Ducking his head, Karl glanced behind him at the blonde haired man sitting at the bar with his unremarkable, plainly built companion. Honestly, how stupid did the queen and her staff think they were? The ice harvester was easily recognized once you were looking for him - and his spectacle at the dissenters' first act against the Snow Queen, the warning shot from the archer, made sure all the insurrectionists were keeping eyes out for him when they met in taverns. When they met in private homes and estates, however, it was another matter. The oafish reindeer-man really didn't have a clue. Neither, he suspected, did the queen. Unfortunately, but necessarily, the first archer was still in the castle dungeons. He had known the risks and accepted them - what did it matter, for a man who had been sentenced to death already? At least now the monarchy would be less likely to kill him, perhaps hoping that he would provide information about anyone else working against the queen. Or, Karl hoped, relishing the thought, perhaps the wicked sorceress is too afraid to execute anyone. Perhaps she thinks the unrest spreads farther than it does, and that killing would turn the people against her in the blink of an eye.

It really was unfortunate, though, that Buri, the archer, wasn't merely suspected of acting alone, even if they did want him to represent the people's dissent from the queen. If he were seen as acting alone, it might serve as a red herring to the palace to make them believe that the resistance was a grassroots movement rather than an organized rebellion in the making. Karl peered around again, glaring at the so-called Royal Ice Master.

Stinging pressure on his toes caused Karl to suck in a breath and whirl around to face his companions. "Careful," Josurr warned. "Don't be stupid. Those plainclothes palace guards might be clueless, but they do come around pretty regularly, and it only takes one or two suspicious moments to rouse the hornet's nest."

Karl grunted an agreement. Those palace guards… they had stiff written all over them. The way they moved, the awkward, stilted conversation they tried to make with their partners as the pretended not to be scoping the area, eavesdropping. How could they ever think people wouldn't notice them, especially when they made their rounds as if they had tiny clocks planted in their brains to think for them?

"So, Josurr," he asked, "when's the next formal meeting?"

"Two nights from now," the scarred man answered. "The big man wants to arrange a surprise for our most exalted ruler on the three week anniversary of her coronation." Josurr sighed. "I was hoping to bring good news to our meeting - you know that the countries bordering Arendelle were going to report on any damage they received from the winter? Well, I paid a boy on the crew of the Algardan diplomats to give me the news, and he says Algard is pretty much fine. They'll tell the queen that, too," he spat. "They got a few extra storms, some cold wind pouring off the mountains in buckets, unseasonal snow seen on the lower ranges - but no winter for the citizens, no sizeable damage."

The company let out simultaneous groans. "Too bad," Karl grumbled sympathetically. "Maybe someone else will put extra pressure on the crown for us."

"Aren't rumours against the queen already spreading around without our help?" a young man named Erick asked. "They say she attacked three young boys on the street with her powers, all because they didn't recognize her and bow to her. We didn't start that rumour, did we?"

Josurr chuckled. "No, boy, we didn't. As far as I know. I've heard a few different versions though. She's a madwoman, her sorcery is uncontrollable, she was trying to bring some sort of vigilante justice… Who knows. Enough people saw that wall of ice she left in a back alley though; that took a few days to melt, and the rumours are a-spreading."

Karl shuddered, visibly paling. "Magic," he swore. "It's not natural. It's not safe."

Josurr rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, Karl, we know you're ready to bolt like a rabbit if striking first starts to look too grim. But just imagine! This could be a golden opportunity to get rid of the whole blasted system. The rich nobles get richer and more comfortable, and what do we get? A life in the mines! The godforsaken mines! Having a terrifying sorceress for a queen could be the prospect of a lifetime!" Guffawing thunderously, Josurr slammed his heavy fist onto the table, sloshing his accomplices' ale from their mugs. Rising, he reminded the five men before him, "Two nights from now. When the sun is going down and private estates are beginning to close their doors and shut down for the night. Don't forget."

Kristoff clumped out of the tavern, letting the door slam shut behind him as Emil hastily followed. Another day wasted, he thought. With the palace guards, he had been visiting different bars around town on the incredibly unlikely chance that he would again run into some of the political dissenters. Luck didn't favour him, and he doubted they would ever learn anything this way. However, Anna had informed him - red in the face and practically imploding with frustration - that the archer still refused to talk, even under threat of death, and until he did they had precious little information to go on.

Glancing around at the little houses and public shops that made up most of Arendelle, Kristoff couldn't help but smile in spite of his bad humour. All he'd been hearing about for the last few days was how Elsa had stopped that young girl from getting robbed. What did Anna say her name was? Oh yeah. Freyja. Old grannies and young maidens and new mothers alike all seemed enchanted by the brave, kind, powerful young woman who ruled them, and two out of every three times Kristoff passed a group of women they seemed to be discussing the almost-robbery. He had to shake his head, with wry amusement, when he thought of some of the stranger versions of the story he'd heard. After all, it was just a robbery, and as much credit as Elsa deserved, saying she had 'saved the girl's life' seemed a little over the top to him. Besides that, somewhere in the retelling, Freyja's age seemed to have decreased by at least ten years.

Other retellings of the event were less pleasant, but Kristoff endeavoured to push thoughts of them out of his mind. He had other things to focus on - like getting to the castle in time for his 'surprise!' Surprises made him uneasy, even though - no, especially because - this surprise had had Anna practically dancing with excitement when she told him to be at the castle by four o'clock that day. I hope they aren't going to give me another ridiculously extravagant gift. He loved his new sled and took great pride in it; however, he wasn't sure how comfortable he could really be if he were to receive much more from his feisty girlfriend.

Catching up to the ice harvester at last, Emil panted as he fell into step alongside the bigger man. "You know," he ribbed, "you'll find it hard to get into the castle if the guard who's supposed to be escorting you turns around and talks instead about what a nuisance you are."

"If you say so," Kristoff answered, feigning skepticism.

Emil seemed about to respond, then paused and cocked his head as if to listen. Curious, Kristoff listened as well, and heard the name that had caught Emil's attention.

"… that young Prince Hans was, I think, one of the first to leave Arendelle," one of two older women that were walking ahead of them was saying. "He was on an Arendellian ship that the queen commissioned to take the French delegation home."

"Is it true that the queen forced him to leave? He could have stayed and helped us get this kingdom running properly again!"

"Tut-tut! It makes no sense at all! Why, everyone knows that the prince and the princess were engaged at the queen's coronation, and then the royal sisters had a spectacular argument that resulted in snow and ice everywhere! Then out of the blue, the princess is dating some smelly ice harvester! No wonder Prince Hans left so quickly. Our rulers are completely koo-koo!"

Kristoff scowled darkly, while Emil smirked at him. Seeing that Kristoff was about to cut in on the conversation, Emil grabbed his arm and shook his head in warning. "If the queen hasn't seen fit to spread the story of what happened, we'd best not either," he murmured.

"Hmmph," Kristoff griped, but conceded the point by remaining silent. His annoyance lasted until they turned down another street, now heading directly towards the castle, at which point he began to be troubled. His brow furrowed in concentration as he thought. Arendelle's been really stirred up since the coronation. What if they really don't like the way the country is being ruled? No, he assured himself. Those were just harmless old ladies blathering about the latest gossip. Still, doubts plagued him as he continued dwelling on the murmurs in the town, from harmless chatter to actual curses to the restless, hidden whispers of the men who had sent the archer. Man, he thought. Who knew living around people could be such a headache?

A few minutes before four o'clock, Elsa sat comfortably yet with rigorous posture on her crocus-patterned throne. She had deliberately made sure that the audience in the room was as small as it could be - five of her council members and a couple of servants - as she was sure that Anna's buoyancy would be more than enough to consume Kristoff's energy. Elsa would be the first to admit (in private, of course!) that she struggled to understand people, but with Kristoff she sensed a kindred spirit - one that was, like her, inclined to solitude.

Rapid footsteps echoed in the hall just outside the door. Elsa smiled. Anna burst through the door, dragging a bamboozled Kristoff in her wake. Tripping over her feet, the princess gestured for Kristoff to wait and then promptly dashed up to Elsa's side, lifting her skirts and trying to look at least a little princess-y. Standing off to Elsa's right, across from the five council members, Anna faced the centre aisle, but not before casting a gleeful glance at her sister, squirming and unable to keep still. Rubbing his neck self-consciously, Kristoff lumbered towards the throne, bowing awkwardly to Elsa.

"Kristoff Bjorgmann," Elsa intoned with joyful gravity, ignoring the fact that he'd risen before she told him to, which caused disgruntled mutters among her council, "Today we award you a Medal of Valour and a Medal of Honour, for saving our royal person from a shameful assassination, and a Medal of Honour and a Medal of Valour for saving our royal sister, Princess Anna, during the events following our coronation." Kristoff's jaw dropped, his face, and indeed his entire bearing, going slack. Elsa's eyes shone with a merry, wicked glint, while Anna squirmed and wriggled within the confines of her position, grinning. Councilman Falk stepped forward, with gold discs the size of a woman's palm borne on a turquoise green cushion, and stopped just in front of Kristoff, a little to the side and still facing across the aisle they had created.

Striding forward, Elsa lifted the medals, one by one, and hung them around Kristoff's neck. Turning pink, he ducked his blonde head so that the queen could place the medals with less difficulty. "Ah - ah, thank you, Your Majesty."

Smiling, Elsa stepped back, and just like that, the ceremony was over. Lord Tandri of her council eagerly escorted Kristoff from the room. Anna waited until he was out of the room - it was protocol - and then dashed after him.

"Kristoff! Kristoff, what did you think? Did you like your surprise?! Isn't it great?"

"Ha, yeah…" Kristoff rubbed the back of his neck again, his discomfort fading in the face of Anna's enthusiasm.

"Wait - you are happy, right? I didn't just make you feel really uncomfortable?" For the first time, she looked anxious.

"Of course! It was… quite the surprise." He smiled bashfully, taking Anna's hand. "Thank you."

Lord Tandri cleared his throat. "Er, Princess Anna," he said awkwardly, "I couldn't help overhearing you and your sister earlier, when you were discussing - "

"Oh! That's right!" Anna exclaimed. "I almost forgot! Kristoff, would you like to stay for dinner? Elsa and I would love to have you. Elsa would've asked you herself, but she said I should do it, and of course I wanted to do it, that'd be great, if you stayed, I mean…"

"Ah - I can stay for dinner. I'd love to," Kristoff answered with more confidence than he felt. Anna beamed. "I, uh, might have to find something nicer to wear…"

"Nonsense!" Was that just the faintest note of pique in her voice? He had no idea. "You can come just as you are!" Anna continued. "A servant will show you to a room where you can freshen up, I'll run to my rooms and do the same, and then someone will show you to the dining hall!"

"Your Highness - I would be happy to show your young man around myself!" Lord Tandri offered helpfully, his narrow face alight.

"Oh - okay. You don't mind, Kristoff? See you soon!" With that, Anna skipped off, giving Kristoff no time to answer with more than a shake of his head. He looked to Lord Tandri.

"So!" the short, peppy man said cheerily, "How is it out in Arendelle? I'm stuck up in the castle quite a lot, you understand. You simply must let me know the talk of the town!"

Kristoff felt distinctly awkward. Not, "I'm-the-only-creature-in-my-family-whose-body-requires-certain-baser-functions" awkward, but his lack of social graces was atypically making him uncomfortable. Thankfully, Anna kept up a near-constant stream of chatter. Which was really helpful, because Kristoff and the queen were the only other people at the table, and despite Olaf going on about how Elsa was the 'warmest person ever,' he was having trouble feeling it. She kept glancing at him, not quite directly, and her stares seemed to alternate between discomfort and this sort of… sizing him up. Probably making sure I'm not another Hans. That thought did not make his knotted stomach feel better.

"Kristoff, you've been harvesting ice since you were what, eight?" Anna finally paused and took a bite of her food - which, actually, was disappearing at an astounding rate given how little time she'd taken off from speaking.

"Uh - yeah," Kristoff stammered as Elsa glanced openly at him, curious. "It's what my father did, and a lot of men in my village, so I just… took it up." Act non-sociopath. Act non-sociopath.

"Have you ever thought of doing anything else with your life?" Elsa asked, her first words since the pleasantries they'd exchanged as the meal was served. "Not that there's anything wrong with ice harvesting, but have you dreamed of anything else?"

"No," he answered truthfully. "I don't need much. Ice is my life."

A wry, sad smile twisted her face, as if he had made some sort of joke.

"I could say the same thing," she replied, gripping her elbows as she leaned on the table, her tremulous smile making him realize…

Oh no. No. Anna had told him more, by now, about her family, about growing up alone and how much pain she and Elsa were in… He'd been able to appreciate the depths to which isolation could strike at you, but in Elsa's eyes… It was like looking at a painting, no, like hearing a description of a painting, and then seeing the real thing. It was a whole other level of awareness. Ice is her life… her nightmare, and here I am…

"Oh! Your Maj - I'm so sorry! I didn't, I, uh - "

"No no no! It's perfectly fine. You said nothing wrong." Straightening, she smiled a genuine, though not warm, smile. "I was simply… reading more deeply than was called for. I am sorry."

Put at ease by her calm demeanour, Kristoff relaxed just a bit. "Uh, yeah, so I…" Why don't I have the gift of gab like my girlfriend? "I guess I've never really wanted to rise above my station, so to speak - y'know, some young men join the army or become merchants rather than live on the land, stuff like that, but moving up hasn't appealed to me - " Great, now you sound like a complete laggard! " - I mean, I'm happy where I am. I have a good life, even if it's… socially lacking," he finished defensively.

Anna was staring, wide-eyed, as if she had never heard of something like that. Elsa once again seemed to be evaluating him. Okay. Say something. Say something, Kristoff urged himself, sweating. Fortunately he didn't have time to condemn himself further before Anna's wordflow returned.

"I've never thought of that! I mean, not that I would, I guess, since I'm basically… well…"

"You have nowhere to move up to," Kristoff finished.

Blushing faintly, Anna nodded. I have nothing to say. What do I say? I've never thought of people trying to earn more money or gain social status is this a big thing in the world out there why have I never thought of this? Kristoff needs me to… I need to say something back…

Inadvertently breaking into Anna's thoughts, Elsa dryly answered, "Well, Kristoff, that's not entirely true…"

Anna turned to look at her in horror. "Don't even say that! I can't be the queen! Elsa!"

"Anna, it's all right, I was only joking… It is technically true, though," she added defensively, her eyes shifting away from her sister.

Unhappily, Anna started to respond, then stopped, realizing that as much as she wanted to contest Elsa, what she wanted even more was to never ever speak of the topic again. Looking around the room for inspiration, she said, "Uh… so… This is really good roast cook made. Mmmm! I wonder when they're bringing dessert out! Elsa, did you get the cake that one time when the French special culinary team came for that one celebration thing, you know, for the commemoration of our alliance with the White Isles? I know you were locked in your room and all, but they must have brought you something! It was the best cake I've ever had!" Anna gasped. "I should have it at my wedding! Elsa, can we hire overseas again, pleaaaaase?"

Elsa stammered an answer, something along the lines of the "We'll see" that her parents had used on them all the time, while Anna remained blissfully unaware of the way Kristoff's ears turned pink at the word 'wedding.'

Elsa sat in the royal library, flipping idly through a book of collected poems that had been a favourite of hers since childhood. Usually, if she sat down with a book, her thoughts couldn't be pried away from it; this time, though, she was waiting for Anna, who had offered to walk Kristoff to the door.

Only a few minutes passed, in which Elsa had read several shorter poems and begun a longer ballad, before Anna stumbled through the door, shutting it heavily behind her. "Whew!" she sighed, flopping down on the couch by her sister. "What a day! I can't believe I woke up so early for this!"

Elsa laughed. "Anna, your definition of early is a little different than most people's. But yes, it was early for you."

Anna stuck out her tongue at her sister, then frowned worriedly. "Is that another thing that makes me different from everyone else? I mean, I guess everyone else has to wake up early so they can go make a living. Ughhh." The princess slumped dejectedly onto the arm of the couch.

"Anna, you're a princess. You have your own role to play in this kingdom," Elsa pointed out. "You've never worried about this before."

"I never thought about it before! I never thought about life outside this castle - or, well, I did, but only for me, what it would be like for me outside the castle - not what it's actually like for Arendellians. And what do you mean by my 'role to play?' Heaven knows I don't do anything of use here, so I suppose you mean marrying me off to a foreign prince!"

"If that was all I cared about, I'd have let you marry Hans," the queen pointed out mildly. "Besides, you've done far more to keep the people of Arendelle on our side than I have! They love you. Marrying off is most certainly not your only role here."

"That's good," Anna answered. Momentarily troubled by the thought of those who weren't on Elsa's side, she frowned and lapsed into ponderous silence. However the moment quickly passed, when the issue of her evening came to mind yet again.

"Elsa," she wondered aloud, "how am I going to ever understand Kristoff? I mean, we come from such different worlds, and I don't even have to wake up early. I don't even know what goes on out there. But I really, really, really want things to work out for us, you know? I mean, I could never have found you without him, and at first I thought he was kind of crass, but he's actually so sweet. And he likes me for me, not my being the princess, but it kind of freaks him out that I'm the princess, and, what do I do about that?"

Pensively, Elsa stared down at her folded hands. "Anna… maybe you shouldn't worry about this? Kristoff is a great guy, I know, but there are a lot of differences between the two of you, and his background… I'm just not sure it could be overcome, him being used to nothing while you have a whole castle at your disposal."

Anna stared in disbelief. "What? Elsa! He has a heart of gold. You're saying that I should leave him just because I come from a castle and he lives with trolls?" She teared up. "I thought you supported us!"

"I support you - I just think you might want to really sit down and consider this. It will be hard - "

"But we can do it! Elsa, we can overcome our differences! It's - " No. I'm not ready to say the words 'true love,' not yet not again…

"Anna, your heart means well… I just don't know if it will work out as well as you're hoping. You've only known him a few weeks, after all. And… well, you don't have a lot of people to compare him too, to help discern who he really is…" At this last statement, the Snow Queen looked fixedly at the floor, ashamed.

Temper flaring, Anna demanded, "And whose fault is that, that I never got to know anyone? I can't lose Kristoff! I've lost so many people I care about. I need a minute." Anna stomped off, disappearing into the bookshelves, her hot tears blinding her to Elsa's equally fierce ones.

Elsa tried to take deep breaths. All sisters fight, she reminded herself. It happens all the time. But it'll be okay. Her heart, however, was not convinced. All it knew was that the one person who loved her was walking away, hurt, sad, and angry. Her breathing becoming more rapid, Elsa clenched and unclenched her fists. Her years of isolation swelled up in her mind and choked her, suffocated her. It's okay. It will all be fine. Anna loves me… Anna loves me… I CAN'T FEEL THIS AGAIN!

A loud crack caused her to open her eyes, which had been shut tight. The low table in front of the couch had split in half, broken by a jagged shard of ice. The ice was spreading.

No. Not again.