Hey there, I managed to get home to good wifi and post this on time :D , if you could manage even just a short review for this chapter I would appreciate it; I like to know how you guys are feeling about this fic :)

Chapter 4

"Jackson!" Mary called when we entered the castle courtyard. She came running over to her brother's waiting arms. He scooped her up into a hug and I couldn't help but smile at the sight. Tara came running over a few seconds later.

"Don't you dare ever run off like that again." He laughed at his mother's worry and held her to his side with his sister.

The Overlands left together and returned to their home in the village and I continued through the courtyard into mine.

"Your Majesty." Kai greeted the second I stepped over the castle threshold.

"Kai." He followed me through the foyer into the sitting room not far from the door.

"I know you have something to say, so say it, please." He cleared his throat and too my invitation to take a seat.

"You've known the young Mr Overland since you were six years old, and you have been best friends since you were eight. It worst it would have taken you an hour to find him and half an hour to explain to him what happened. You were gone for almost five hours." I didn't move.

"What are you insinuating, Kai." He sat, unflinching, across from me.

"What happened between you two in the woods, Elsa?" My gaze hardened slightly and Kai put his hands up. "Don't be alarmed, you know I would never sway in my loyalty to you, Elsa. I wasn't going to live in this castle without you knowing I was aware." I nodded sharply and directed him to leave. He nodded and bowed respectfully before leaving me to my thoughts.

I should have stayed with Jackson in the woods and never come back. I had no worries until we decided we had to return before we were caught. I sighed, leaving the sitting room and heading up to my chambers. I changed into my pyjamas and curled into my sheets.

"Good morning your Majesty." I sighed and rolled over before opening my eyes. I squealed in a mixture of shock and happiness to see Jackson lying next to me.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered, glancing at the window. "Gerda will be coming in any minute." He smiled, running his fingertips down the side of my face.

"Well we have a minute to waste then." I kissed the palm of his hand and his cheek.

"If you get caught in here we're both in serious trouble." He shook his head.

"I'm not leaving till I get a proper kiss from you." I rolled my eyes and shuffled closer to him. I pressed my lips to his, grabbing the sides of his face with my hands. I pulled back and stared at him.

"Now go, I'll see you later." He laughed

"Happy Birthday." I smiled and kissed him again quickly before letting him slip away in silence. I lay in bed for a few minutes before Gerda knocked. "I'm awake." She came in and greeted me, pulling the curtains open. I stepped out of bed and helped with the other side of the room before sitting down at my dressing table. Gerda picked up the brush and started running it through my hair.

"I've been brushing you and your sister's hair since you had hair." I smiled at her through the mirror. She finished with my hair, putting it into a plait like she has done since I was little. She rested her hands on my shoulders. "Happy Birthday Elsa." She left the room for me to change. Folding my pyjamas at the end of my bed, I made my dress with ease since I'd had the design in my mind for weeks now.

The icy fabric hung off one shoulder and flowed into an elaborate design of ice crystals that bordered a slightly darker coloured sash and continued to flow out around my ankles, only barely showing the shoes I made on my feet. I smiled to myself in the mirror. Stepping into the hallway I was almost flattened by the hurricane that is my little sister.

"Happy Birthday!" She screeched into my ear. I peeled her off of me and smiled,

"Thanks. Has everyone arrived this morning?" She nodded, and then stopped.

"About that. Everyone's here… Including Prince Nikolai." I blinked, playing my memories back in my head.

"I only sent the letter yesterday there's no way he could be here yet." Anna shrugged,

"He intercepted the boat on the way here, he was coming to see you for your birthday whether you replied to his proposal or not." I put a hand to my forehead. "What is it?" I sighed,

"I invited Jackson." Anna's expression contorted into an awkward pinch and I nodded in agreement. "I'll just warn him when he gets here." If he didn't just jump down and walk straight in the front door already. I took my sister's arm and we moved down the stairs. I got half way down when the clapping started. I did the usual wave and smile the rest of the way down and was greeted with a hoard of guests the moment my feet touched the ground floor. It was a formal party with dignitaries and suited leaders gossiping and sipping champagne flutes at 8 in the morning and I, lucky girl, had the honour of being socially required to talk to all of them.

"Your majesty." The Duke of Weselton shoved his way to the front of the mob to greet me. He took my hand and kissed the back of it. "Happy birthday. Not too long and we'll be having another party to celebrate the first anniversary of your reign." I smiled politely and he was shoved away by the excitement of my cousins from Corona regally shoving their own path through the crowd.

"Elsa, Anna. It's so good to see the both of you." Rapunzel wrapped the both of us in a quick hug before her husband managed to catch up. I nodded to him,

"Eugene." He smiled, returning the nod,

"Elsa." Rapunzel and Anna eventually drifted off together and Eugene was left on his own by my side. Next to make their way over to the stairs was a familiar mop of brown hair.

"Jackson, glad you could make it." His smile was blinding as he came over to pull me into a seemingly platonic hug. His eyes flicked to Eugene and his uniform. "Oh, Jackson, this is my cousin-in-law from Corona; Eugene. Eugene, my best friend Jackson." The two men shook hands.

"I've heard a lot about you and your wife, and your kingdom of course. You've done amazingly and she hasn't even taken the throne yet." He smiled and his eyes found Rapunzel through the crowd.

"Thank you, and I've heard something about you. You've done well do handle my lovely cousin," he paused to lean into my ear, "and I know about the engagement attempt so don't go introducing him as your 'best friend' to me." I smiled,

"Speaking of which I need to talk to Jackson for a second." Eugene nodded and melted into the other dignitaries.

"What's wrong?" Jackson asked the second no one was in earshot.

"Nikolai is here and I want you to make sure you steer clear of him. Maybe hang out with Eugene? Rapunzel and Eugene don't like the Isles all that much anyway." Jackson was already looking around the room for the Prince. I grabbed his chin. "Hey, stop that. Diplomatic, remember? Please don't cause trouble. Not today especially." I could tell he would have kissed me if there weren't so many people around. Instead he settled for bowing and kissing the palm of my hand.

"As you wish." I watched him go over to Eugene and take a glass of champagne. I closed my eyes for a second in silent prayer that he behaves. When I opened them, a man stood in front of me in the tell tale military snob uniform of the Southern Isles.

"Prince Nikolai." He smiled and, as much as I hate to admit it, he looked rather charming.

"Queen Elsa." He bowed, far lower than is socially, politically or otherwise necessary. "Happy Birthday." I nodded in thanks.

"You didn't have to come all this way just for my birthday. My letter was on route to your castle." He smiled and pulled the parchment from his coat pocket.

"I know. I thought your sister told you that we intercepted your boat, they gave me the letter." I could see the arrogance of the Isles hidden behind the charm of his smile, perfectly conspicuous like a kiss in the right hand corner. "You accepted the proposal?" The grin widened and I nodded. "So the rumours I heard about your… involvement with a commoner, these are false?" I took a breath,

"Nikolai, would you mind if we talked in another room?" Surprise crossed his face for a split second before he stretched out a hand to move to the sitting room.

"Is this about the rumours?" he asked, making himself comfortable.

"No, this is about you being a dick."

A/N

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