured trying to pull a little more information from her sister, "Any reason why? Anything I can help with?"
Elsa looked slightly embarrassed, "Ummm …. well, since you asked ... I thought … you know … maybe you'd like to come back to my room and sleep there?"
"That's all the way down the hall, Elsa," Anna whined.
Elsa replied, "But my bed is bigger." To demonstrate she jumped on Anna again. "There's really not room for two people here."
"Ufff, tell me about it," Anna muttered, struggling to push Elsa off again. "OK, OK. Let me grab a robe."
"Yay!" Elsa bounced up and down on Anna, clapping her hands, before she was thrown back to the floor. This was not a completely unknown occurrence in Anna's experience. Every once in a long while, at least since her coronation, it seemed as if sprites or fairies kidnapped Elsa and left a five-year-old in her place. As if to confirm this, Elsa popped up and pulled her sister, who stumbled a bit, still groggy, back to her bedroom. They climbed into bed. Elsa on her side, Anna on what used to be hers, and now, she thought as her head hit the pillow, was really Fitz's.
"She's only been gone two days."
Elsa made a noncommittal noise suggesting she had no idea what Anna was talking about.
"You seemed fine last night."
"I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep. But I was feeling more kind, plus I couldn't wake you even when I pounded on the door." Elsa huffed out a breath in resignation. "I was afraid the whole castle would hear me."
Anna chuckled and reached over and wrapped her arms around her sister. "You're adorable when you're like this, which is good because otherwise you'd be dead." Anna added, "And aren't you glad I have no ambitions to be Queen."
Elsa sighed, "I don't want to be adorable; I want to be a responsible adult. For God's sake, I am the Queen. I thought I could sleep alone, but the bed was just so big."
"Well, I'm here now," Anna murmured. "So go to sleep."
Several minutes passed before Elsa asked, "How come it doesn't bother you? Kristoff comes and goes, sometimes for days."
It seemed they really were going to have a conversation at this time of night, Anna thought conceding to her sister's wishes. "I guess we're different, you and me. I mean obviously we're different, but particularly about this. I miss him, but I like the space to do my own things. But also we've been together longer … and really, my duties are lighter than yours, so if I want to see him, or even go with him, I can. You can't go with Fitz."
"This is going to be a problem when she ships out." Elsa made it a statement of fact.
"I'm sure that you'll figure something out." Anna wondered what the penalty was for knocking the Queen out with a candlestick … for her own good, of course.
"It was stupid of me to suggest she go away. But I didn't know I would feel this way." Elsa became pensive … wistful. "I used to be pretty good at spending time alone. What's wrong with me, Anna?"
Anna had to bite her lip from laughing. "Nothing's wrong with you Elsa. You're just a woman, who happens to be … if you don't mind my saying … in love with someone."
"I thought you told Olaf it was too soon for us to be in love," Elsa tried to affect an imperious tone, but her yawn undercut it.
"Wait, how did you know about that?" Anna asked.
"Olaf repeats everything, Anna. Verbatim. To everyone."
"Oh."
"Yes. Oh."
There was a long silence as Anna pondered what other conversations may have slipped out of the snowman.
"Have I told you how much I love you," Elsa said, her voice finally taking on the tone of someone who might fall asleep soon.
Anna smiled, "Not too recently."
"I love you, Anna," Elsa muttered.
"And I love you too, Elsa." But Anna wasn't sure her sister heard her words. There was rhythmic breathing coming from the other side of the bed, a sound Anna knew meant her sister had finally fallen asleep. That would be great, if only she weren't wide awake.
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The pub was still busy; it was well into the wee hours of the morning and the crowd had started to dwindle, but still there was a steady flow coming through the doors, and some hard core drinkers who hadn't gone home from earlier, Fitz and Kristoff among those. It was near the docks, so the clientele tended to be sailors looking for shore leave fun and burly dockworkers. A rough crowd, in other words.
"...scruffy reindeer herder. Think the princess is as soft and furry as his other beast?" and raucous laughter drowned out the rest of it. Fitz heard it clearly, but thank the gods Kristoff had wandered out to relieve himself. She looked around to see where the vulgar comments were coming from.
There were five toughs at the next table, empty tankards and whiskey glasses plentiful in front of them. From their clothing, Fitz thought they were dockworkers.
She stood up and turned to them. This was not an insult she could tolerate. Speaking of Kristoff that way was one thing ... speaking of the Crown Princess was entirely another. No one spoke of House Arendelle that way in her presence.
The ruffians were so engaged in their tawdry jests that it took them a minute to realize Fitz was looming over the table with a scowl on her face. The biggest one threw back his whiskey and slammed the glass on the table.
"Well, well, well. Lookie here boys! Another castle snob slumming with us lowlifes. Guess it's not just the princess's boyfriend who needs to look for love in all the wrong places!" His companions laughed uproariously at this jab. "Not getting enough at the castle, sweetling? I can fix that!"
"Lowlifes, indeed, rather an understatement I would say." She leaned right into the man's face. "Now keep a civil tongue in your head, you ill-mannered boor, before I cut it out and feed it to the dogs!" Fitz was losing control quickly.
Instead of an angry bellow, the tough simply laughed harder. "You and what army, little girl! Looks like the queen has an even worse taste in 'men' than her ditzy sister!" The lewd emphasis had his fellows laughing so hard they nearly fell out of their chairs.
Fitz's vision went red with rage. She reached to sweep her sword out of its scabbard ... and clutched empty air. Habits die hard. She had left the sword at the castle when they went on their trip.
Kristoff returned just in time to see Fitz launch herself at the mouthy one, wrapping her hands around his neck and knocking him off his stool and onto the floor. She was screaming, "You foul pig! I'll teach you how to speak of your betters!" as she rolled around in the sawdust with him, trying to pin him so she could beat the crap out of him properly.
The ale had addled Kristoff's brain, but he recognized an unfair fight when he saw it, even if he didn't know what had started this one. The other toughs had jumped to their feet, looking to mix it up with Fitz. Five against one would be brutal. Kristoff grabbed the shoulder of the nearest one and spun him around.
"Hey! Leave my friend alone!"
The tough slapped Kristoff's hand off and pushed him in the chest. "Back off, ice man! Unless this bitch is more to you than your prissy girlfriend and that other scruffy reindeer you sleep with!"
Kristoff was tall, broad-shouldered, and strong. This sneer washed every trace of ale out of his blood and replaced it with pure berserker rage. His fist sent the tough flying back to crash onto the table, smashing it to splinters and sending tankards and glasses flying everywhere.
"You bastard, I'll kill you!" the man yelled, pulling himself up from the wreckage of the table, and the fight was on.
The other patrons of the bar scrambled out of the way. Fights were common and considered just part of the entertainment for this crowd. Staying well back to avoid flying furniture and bodies, they cheered on the brawling combatants and made bets. Two against five still wasn't even, but some of the onlookers were connoisseurs of the art of bar brawls, and could tell Kristoff and Fitz weren't going to be easy meat for the five hooligans.
Eventually, the gendarmes arrived to restore peace and arrest the participants. Kristoff and Fitz were still standing, well, swaying, but they were on their feet. The five toughs were scattered around the bar, out cold. One was on the street in front of the establishment where Fitz had thrown him through the window. Another had disappeared behind the bar after Kristoff bounced him off the shelves of liquor behind it. A third moaned in a soprano pitch, curled up and clutching himself where Fitz had landed a kick. With her boot. Hard.
As the gendarmes marched them off to the lockup, Fitz rubbed her skinned knuckles and realized they were going to have to explain all this to Elsa and Anna. She groaned inwardly. What had they done.
Suddenly, getting shanghaied onto a bumboat with a cargo of green hides bound for the East Indies didn't seem like such a bad billet. Particularly as an alternative to explaining to the Queen and her sister just WHY Kristoff and Fitz had gotten into that fight. Fitz gulped down bile.
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Anna was just drifting off to sleep ….
Knock, knock. "Your Majesty?"
Oh ... Who now? Anna thought as she started, sitting up.
Elsa's eyes blinked open and she answered, "Yes?"
"Your Majesty? " It was Kai. Elsa pushed herself up and tried to rub the sleep from her eyes.
"Kai. What is it?"
"You Majesty, I am reluctant to bother you, but the Captain of the Arendelle Gendarmerie is here. He's requesting an audience with you to discuss a rather delicate situation."
"The town gendarmerie?" Elsa got quickly out of bed, grabbed her robe, and opened her door, closing it behind her and meeting Kai in her sitting room. "It's the middle of the night, Kai. If it's not an emergency, it can wait until morning."
Kai cleared his throat. "Ahem. Not precisely an emergency, Ma'am. But ... well, it seems that ... Kristoff and the Lady Fitzwilliam are ... guests in his jail, and he would like to discuss their release with you." Kai winced as he waited for the explosion.
"WHAT?!" The temperature in the room dropped significantly, and a small ice patch formed where Elsa slammed her foot on the floor.
Anna's head popped out of the bedroom door. "Say that again, Kai?"
"No, don't," Elsa added tightly. Control, Elsa, control. She forced herself to calm down so that she could deal with this situation and the Gendarme Captain. Kai studied the ceiling, the floor, the interesting pattern on the sofa, giving her the time she needed. She took a deep breath to clear her head. Anna slipped out of the bedroom and perched on a nearby chair.
"Please bring him in, Kai. And would you be so kind as to notify the guard captain that we may need a few of his men to go into town shortly."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Kai left. The two sisters looked at each other, Anna quizzical, Elsa furious. And Kai returned with the Gendarme Captain in tow.
"Your Majesty, thank you for seeing me so promptly." He greeted her with a slightly nervous bow and a smile for the Princess. His duties rarely required him to meet with the Queen. He certainly never thought he would have to pull her out of bed, which clearly he had.
"Yes, well, you're welcome, Captain." She almost said, 'anytime,' but thought better of it. "Please, be seated." And she waved him to one of the chairs in front of her. "Now, how may I be of assistance?" She left the question open-ended, she wanted to hear what he would say.
"Ah, well, Your Majesty. It seems that there was a rather large and noisy brawl earlier this evening at one of the more disreputable taverns near the docks." A gulp. "And two of the participants were Mr. Bjorgman and Lady Fitzwilliam." He looked at her warily, hoping she wouldn't make an ice sculpture out of him. He felt slightly more at ease with the Princess there.
"Indeed?" Elsa's voice could only be described as ... chilly. "Do go on, Captain. I am not in the habit of shooting the messenger. Please tell me about this... brawl. All of it. Why on earth would Kris...I mean, Mr. Bjorgman, and Lady Fitzwilliam participate in such a thing?"
The Gendarme Captain was careful in his reply. He didn't KNOW anything about the ... discussion ... that preceded the melee. Just gossip from the bartender as his men gathered up the riff raff to take them to jail. Gossip he was most DEFINITELY not going to share with his Queen ... or the Crown Princess. Oh, no indeedy not.
"Ahem, well, you know, that sort of place attracts a pretty rough crowd, almost anything could have started the fight. A comment taken the wrong way, an accidental spill of a glass of whiskey. Too much whiskey. Anything. It's practically a sport with sailors and dockworkers." There, that was safe enough. He was sure the Queen didn't spend enough time in dockside bars to spot any discrepancy. He hoped.
He continued, "The fight entailed a lot of damage; destroyed furniture, broken glassware, spilled liquor, a broken window..." Elsa interrupted him.
"My lord, Captain! Was anybody hurt?" Anna gasped. Elsa had a sudden vision of Kristoff and Fitz, broken and bleeding, concern supplanting her anger.
"Oh, no, Your Majesty! Just the usual cuts and bruises. Your two," he almost said fellows, but then remembered that to his surprise the second combatant wasn't, "people didn't suffer anything serious. I'm sure that when the five toughs wake up, they'll be ... well, not maimed or dead or anything too very damaging."
"Five?! Against Kristoff and Carolina!" Elsa was so distraught she used their familiar names.
The Captain tried to reassure her. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. They were the only two left standing. Haven't seen such an expert drubbing of a crowd of ruffians in a long time." He chuckled.
Regaining her composure, Elsa sat a little straighter and put a serious expression back on her face. The Captain sobered as well.
"Ah. And the reason I'm here is to ask if you'd like to bail them out? Perhaps provide a guard escort to bring them back here?" He waited nervously. "The bail is unfortunately substantial, what with all the damage."
Elsa thought about it. "Thank you, Captain. A guard escort to bring them back here in chains sounds like an excellent idea. We wouldn't want anyone to think that just because they were ... friends ... with the Queen and Crown Princess that they would receive special treatment. Kai, here, will also accompany you and my guards." Kai had been standing just inside the door, unobtrusively listening to the discussion. He nodded.
"If you would be so kind as to follow him, Kai will take you down to gather up some guardsmen, and you can be on your way." Elsa finished brightly. Taking the hint, the Captain rose, bowed, and walked out of the office.
Kai hesitated at the door. "Your Majesty?"
"Yes, Kai?" Her response came through clenched teeth and a few snowflakes.
"Would you possibly consider leaving them there for a few days?" Wistfully. "It has been nicely quiet with Lady Fitzwilliam ... away."
She hesitated. "No, Kai. Go get them. Anna and I will be waiting for you in the stables when you get back." She was briefly tempted, but then remembered how empty her bed seemed without Fitz.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
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Anna was pacing around in front of Sven's stall, fuming. "How could they DO this? They were supposed to be having a nice, quiet hunting trip, enjoying the outdoors of beautiful Arendelle. Killing things! What the heck were they doing down by the docks, anyway?"
Elsa could see the little parade of prisoners and guards coming across the courtyard, escorted by one annoyed looking reindeer. "They're coming, Anna. Let's give them a chance to explain themselves before we ... we ... put them in the stocks!"
"Stocks?! I didn't know we had any of those left." Anna looked sharply to her sister.
"We don't. But I can always have some built." Elsa replied tersely as the two prisoners were marched in. They were clearly chagrined and embarrassed, and Kristoff looked everywhere except at the two women. Fitz's eyes didn't roam, but she had the look of someone facing the guillotine. To say that they were rumpled and dirty would be massive understatement. Kristoff self-consciously tried to brush off more sawdust from his pants. His chains clinked.
"Thank you, gentlemen. If you would be so kind as to remove the shackles, I believe you can return to your regular duties, and I will handle this matter from here."
The guards saluted, unlocked the manacles from Kristoff and Fitz, saluted again, and left the stable.
A deathly quiet stable. Elsa and Anna simply stood there, arms crossed, glaring at their lovers. After what seemed like an eternity, Elsa quietly asked through gritting teeth, "Well? What do you two have to say for yourselves?"
Kristoff and Fitz looked at each other. Fitz shrugged and started. "Well, we were just having a quiet drink, minding our own business, and these hooligans decided to pick a fight." Kristoff nodded, trying to look as innocent as possible.
Elsa really didn't spend much time in dockside bars, but this smelled fishier than a three day old salmon. Anna jumped in before she could ask another question.
"Kristoff! You NEVER go to bars! What were you thinking?"
"Hey! We just decided to enjoy a little civilized drinking and pub food after a whole ... day ... of hunting. A hunting expedition that was NOT my idea, you'll remember!" Kristoff decided a little offense might be the best defense and tried to look indignant.
Elsa glared at Fitz even more intently. "Somehow I don't think it was that simple." She could tell by the way the two of them kept looking at each other that there was something going on they didn't want to share.
Fitz stared right back as she thought furiously, trying to figure out some way to explain the fight without getting into sordid details. She would NOT hurt Elsa by spelling out what the toughs had said, and Anna didn't deserve that either. She had just decided on what she hoped were appropriately delicate circumlocutions when Kristoff spoke up.
"It was my fault." He stood up straighter. "They insulted Sven. Called him scruffy. Told me they heard I practiced animal husbandry with him. Then they called my sled 'sissy'." Kristoff hung his head. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't let that insult to my best buddy go unchallenged!" He reached over and ruffled Sven's fur. "Right, buddy?"
Sven brayed in agreement, sure he would be rewarded in carrots. Fitz just stood there with her mouth hanging open.
Kristoff went on "And so I punched out the first loudmouth, then his four buddies jumped me. If it wasn't for Fitz here, I'd be a sawdust-covered stain on the floor of that dive." Kristoff looked at Elsa and Anna. "I'm sorry I got her into that mess. Forgive me?"
Elsa was angry, but it was diminishing fast. Still, she wasn't going to let them off quite that easy. Glancing at Anna, she could tell her sister was starting to go all gooey over her boyfriend's defense of his reindeer. Elsa stiffled a giggle, then put her stern face back on.
"Yes, I think we forgive you." Before they could get too relieved, she continued, "but there needs to be SOME penalty. Besides the enormous fine, bail, and damages you two will be paying off for the forseeable future."
This elicited a wince from both miscreants. Fitz wondered what the pay of a cabin boy was in the Arendelle navy. That was probably the best she could hope for once the Admiralty heard about this little cock up.
Elsa wasn't finished, however. "So, I think it would be appropriate for you two to spend some time with Sven. Here. In the stable. Sleeping on the hay. Contemplating the virtues of forbearance in the face of provocation."
"Come, Anna!" she said as she swept out of the stable. Anna winked at Fitz, blew a little kiss to Kristoff, and followed her, giggling, "animal husbandry."
Fitz let out a long breath. She turned to Kristoff. "Thank you."
Kristoff looked at her quizzically. "What for?"
"You know what for! For covering my ass! For keeping them from hearing that filth! For...for being a true gentleman and my brother-in-arms." Fitz realized that Kristoff truly was her friend. Because she was Fitz, not because she was the Queen's lover and had to be tolerated. And, wasn't that something to be thankful for.
The laconic ice harvester shrugged it off. "Don't mention it. You would do the same for me." Then he chuckled.
"What now?" Fitz asked.
"That goon you kicked in the nads? I was just remembering how he squealed like a little girl!" Kristoff said and laughed out loud.
Fitz slapped him on the back and laughed, too. "Yeah, but not as loudly as that berk you threw into the bar. That was something, I've never seen anyone throw a man overhand before."
"Well, you tossed that guy out the window ..."
"Just a little judicious redirection of his force. Something I picked up in the Caribbean."
"He really flew."
"He certainly did, didn't he." As they laughed and continued exchanging kudos and fist bumps, they went looking for some blankets. And carrots for Sven.
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Anna was just drifting off to sleep ….
"Anna. Anna!" Her sister's voice cut through the haze of her near slumber.
"What now?" she groaned.
Elsa was looking out the window. "It's almost dawn."
"Oh, thank heaven," Anna grumbled, "I thought I was going to oversleep."
"Come on," Elsa came over to her bedside and tugged at her sleeve. Anna opened one eye. "You wanna build a snowman?"
The two sisters giggled their way to the barn. Anna peered in the various stalls, finally gesturing to the last one. "Yep, it's them. They're here. They look so cute when they're sleeping. I hate to wake them. " Elsa came over and Anna pointed to where Fitz and Kristoff were cuddled together in the hay. Fitz had her head buried in Kristoff's chest; he had wrapped his arms around her. They did look remarkably peaceful and remarkably asleep. A gentle snoring filled the air … and from Kristoff, too.
"Fortunately I don't have the same problem," Elsa said evilly, a grin on her face. And she rotated her hands, throwing the resulting snowball so it hit Fitz square on the back of her neck, sending wet snow spraying up into Kristoff's face.
"Ah!" He shot up suddenly, madly flailing to free himself what ever wet cold thing had attacked him in his sleep. Fitz let out an abrupt yelp as she was thrown across the stall. Suddenly she was really cold, and it was snowing … heavily … in the stall.
"What the bloody hell?" she roared as another snowball pegged her on the head.
"Rise and shine," Elsa called out to them. "Criminals don't get to sleep in."
"Sleep in," Fitz said fuming, "It's … it's bloody dawn."
Kristoff grimaced and grabbed his aching head; between the cold and the shouting it felt like it would fall off. Anna braved the snowstorm to walk over to him, but as she got closer she stopped and leaned back in disgust. "Ewwww! Criminals do get to take baths, though …. like right now. And drink some coffee or something. What were you drinking last night?"
"Just your bloody beer," Fitz answered for Kristoff, growling as Elsa hit her with another snowball. "You stop that … you … you..." There was no appropriate word that she could use publicly. "This is all your fault!" She pulled open the stall door, and Elsa backed away, hands at the ready for a little defensive magic.
"My fault?"
"Yes, don't think I didn't catch on to your little ruse," Fitz grumbled, stalking toward the Queen.
"Ruse?" Elsa batted her eyelashes innocently.
"Sending me off. Making poor Kristoff my nanny." Fitz continued toward Elsa.
'Poor Kristoff' gave a sad nod and moaned softly in agreement. Anna, moved by this piteous display, started to lead him away to safety and a bath. She had the sense that things were going to get very chilly in here in a minute, and there was no reason for them to be caught in the crossfire that was the unstoppable Fitz running into the immoveable Elsa.
As Fitz closed with the Queen, Elsa tossed off a quick bit of ice at Fitz, freezing her boots to the floor. This had worked before, so she was surprised when Fitz neatly stepped out of them and bolted forward backing her into the stable wall.
"Wait … What are you doing?" Elsa asked, her eyes open wide as she felt wood at her back.
"I'm demonstrating tactics," Fitz growled. Then she said, "Anna!" in a loud voice. "This is why you play to your strengths when you are over matched. Close quickly when your opponent has reach."
Anna, and Kristoff, stopped in the stable doorway looking back.
"Your sister is a glass cannon. Powerful at a distance but easily shattered close up."
"A glass what … I'm not a glass …. aaah!" Elsa shrieked as Fitz dug her fingers into her ribs and tried to bat them away. Fitz chortled and wrapped her up in her right arm as her left hand continued to tickle. The Queen's squeals continued unabated.
"Oh, get a room," Anna said with a smirk. "Come on, Kristoff. We should leave them alone to work out … whatever it is they're working out." Then she pulled Kristoff back toward the castle. The Ice Queen could get herself out of her own mess this time.