Chapter 4

Anna whistled and shook her head. "Oh, wow, you really do have a problem!"

Elsa was pacing around the library where she had gone to hide after her miserable council meeting. Anna had found her, and had gotten the short version of the meeting, but it was enough to make her cringe for her sister.

"Yes! I have a Prince coming soon." Her words were coming quickly, as Elsa tried to stuff all the looming disasters into one long unbroken breath. "He expects to spend time with me. I have no plans. We've made no preparations. I have no idea how long he intends to stay. I have no idea of anything about him, and I really don't intend to speak to that troll Sandvik." She turned and looked apologetically over to where Anna was standing. "I'm sorry that's probably rude to trolls. But I just don't have … "

"And you have Fitz," Anna interrupted.

"OhMyGod!" Elsa's heart stopped for the second time today.

"You didn't forget about Fitz, did you?" Anna squawked incredulously.

"No … no." Elsa's voice got noticeably more shrill. "Not really. I mean I would have remembered ... soon. I was just thinking of other things."

"Other things, Elsa? At a time like this? Things other than your – girlfriend?"

But Elsa's mind was racing off to confront this next problem, as she continued to pace in circles. "I can't have her challenging the Prince of Luneberg … or killing him … or worse. She'll just have to accept it. I mean, I'm a queen … an unmarried queen … and this is what we do … what happens … you know … unless we've told people that we're not doing it … which I know I should have done, but I didn't … I mean it seemed early … and you don't want to tell everyone too early … and I didn't know …."

She reached out and grabbed Anna, pulling the Princess right up to her with a shake. "I didn't even know if she felt the same way. I mean, I don't know if she feels the same way … you know ... about me … about forever … about love. "

Anna wiggled out of her sister's chilly vice grip, rubbing her shoulder. There would be a bruise there tomorrow, she was sure of it."Have you talked about these things with her?"

Elsa looked stricken, her eyes wide with fear.

"Well, Sandvik was right about one thing," Anna said. "You really are terrible at this."

"Oh, Anna. What am I going to do?" Elsa wilted into a chair, a flurry of snow swirling around her. Anna followed her down, kneeling in front of her.

"Well, the first thing is that you need to tell Fitz. Straight up tell her. I would expect her to get - well pretty angry, but she did have to know this sort of thing might happen. Tell her the truth, the Council sprung it on you, and …" she squinted as she looked up at Elsa, "tell me again why you didn't just tell them to put this idea in their pipe and smoke it?"

Elsa sighed,"They all looked like Papa. And they were all just staring at me, so expectantly."

Anna took a deep breath and held her sister's shaking hand. "Maybe you don't want to go into that detail."

"It's been a horrible day, Anna. Just horrible." Elsa voice caught and her eyes glistened. "First I didn't sleep … and then breakfast … and then …" she stopped before she went into the painful conversation with the Admiral ... "well, it's just been horrible."

Anna rose up and pulled Elsa into a hug. "It's OK. And tonight, you and I are going to have a serious sister to sister chat where you tell me everything that's happened today ... all of it." She sat back on her heels and brushed a stray lock of hair from Elsa's face. "Including why all of a sudden I'm dragging Kristoff off to boat christenings."

Elsa pulled back and began to wring her hands nervously. "That wasn't ..."

"No, no, you don't have to tell me now, you've got enough on your plate, but you are going to tell me. I promise." Anna winked and kissed her on the cheek. "Now you don't have much time before dinner to find Fitz. So you should probably get to it."

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Fitz took one last look at the fading light before she went in for dinner. She was no clearer about the path ahead of her than she had been this morning, but she was calmer – and a lot less ill.

After she had left breakfast and finished her – Carrot Mary, Bloody Mary of Orange, or whatever that god forsaken drink they'd made for her this morning was – she headed to the stable and saddled a horse. She presumed rightly that Anna wasn't going to pursue a lesson today, which was more than fine with her. She was embarrassed. She certainly owed Anna an apology – and, she thought glumly, she owed Elsa one as well. But most of all she needed to think this one through, or she would bollocks it up again, and then where would she be?

So she had ridden out into what Anna laughingly called "Arendelle's heartland." It was true, there were a few farms here, some small ones, some slightly larger. But with the rocky uneven ground, and the very short growing season, it was nothing like the fence to fence, wall to wall farms of Avalon's midlands. This explained Elsa's hawk-like focus on trade. Her kingdom could feed itself, no one would starve if trade was cut off for some reason, but it wouldn't be a happy kingdom. Eventually even the people of Arendelle would tire of fish and barley.

However, one advantage of the riding through the under-developed countryside that she could sit back and let the horse take its head once they were clear of the walls of the capital. In Avalon one could either stick to the roads or one would be jumping fences, which was fine as long as you were in pursuit of something, but it wasn't relaxing or conducive to thought. Fitz could ride well enough. She had a decent seat on a hunter, enough that she wasn't embarrassed to be seen. But she hadn't ridden in a while, and she wasn't in the mood to concentrate on anything but her own sorry state of affairs.

The Admiral's words had struck her like a physical blow, and their aftermath had left her feeling more desolate than she had since she'd arrived here, quite possibly in her entire life. A career in the Navy here was out. The Admiral had been quite plain, and she would not allow Elsa to intercede … that would be disastrous both to any career and to her pride.

But what was she to tell Elsa? How long would it be before the Admiral's doubts came to the Queen's ears? The two of them were close, that much she remembered from last night; those words had stung. Of course Elsa trusted the people who had been beside her for years, why wouldn't she? What had Fitz done for her? What could she possibly do? Well, except make her really angry?

Fitz wasn't sure why that bothered her so much, certainly she had made other people – other women – angry before. Usually her response would have been a rather flip, "take me or leave me," and she confessed those words had occurred to her last night. She hadn't said them, and the thought of saying them in some misguided fit of anger left her terrified. Absolutely terrified. She could not afford a repeat of last night. She wasn't sure she trusted her own good sense.

On the way home she brooded again about the night before. She realized the whole fiasco was a symptom of her larger problem. She was drinking too much, and that only happened when she had nothing else to occupy her. She had to do something. But what? It wasn't like she could become a helpful court adviser. Not only would that have smacked of unacceptable patronage, but frankly she had no skills at all in that arena. She had no idea how farming worked, or ice harvesting, or cutting trees, or any of the other occupations that Arendelle offered. She supposed she had watched enough carpentry at sea in her life that eventually she might make a decent shipwright, but that was not a profession one just decided to take up on a whim. And – she laughed at herself – that would so improve her standing to court Elsa. A captain courting a queen was bad enough, but apprentice boat builder? Well, that wouldn't make anyone in the kingdom happy, not even her.

Cynically she wondered if her best chance wasn't going back to Avalon, killing her father and probably a brother or two, declaring herself King of Avalon … well, Queen, there was no getting around that biological impediment … and returning to court Elsa then. At least they'd be of equal rank, that would have to count for something.

But in her heart she knew that there was just no easy solution. She wasn't going to burden Elsa with her problems. She wasn't going to make this any harder for the Queen than it already was. She just had to keep a lid on her temper and ride out this storm.

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"Carolina." Fitz turned as she was about to enter the dining room. She was late, so she hadn't changed for dinner even though she was a mess. But she had thought perhaps she could excuse herself after the salad and go quickly bathe and change. She was a little surprised to find Elsa behind her.

"I have to speak with you." Elsa's eyes shot to the hallway and as if she expected to be attacked from that quarter.

"And I need to apol …."

"No really," Elsa interrupted. "It's important." The queen saw that the woman before her looked tired and subdued, not like her Carolina at all, and that is probably why she decided to start with the good news. "I spoke with the Admiral."

Fitz stiffened, a frown growing on her face.

"There is a way for you to join our Navy. You just have to swear personal fealty …."

"I told you that I didn't need your help," Fitz snapped, her frame stiffening as she fought with her emotions.

"I didn't …."

"That was the ONE thing I asked you to do. It's been my only real request, and you found it too difficult to accommodate?"

"Please, don't raise your voice to me ..." Elsa felt her own tattered nerves rising.

"You're right. I think I need a moment." Fitz turned abruptly and started away from the dining room.

"Stop!" The queen hissed. "I have to talk to you."

Fitz looked over her shoulder. "No. Not now. We can talk later. But I cannot talk with you now."

"It's import ..."

"No!" Fitz said emphatically. Then she wheeled back and took off down the hall.

Elsa let out an irate grumble, and she stormed into the dining room.

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Anna was concerned. They were through the salad course and there was no sign of Fitz. Elsa hadn't even mentioned her; she had just started discussing her requirements of Kristoff and Anna for the upcoming visit of the Prince as if nothing about it were out of the ordinary. If Kristoff was confused he didn't show it. He just kept nodding. Once, when they were discussing the number of formal dinners that would be required, he grabbed Anna's hand and squeezed it hard, but otherwise he had been taking this all in stride. Anna was quite proud of him. Nervous as hell about Fitz and Elsa, but very proud of Kristoff.

Fitz showed up, freshly bathed and changed, just at the midpoint of the main course. By now Kai no longer announced her, and so she just came through the door. Elsa was going through a list of possible activities for the Prince's visit.

"He might like to ride, so Anna may I count on you to escort him?"

Anna swallowed to answer, but Kristoff beat her to it. "Why can't you do that?" Kristoff was still just a little possessive, and he didn't really want to send his fiance off with some prince looking for a royal to marry.

"Because, Kristoff," Elsa answered with an attempt at patience, "I don't know how. I never really learned to ride, and I think now is a poor time to start. The last thing Arendelle needs is a Queen with a broken neck."

"Yeah, like they need a broken neck themselves."

Elsa and Kristoff stared at Anna. It had sounded funnier in her head.

"Riding with whom?" were the words that Fitz used to announce herself.

Elsa's head jerked to face her and then jerked away. She frantically thought of the best way to put this.

"Oh, Elsa's got some Prince coming to visit her, and she's telling us about all the plans she's included us in," Kristoff offered, in what he thought was a helpful manner. "Apparently as the Princess and 'Prince to be' we've got … 'duties.'" He used air quotes.

Fitz blinked and frowned. "What Prince? What is a Prince coming to see you for?" It was a demand more than a simple question.

"It wasn't my idea …."

"What Prince? Why is this Prince coming?" she repeated.

"It is Prince Reinhardt of Luneberg, and he is a suitor," Elsa kept her voice level, quiet even, hoping the tone would rub off. "I did not invite him, the Council did."

"A suitor?" Fitz's tone was soft, but no less deadly. "For your hand?" Elsa nodded. "I would hope you didn't invite him."

"I didn't."

Fitz took a deep breath. "And what is the plan for me? How do I fit into the schedule?" Her voice became a growl, "Do I have 'duties' as well in these circumstances?" She used the air quotes, too.

"Darling, please," Elsa clasped and unclasped her hands in front of her. "You have to understand that it would be … awkward for the Prince if you were around. He doesn't know ... the circumstances. I don't have to accept a proposal, but I don't want to make him uncomfortable."

"Good thing you're perfectly fine making me uncomfortable then," Fitz spat out. Her eyes darted about like an animal caught in a trap. "I think I must take my leave." She gave a perfunctory bow.

"Carolina, wait ..." Elsa jumped to her feet.

"No, Your Majesty," Fitz continued, not looking back at her. "I have learned that in battle there is a time for retreat, before things get so badly damaged that you cannot recover. So … so, good evening." She swept through the door leaving it to bang closed her in wake.

"Carolina!" Elsa went to follow her. And her sister jumped up, "No, don't …just ... let her …." but Elsa was gone before Anna could finish, "cool down."

Anna sat back down and buried her head in her hands. Then she reached out and smacked Kristoff on the back of his head. "That was incredibly tactless! What is wrong with you? Were you raised in a barn?"

Kristoff rubbed the sore spot. "Yes. Kinda. Sometimes."

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When Elsa walked in Fitz was almost done neatly rolling some breeches and putting them into her sea bag.

"What are you doing?" Elsa demanded.

"This is not a good time for us to talk about anything," Fitz replied adding socks, undergarments and a few shirts to the bag.

"What ARE you doing?" she repeated, demanding an answer.

"I am retreating," Fitz snapped back. "I do not think it is wise for me to be here in this temper … with this … MAN … coming to see you!"

"I did not invite him."

"While I appreciate that." Fitz closed the bag with a vicious tug. "Really it is not the pertinent fact. The fact is he is coming, and I am in the way … very in the way. So I intend that not be the case."

"Please, you're not in the way."

Fitz turned. "Oh no, my dear. I truly am. This Prince will arrive expecting to find you an unmarried, unattached, dare I say virginal Queen. That will surely not be his impression if I am here. So," she threw the sea bag over her shoulder, "I will leave him … and Arendelle … to their illusion of their unmarried, unattached, virginal Queen!" And then she was gone.

Elsa stood still looking at the door. She bit her lip. Her left hand grabbed her right and twisted it tight against her waist. "Please, don't go," she said quietly.