A/N I Don't own anything to do with Frozen or Wolf and Spice. Any resemblance to persons living or deceased is blah blah blah.

Chapter 5

Naeil and Ragnar walked along the hallway behind one of the castle's many servants. Naeil was dressed in a grey and blue uniform, edge with silver and adorn with a deep blue sash with a golden compass and pomegranate medallion, as well as a rampant wolf, and a wolf's head with with a crescent moon in it's mouth. Ragnar remained in the same clothes he'd worn all day. Although Naeil was heading to his dinner with the Royal Family, he insisted on Ragnar walking with him at least to the door, wanting intelligence updates and discussing upcoming strategies to integrate the forces coming out of the mountains into the defenses of Arendelle.

"Perhaps I should cancel, we have a lot of work to be done before Weselton arrives," grimaced Naeil

Ragnar grabbed the young prince's arm, "Oh no you don't. No cold feet for you at this late juncture."

Naeil looked at his sergeant with some irritation. "It's not cold feet, it's just that we've got a warfleet that could be here any day."

Ragnar sighed, "If they'd sailed, we'd know it within a day of their leaving port. It will take them at least 5 days to get here. So, reasonably, you have at least 4 days to take care of all the matters of defense and soldiery. Tonight, your responsibility isn't that of Captain of the Wulfen Guard, it's as Crown Prince and a diplomat of Yoitsu, and that means going to this dinner and getting better acquainted with Queen Elsa and her sister. Trust will be important...especially if the fighting gets nasty," the old man warned. "And," he added with a sly grin, "You deserve to have a bit of fun before the serious work begins."

Naeil sighed, "Well, okay, I guess you're right about building trust between us."

Ragnar released the prince's arm and chuckled, "Besides, your mother insisted that you learn to control yourself and court young eligible ladies. After all, you can't stay a bachelor all your life."

Naeil looked sharply at the older man, "I think I've done very well, thank you very much," he whispered harshly.

Ragnar grinned, "Your tail almost shredded your pants when the Princess invited you. Had it been the Queen herself, I wonder if you would have kept such control."

Naeil's faced turned beet red, "If you are trying to give me confidence, you're failing miserably."

As they approached the door, Ragnar stopped and grabbed the young prince's shoulders. "Relax, your Highness. Remember your lessons on swordplay. If you are thinking about it too much, that's when you make mistakes. Don't think about it and be calm...and if worse comes to worse." The sergeant leaned in, "I'd suggest you just sit on it."

Ragnar stepped back and grinned before bowing slightly, "I leave you to the women, Captain. Mercy upon your soul..."

Naeil took a deep breath and turned toward the steward, who opened the door.

Approaching the dining room from the opposite direction, Elsa walked with Kai, who was reading her a list similar to the one Ragnar had just been reading from. Her face furrowed, "Perhaps I should cancel, there is so much to prepare for."

Kai looked at the Queen sternly, "Your Majesty, this dinner is important. There is no evidence that Weselton has sailed and the Yoitsuan party has assured me repeatedly that they will know within a day of their sailing. Even if they sailed this morning, they won't be here for 5 days. This is an opportunity for you to talk with Prince Naeil and build relations with him as a person. This will only be beneficial in the coming days and perhaps years ahead. Yoitsu is our northern neighbor and he is the Heir to their throne." The aide smiled, "Besides, you deserve to have a fun evening. Relax, try to put the worries of this war off until tomorrow morning and have a pleasant evening."

Pausing before the door to the dining room Elsa sighed and then smiled. "Well, I suppose it is primarily just a dinner with my sister and the Ice Master." It just happens to have a handsome man also present.

As Queen Elsa walked into the private dining room, Anna, Kristoff, and Naeil rose. Naeil released a small gasp as she strode in, wearing a long ice blue dress that was decorated with a combination of snowflakes and ivy leaves in silver and white. Anna grinned as she noted that Elsa had her braid dangling over her left shoulder. She nodded and then paused briefly as she saw Naeil. Smiling she held out her hand to the Prince who smiled as he took it and lightly kissed the top. "Thank you for inviting me, Elsa."

Elsa blushed at the touch of his lips, and let the young man lead her to her chair. Kristoff pulled a chair out for Anna and then took his seat opposite of her. Naeil took a deep breath before sitting at the end of the table opposite of Elsa. Carefully sitting so as not to squish his hidden tail he looked up only see Elsa's blue eyes looking directly into his. Anna and Kristoff shared a look before sitting back and stifling giggles. Gulping nervously, the other two averted their eyes and looked around as the serving staff brought in the food and started pouring drinks.

Kristoff grinned, "Mmmm, what's the special tonight Gustaf?"

The lead server looked at the Mountain Man and took a deep indulgent breath. "Smoked Salmon with lefse and steamed vegetables."

Anna smiled, "It smells wonderful, Gustaf. Thank you."

Elsa smiled and then looked up and noted that Naeil was eying the plate with curiosity. "Is something wrong, Naeil?" she asked, a tinge of concern entering her voice.

Naeil looked up and shook his head. "No, of course not, it's just, well, Yoitsu being so far up in the mountains, I've never had fish before."

Kristoff nodded, "Hmm, makes sense. So what do they normally eat for dinner in Yoitsu?"

Anna shot a glare at Kristoff, and Naeil gave the Ice Master a look before he caught Elsa looking at him, her eyes softly awaiting an answer. "Keep calm, this isn't Yoitsu. They have different customs here."

Smiling, Naeil took a small bite of the salmon, being careful not to scarf it down, in spite of his ravenous hunger. Nodding, as he swallowed, he took a small sip of the wine that had been poured. "We eat a variety of foods, mostly deer and rabbits and whatever vegetables and bulbs that will grow in the rocky soil."

Kristoff nodded and looked at Anna, "See, good conversation."

Elsa nodded, "Well, perhaps when this horrible business with Weselton is settled, you can introduce Salmon to your people."

Naeil smiled as he took another bite. "I think they would enjoy it."

Anna huffed and decided she needed to move the conversation away from the "formal" mode herself, since her sister was apparently too nervous to do so. "So, Naeil, tell us about your family. Any brothers or sisters?"

Naeil took another sip of wine before answering. "I have 3 siblings, a brother and two sisters, all younger. Most of my childhood I spent with my cousins actually. We spent our days roaming in the woods near the palace." Hunting deer and rabbits.

Anna nodded and gave Elsa a look with her eyebrows. Go on, ask him something yourself.

Elsa took a sip of wine herself before clearing her throat, "Naeil, forgive me if this is an uncomfortable subject, but all we know of Yoitsu is what we have passed down in stories and fables. What is it really like?"

Naeil paused, carefully considering his answer. "It's a mountain kingdom. We have some woods in valleys and such, but mostly it's rock and snow. Our people strive to work the land as best they can and we make our living. We have a strong army mostly out of concern from outsiders, not because we seek to expand our holdings. Fortunately, our army hasn't really been needed for the last two hundred years or so, except to deal with the occasional band of brigands or poachers."

Elsa smiled, a part of her slightly saddened to hear the fairly mundane description. It did sound like the Yoitsu of reality was a far cry from the fables she remembered listening to as a child.

Kristoff nodded, "So, no giant wolves walking around that can turn into people?"

Anna kicked the Mountain Man in the the shin underneath the table and he grimaced in pain. Elsa and Naeil both got a slightly amused expression on their faces, but Naeil's soon darkened. "We do have a lot of wolves in Yoitsu. There is a reason we are the Kingdom of the Wolves."

Kristoff raised an eyebrow as he swallowed. "I've noticed that in your titles, but I'm curious. Do you not use wolf furs? With all of your "wolf" iconography and references, I would have expected cloaks and the like."

Naeil smiled, looking back at Elsa constantly. The Mountain Man was beginning to seriously infuriate him with these questions that he really couldn't answer truthfully. He especially hated that it meant he had to lie to Elsa. His parents had been clear that Yoitsu needed to have a face, a human face, if it was going to join the larger world. Arendelle was chosen as the first point of outreach because it still did have that touch with the older magical world, as it's "Snow Queen" proved. So, Naeil would do his duty, but he didn't want to lie, and he especially didn't want to lie to her, so he would answer as vaguely as he could, and hope they wouldn't press harder.

"Wolves are sacred in our land. Hunting them is illegal within our borders. We have a strong bond with the spirit of the wolf. Killing them for us to use as cloaks would be akin to skinning our brothers." Not a lie, and in fact, a lot closer to the truth than they might suspect.

Kristoff grunted but resumed eating his food, and Anna smiled at him, grateful he'd apparently gotten tired of trying to ferret out the mystery of Yoitsu.

"If I may be so bold, I have heard legends of Trolls that live in the mountains near our shared border?" asked Naeil, feeling it'd be perfectly fair to get some information in return.

Elsa nodded, "Yes, the Mountain Trolls. They're the ones who helped heal Anna when I injured her with my powers when we were small children. In fact, they raised Kristoff."

Naeil couldn't help himself, his ears twitched in slightly in surprise, and in the close quarters of the room, he couldn't hide it.

Kristoff and Anna had both been eating and didn't catch it, but Elsa had been looking straight at the Prince and knew she wasn't imagining it any more.

"Uh, Naeil? What exactly is going on with your hair?"

Naeil swallowed nervously, "Why, I don't know what you're talking about?"

Elsa's eyes narrowed, as his hair shifted again. "Prince Naeil, as the Royal Sovereign of Arendelle, I demand you answer me." Her voice had lost it's sweet melody of affection and now held the base note of anger and distrust.

Naeil looked at her, his eyes widening in fear. He looked into her eyes, pleading, "Please Elsa..."

"Queen Elsa! And I demand to know WHAT is going on with your head!" she snapped.

Anna and Kristoff looked back and forth between the Queen and the Prince, and noticed the room was rapidly cooling in temperature. "Elsa..." began Anna, desperately trying to defuse the situation.

Elsa leaned over the table and glared at the young prince and waited. Naeil sighed, "Very well..." he finally said, standing up from the table. With look of pained defeat, he let his ears raise up.

The other three made audible gasps of surprise as the prince stood before them embarrassed. Elsa held her hand to her mouth, unsure of what to say. "May I be excused, your Majesty, or are you going to force me to show you my tail as well."

When no one answered immediately he bowed slightly and left the room, before he ran off, tears forming in his eyes.

Anna looked at Elsa angrily, "Why did you do that to him?" she demanded.

The remark snapped Elsa from her dazed state, "I thought I'd seen something before, and when it happened again..."

Kristoff let a surprised smile of wonder cross his face, "An honest to god Wolf Kind Prince in human form, I knew he was hiding something."

Elsa looked at Kristoff, "And you didn't think to take that into consideration before bringing him into a room with your Queen?"

Anna stood up furiously, "Stop it Elsa. Ok, he's a...Wolf Prince...so what? You loved those stories when you were a child."

Elsa glared at Anna, "Yes, stories, fairy tales. I never thought in a million years I'd be face to face with one! You remember what those stories also include right? Them turning into giant wolves! AND YOU TWO BROUGHT ONE TO DINNER!"

Anna slammed her fist on the table, "YOU FROZE THE KINGDOM, YOU TWIT!"

Elsa stood up furiously, "Enough, I've lost my appetite. Enjoy the rest of the meal you two..." as she stormed from the room, tears were filling her own eyes.