A/N I don't own Frozen or Spice and Wolf. Now, let's see if the two crazy kids make up...

Chapter 6

Naeil soon found himself in the Garden, where earlier in the day, he thought he'd found absolute happiness. Queen Elsa, had asked him to merely call her Elsa, and had seemed so unguarded with him for a few precious minutes. Now as he stood there, alone, he dropped to his knees in shame and anger. His stupid ears had given him away...just because he'd let himself get a little frustrated and then surprised. "Hell" he thought, "It's out in the open now, might as well be comfortable." And he pulled his tail out and let it bristle in the cold night air. He was so distracted he didn't notice the arrival of a young woman into the garden as well.

Elsa ran into the Garden from the opposite side and stopped suddenly when she saw the figure kneeling in the path before her. The gray and blue uniform was unmistakeable and now those wolfish ears were joined by a long white tail that drooped dejectedly over the man's legs. She briefly considered racing away, but a memory hit her. Everyone but her sister rejecting her, because of her powers, the belief she was inherently dangerous. Yet, when faced with someone else who was different, she'd reacted with the same outrage and fear that had been shown her. His pleading eyes filled her memory with that soft utterance. He had begged her to spare him this, and she'd foolishly let her own fears get the better of her. Just as the old troll had warned her all those years ago, her biggest enemy was her fear.

"Naeil?" she said softly.

The young prince jumped to his feet, looking at the Queen with hurt in his eyes. His tail furiously swished in agitation, and his ears lowered. "What?!" he growled, "You still aren't satisfied with me yet, your Majesty."

She clutched her right hand to her chest, tears flowing down her cheeks. Hadn't only moments before she'd forced him into this been inwardly sad to hear that Yoitsu wasn't the land of the Fairy Tales. Hadn't someone like him saved her that cold dark night in the woods? Might it have even been...

"Naeil...I'm sorry. I...was..."

Naeil glowered at the Snow Queen, his embarrasment burning cold. "You were what?! Curious, suspicious, afraid! I get being cautious with strangers but I thought we were becoming friends! Why would you force me to reveal myself when I wasn't ready!?"

Elsa sobbed loudly now, "I know, I shouldn't have done that...and then I treated you with shock and fear just like they treated me a few months ago. I'm sorry, Naeil, and I'll understand if you wish to leave and never come back, but please, please...don't let my people suffer for my mistake. Enough of that is going to happen already."

Naeil sighed and looked up at the glowing moon. "We have a treaty...you being a jerk doesn't make that null and void."

She gasped at his harsh words, but decided to accept it without rebuttal. She lowered her head, and then heard him approach her. "And...I guess I really can't blame you for being suspicious. I'd always intended to...come clean, I just didn't want it to be in such a...public display."

He was standing next to her and he gingerly reached a hand out to lift her head so that he could look into her eyes. He softly smiled, as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Alright, ask me what you want to know. I'll answer as best as I can."

He led her to a stone bench and guided her down, sitting next to her. His tail swished softly behind him as he waited for her speak. She took a deep breath, trying to figure out where to begin...finally, she decided to go for the most innocuous question, at least, she hoped. "How old are you?"

He chuckled, "I'm a spry 24...don't worry, I won't start picking up wrinkles until I hit at least 300."

She laughed, fully expecting him to say he was 50 or even 100. But he wasn't much older than she was, which made her feel a bit of a relief.

"And...can you...change?"

He sighed and nodded. "Yes, but only if I consume certain substances. Each member of my family has their own special totem item they are bound to. In my case, I can change if I consume snow..."

Elsa looked at him, "Snow...your totem is snow?" She inwardly laughed at the coincidence, maybe her sister had been right about him being perfect for her. "So...is everyone in Yoitsu like you?"

Naeil shook his head. "The vast majority of people in Yoitsu are just as human as you are. The Wolf Kind, which is what we are, mostly are amongst the royal family, and the Wulfen Guard. So you can relax, you aren't going to have an army of Wolf People marching on your lands, because most of us that are coming are already here."

Elsa's eyes widened at the realization that there were more like Naeil already in the palace. She thought about the fact that they were always wearing those long gray/white cloaks with hoods. Only Naeil had been in an position to be "exposed" and she had unwittingly put him into such a situation. Her regret came back to the fore, and he gently placed an arm around her. "Look, I know you didn't mean to...embarrass me. In fact it's really my fault, I was supposed to keep a tighter control on my emotions. I was just afraid that if you knew what I was, who we really are...you'd have never let us help you."

She nodded and sighed as he held her and she leaned gently into his side. His touch was surprisingly warm, and comforting. Although the cold didn't really ever bother her, she thoroughly enjoyed the warm feeling spreading through her body. "Anything else you want to know?"

Looking at him, she smiled, "I want to know a lot more...if you have the time?"

He chuckled and nodded slightly, "I'm nocturnal by nature." He then looked at her, "Although I must admit, I'm surprised you don't remember."

She looked at him quizzically, and he continued. "That night...about 10 years ago...when you decided to run into the woods."

She gasped as he confirmed her suspicions, "It was you, then! What were you doing here?!"

He laughed, "Hey, you aren't the only royal who's made the decision to run away. I just managed to get further than you did before getting caught."

Elsa chuckled slightly, then furrowed her brow, "Why did you run off when my father arrived?"

Naeil smiled sheepishly, "Didn't I just say I only got further than you when I was caught? Those wolves weren't all native to your soil, Elsa. Some were the Wulfen Guard, and they were after me."

Elsa paused, "Why did they surround us then?"

Naeil grimaced, "The normal wolves, well to be blunt, viewed you as food. The Wulfen Guard, partially to see what I was going to do, partially to protect me if the wolves attacked, and mostly to grab me afterward, which they did."

Elsa paused and then looked at the now grown boy who'd saved her all those years ago. "Well, I didn't have the chance to say it then, but I get to now. Thank you."

On the balcony overlooking the garden, Anna and Kristoff quietly looked down at the other two sitting on the bench. Anna smiled and Kristoff nodded, "See," he whispered, "I told you everything was going to work out."