"Anna, my night is full, but my day is still completely free. Would you like to take a walk in the garden with me?", Elsa asked her sister.
"I'd love to, my love," Anna answered eagerly as she stole another quick kiss from her lover's lips.
They headed out to the garden and came upon a red rose bush.
Elsa picked one and handed it to Anna.
"This flower is really beautiful, but not as beautiful as you. I want you to have it to remind you that, to me, you are even more beautiful than this rose," she told Anna softly, lovingly.
Anna blushed. "Thanks."
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are? Especially when you blush; it's adorable," Elsa added smiling fondly at her sister.
"Thank you. But you are more beautifuller. Uh, um, I did it again. I don't mean "fuller". I mean "more beautiful." And yes, you did. At the coronation ball, right after you told me "hi". It's from that moment that I realized I felt something for you as more than a sister, especially when you told me how beautiful I was right after," Anna rambled her confession.
"That's when I first began to feel it too, but it only deepened when you told me again how beautiful I was in my Ice Palace and it came full force after you sacrificed yourself for me and then when we started spending time together, I couldn't hold it back anymore," Elsa admitted.
Anna kissed Elsa quickly, but with a loving gentleness, on the cheek.
"It hurts that that's the only way I can kiss you in public. I wish we could show the world our love for each other," Anna sighed sadly.
"The world wouldn't understand," Elsa reminded her sister, equally as sadly.
Then, more happily, as she kissed Anna on the cheek, she added, "But we know what we have and that's all that matters. I love you, my princess, my sister, my lover, my Anna."
"I love you too, my Queen, my sister, my lover, my Elsa," Anna said back as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes.
They spent a long time in the garden cuddling, watching the clouds roll by, and stealing quick kisses on each other's cheeks and foreheads, but soon it was evening and Elsa had to make time for Prince Amunde.
Her servants had set the table already and Amunde had just arrived.
"Pleased to share your company again, Your Majesty," he said, kissing her hand.
She pulled it away quickly, a troubled look clear on her face.
"Is there something wrong, Your Majesty?" the prince questioned her in a worried tone.
"No. Nothing's wrong, Prince Amunde. My servants have already prepared our meals. Please take a seat," Elsa told him.
They both sat and for a few moments there was awkward silence and dead air.
"So, my kingdom, Mørkskjebne, is a small nation. You probably haven't heard of us. I have five elder brothers who will precede me as heir to the throne, making me sixth in line for the crown. I am going to be honest with you, Your Highness, and admit that I am hoping to get a ruling position through marriage. Legends of you have traveled far and wide. The most notable one being that you don't like the idea of people who barely know each other getting married. However, I also know that you are in a dilemma where your kingdom requires you to get married. That's why I believe we are perfect for each other. We both know we are not marrying out of love, but necessity and are ok with that. I assure you that I will make a fair and just ruler who rules along your side and I can also give you the one heir your kingdom desires from you," he explained.
Elsa was absolutely dumbfounded at this man's bluntness and incredible boldness.
"Prince Amunde, I appreciate your honesty, but you are correct that I do not like marriages between people who just met. You are also correct that my kingdom is trying to force me to marry out of necessity so I can produce an heir. However, the one thing you are not right about is me being ok with that," Elsa countered, after clearing her throat.
"I will ask you to reconsider, Your Majesty. Think about the opportunity you are missing. The next prince who comes along might not be so understanding and may try to force himself upon you, trying to pressure you into loving him. I, on the other hand, will give you your space, completely understanding that you don't really love me and it will be a loveless marriage. You will be free to be with whoever you do end up loving," he proposed.
"Prince Amunde, for you to suggest not only for me to enter willingly into a loveless marriage, but to enter into it with the thought of committing infidelity, loveless or not, is a great insult to my character. And how do you know I've not already found the one I love?", Elsa snapped back at him angrily.
"Your Highness, I did not mean to insult your character. I apologize deeply as that was not my intention. If I may be so bold as to ask, if you've already found someone, why not make him your king, ruling by your side, and produce an heir with him? Obviously, something is holding you back. Maybe that's a sign that things aren't right with him and you should give me a chance," the prince argued.
"It's very complicated, Amunde. There's nothing wrong with them or me. It's with the world. They are my everything and I want nothing more than to have them rule by my side, but the world won't let us rule together. It won't let us be together. As for an heir with them, that is not possible," Elsa explained to him sadly.
The lack of gender pronoun in her response didn't go unnoticed by the prince, who was at this point, getting very suspicious.
"It's a woman. Isn't it?", he interrogated her.
"Excuse me?", Elsa breathed out, shocked.
"Your lover. She's a woman. Right?"
"I think the gender of my lover is none of your business, Prince Amunde. We are finished here. Good day to you. Take your leave," the queen huffed angrily.
"So, you do already have a lover," he taunted, smirking.
"Leave! Now!", Elsa shouted.
Amunde left the room, heading for the castle doors.
Shortly after, Anna burst in.
"Elsa, are you alright? I heard you screaming," Anna asked worriedly.
"I'm fine. The prince just got under my skin is all," Elsa answered coldly.
Anna flinched at Elsa's tone.
"I'm sorry, Anna. I didn't mean to take it out on you, my love," she apologized.
Anna kissed her gently on the lips, saying, "It's ok. I forgive you."
Suddenly, their tender moment was interrupted.
"I knew it! It's not only a woman, but shockingly enough, it's your own sister! Oh, this is gold! You have to marry me now or I'll expose your secret!," Princess Amunde exclaimed, jumping out of the shadows of the hallway.
Elsa and Anna stood silently with shocked and horrified looks planted on their faces. They had been caught.
"You're the only one who saw it and you can't prove it. Do you really think the people of the kingdom would believe a stranger from a faraway land over their own beloved queen and princess?" Anna snapped.
"I will find a way. Mark my words. You will marry me, Elsa," Prince Amunde sneered hatefully, ominously, sending a shutter down Elsa and Anna's spines.