Joan's 16'th birthday

This would be one of the biggest days in Arendelle's history. And not for the reasons the royal family expected.

At least if Robert could get the engagement ring out of his pocket.

Today was the perfect day for it, on paper. Elsa would already be in the happiest mood possible. So would the rest of the family. Proposing to her on Joan's birthday – on the birthday of the girl who made it possible for them to meet, albeit in the worst way – was just perfect.

If only Robert felt perfect to go with it.

What he was going to do was perfect, there was no doubt about that. But the reality of what would happen after that perfect moment – a reality involving crowns, being king, getting married to a Queen, finally getting around to producing those pesky heirs, etc – was finally feeling so….real.

Robert had so many other things to be concerned about while dating Elsa. He had too many happy, beautiful, heartwarming things to bring him down. Perhaps this was karmic payback.

But at least he was sane enough to know how insane he was. Those were things to be concerned about on another day. Things that really weren't anything to fear in the long run. Things he wanted as long as Elsa and her family were there to share them with him.

Today, however, he just wanted one thing. To give Elsa an even greater gift than the birthday girl.

First they had to get the birthday girl's gifts out of the way.

Robert hung around as Joan soaked up the attention, biding his time. Although this was a milestone birthday, the family didn't make a royal ball out of it. It was just a family and extended family affair, as Joan was showered with gifts, chocolates and the obligatory impromptu snowball fight in the Great Hall.

Robert lost badly – mainly because he had to keep the ring from falling out of his pocket. At the least, he knew he couldn't propose after an embarrassing loss like that. But it looked like he'd have a window of opportunity soon enough.

It was really about to happen any minute. Soon he'd be known throughout the land as future King Robert. He'd be known throughout the family as a brother-in-law. As Joan and Christian's Uncle Robert.

Fortunately, their aunt then started talking.

"Believe it or not, helping you humiliate Robert wasn't my only gift," Elsa told Joan. "I still have one more present for you. Just stand up and I'll go get it."

Joan stood up, but Elsa didn't need to go anywhere. All she had to do was wave her hands.

Joan looked down and saw something blue, magical and quite familiar begin to rise up her body. It sunk in when it covered the lower half of her, then she smiled and raised her arms as it engulfed the rest of her.

"Whoh….hold on, that's not too….hippy, right?" Anna asked.

It wasn't an exact replica of Elsa's ice dress. Once Elsa formed a mirror in front of Joan, she could see that too.

Since she was 16 and family, Elsa made sure Joan's dress was more….covered up than the first one she ever made. There was no slit at the bottom, it wasn't quite as form fitting, and it didn't leave her shoulders or upper chest bare.

It was every bit as blue and sparkly as a normal Elsa ice dress, but it was even more professional. In fact, it could almost be mistaken for Elsa's coronation dress. Yet while it was just as physically constricting, it didn't give the appearance of emotional constriction.

"Just one more thing…." Elsa reasoned, then formed an icy scepter for Joan to hold. She was already wearing the crown Robert made for her years ago, completing the appearance. "There. Now it's perfect."

"Wow…." Joan exclaimed to the mirror. "Do I get a fancy hair braid too?"

"No, we still want you to be you," Elsa said. "There's just enough of you, me and your mother in all this. We can even have you ride a reindeer, so we don't leave your father out."

"Just happy to be remembered," Kristoff said with semi-playful sarcasm.

"What does she need to ride a reindeer for, anyway?" Anna asked.

"Nothing yet. But someday she will. Someday she'll represent Arendelle, just like we do. And I thought she should start learning to dress the part," Elsa said. Gesturing again to an ice dress with all the flash of Anna and a free Elsa, yet with the understated grace of a queenly Elsa, regular Elsa declared, "She's a vision already."

"I am?" Joan asked.

"You would be one no matter what you wore. Not that you should really test that," Elsa expanded. "Still, just having you here….a 16-year-old girl celebrating her birthday in here, with all the love and warmth and family she could possibly have…." She briefly choked up and added, "With every loved one who wanted to celebrate your 16'th birthday….able and willing to do it…."

"You know we're gonna have a few words about irony later, right?" Anna teased, then focused on Joan. "Doesn't mean she doesn't have a point. You've been lucky before, but you have no idea how lucky you are right now. At this exact moment. No matter how many times we talk about it, you still have no idea. But I do. So does your aunt."

"This is who you are now," Elsa gestured to all of Joan. "You're so far ahead of us already. If we could still get all this in the future anyway, just imagine what you'll become. Imagine how the whole world will love you, without a moment of fear or doubt, when they see you representing us like this someday. Imagine how proud everyone will be…..as if they aren't already…."

"Me too," Joan said fondly. Robert could have almost sworn her smile looked so familiar. So relatively small, but yet so full of love and hidden warmth. The same kind of smile Robert woke up to almost every day, when Elsa could actually come to bed.

Obviously, Elsa and Anna recognized it too. Anna just raced over and hugged the life out of Joan first. After a while, Joan's smile went back to its regular goofy setting.

Once Joan spent enough childish energy hugging her mother, she went over to her aunt. She reached her arms out, and Elsa took the invitation straight away.

"Happy 16'th birthday, Joan," Elsa said, her voice cracking right after saying 16'th. It got a little stronger when she said, "I love you."

"Thank you for a great birthday present, Aunt Elsa," Joan told her. "I love you, too."

This could have been the perfect time for Robert to get on one knee. Everything was so lovey dovey, sentimental and perfect in erasing the dismal past. Giving Elsa an engagement ring couldn't be that much more overkill.

But then it would be all about Robert. All about him and Elsa.

And it became clear – much later than it should have – that this day wasn't about him and Elsa.

It was Joan's day. It was her day to have the happiest 16'th birthday anyone ever had in this castle. It was Elsa and Anna's day to go over the top to ensure that. It was a day for existing family – not for someone who wasn't officially part of the family yet.

Joan's birthday wasn't a day that should be defined by a royal engagement. Or anything else that really had nothing to do with honoring her – or the work of the royals who raised her.

That was a better reason to hold back than plain old fear.

Besides, the next birthday had more wiggle room for him anyway.

Elsa's 40'th birthday

"Happy birthday!"

That wasn't the first voice Elsa figured to hear today. If it was even today right now. She barely opened her eyes enough to see Christian sitting on her bed – and to see it wasn't close to morning.

"What time is it?" she mumbled.

"Earlier than Joan and Mom are up. I beat them!" Christian cheered, then promptly yawned. That noise ultimately woke Robert up next to Elsa.

"What's happening?" he barely got out.

"Christian said happy birthday before all of you," Elsa muttered.

"Huh. Woulda been more surprised if it was Kristoff. Still an upset," Robert yielded. "Can we sleep now?"

"I don't know," Christian said. "Joan thought 4 a.m. would be early enough to win. Then Mom'll probably be up at 3:30. Okay, we got time."

"We do?" Elsa yawned. "You'd think being up at 3 a.m. would be easier after 40 years. You'd think that."

"Okay, fine. I'll get dressed and tell them you won. Then we'll hide from them and sleep in the study, k?" Robert asked.

"Fine, sleep in the study, good idea," Elsa said, too sleepy to maintain her high standards for a good idea. "Christian, go get his pants, honey."

"Okay," Christian agreed, getting up and only walking halfway like a zombie to the drawer. Robert didn't even lift his head up, even when Christian looked through his drawer and threw away anything that wasn't his pants.

One thing he threw away made more of a…..ping than the others.

"What the?" Robert asked, finally lifting his upper body up to look at the floor. When he found the obvious culprit of that ping noise, he merely muttered, "Oh, the ring….." and fell right back on his back.

He jolted back up a second later – and literally rolled onto the floor a second after that. But the sudden energy, as well as the fact he was lying on a flat surface, made him sleepy all over again.

However, Elsa had enough 3 a.m. experience to get up on her feet and stay up. "What are you doing?" she asked as she went to the pile of clothes next to Robert.

By the time he got up, Elsa saw what else was lying with them.

"Christian?" she addressed first. "Was this….was this in Robert's drawer?"

"Uh huh," Christian answered.

If he hadn't made himself get only two hours of sleep, he would have realized what a big deal that answer was. If Robert wasn't in a sleepy panic, he could have done something other than sit on his butt and look slack jawed.

Only Elsa had an appropriate reaction - to seeing an engagement ring from Robert's drawer lying on the floor. Albeit a slack jawed one. But she was at least fully conscious.

"Robert…..I have a question for you now," Elsa got out.

"No," Robert tried his very best not to yawn. "No….I guess I have to ask the next one."

If this was happening at any other time besides 3 a.m., Elsa would have been furious that…..this was happening like this.

But….it looked like he was planning for this to happen before 3 a.m. And now it was ruined.

Or maybe she needed to let this play out first. Robert was still on his butt instead of on one knee, but still….

"This was supposed to happen in front of everyone tonight. Or tomorrow night, whatever," Robert corrected. "But maybe it's better this way. If only one way outta 100 bad ways, right?" he chuckled in the middle of another yawn, then frowned and closed his mouth.

"Great….I had a whole speech planned about your beauty, love and saving my life. But I didn't write it down and now I'm too tired to remember it all," Robert sighed. However, he did stretch out to take the ring.

"Elsa, can you just assume I gave a beautiful speech about you? Then answer if you'll…..no, hold it!" he gritted his teeth and held back another yawn, ultimately keeping it down. After a deep, regular breath, he asked his question as clearly as he could.

If not exactly in the way and setting he'd dreamed of for….longer than he could probably admit. Even half-asleep.

"Will you marry me?"

"Oh!" Christian finally woke up enough to figure it out. "Aunt Elsa, you…..wait, is this still a dream?"

Elsa had never actually dreamed of her marriage proposal. She didn't read enough fairy tale books – at least when she wasn't reading them to Anna – for the first eight years of her life. She gave up on all forms of contact for the next 13, then focused on other forms of love for the next 15 or so.

Even when marriage finally came up, it felt inevitable that it would be more like a business proposition. Then when she actually found romantic love, from the most unlikely suitor, it was too new for her to do much marriage proposal daydreaming. Once the council finally backed off on the whole heir and 'loving a commoner' issues, she didn't have to.

But even if Elsa had ever dreamed of being proposed to, she never would have done it like this.

Even she knew the ideal, perfect way to propose was on one knee, in broad daylight or during a romantic night, when everyone looked and sounded their best. It wasn't supposed to happen at 3 a.m., while everyone was struggling to stay awake, and after a little boy threw the ring to the floor.

It certainly wasn't the way a Queen was supposed to be asked. It certainly wasn't the ideal time – in more ways than one. Christian wasn't even the most likely child to trigger this mess. Nothing about this moment was how things were 'supposed' to be.

Elsa couldn't have loved it more.

Or her….her….

"Robert, you…." But there were no fitting words for him. For her….

"All you had to do was ask," she settled on. Ask her to marry him.

Someone asked Elsa to marry him.

Someone who loved Elsa wanted to marry her.

It was the sort of thing any regular person would have taken for granted. A thing that any other person would have expected at least once in their life by now.

Even after 19 years of experiencing things she never dared to dream of before – acceptance, being a good sister again, loving people other than Anna, being an aunt, being a good Queen, finding romantic love, etc – Elsa was still breathless with every new, formerly impossible milestone.

This was already among the top five. If she was more awake, it might be in the top three. As it was, she still hugged Robert and let out the most joyous, light hearted laugh anyone could muster at 3 a.m.

It was only then that she remembered to say, "Yes."

Elsa's arms, warmth and love engulfed Robert for what felt like half of forever, until Christian finally got his attention. "Does this mean you're Uncle Robert for real?"

"Yes," Robert echoed Elsa with just as much light. "I'm going to be…."

Christian didn't have as big a grip as Elsa, but his hug took the rest of Robert's breath away. He then looked at Elsa and said, "Aunt Elsa, you're getting married…."

"I am," Elsa realized again. "I'm getting married. I'm in love and I'm getting married…."

That realization would never get old. Neither would Christian's excited hugs.

Elsa kissed the top of his head in thanks, holding him as Robert put his arms around the both of them – and managed to slip the ring onto Elsa in the meantime. They stayed right there, sitting on the floor and sharing their first group hug as a full, semi-official family unit.

Elsa's eyes closed, basking inside Robert's arms and filling her arms with her beloved nephew. They all closed their eyes and basked – while they were still awake.

It took Joan tip-toing into the bedroom at 3:30 a.m. – and her excited screams once she saw Elsa's ring hand at 3:31 a.m. – for them to wake up and see Anna rush in at 3:32 a.m.

Compared to that, barely staying awake during Elsa's 40'th birthday party/engagement announcement was a breeze.

Christian's ninth birthday

Elsa and Robert still remembered it was Christian's birthday. They remembered to show up at his party, despite already being late. But for the life of them, remembering anything else besides royal wedding plans was a challenge right now.

Between setting a day-long schedule with the actual wedding at the end of it, putting together so many dinners and ceremonies, finding the money to pay for it, setting the guest lists, and every other insisted upon pomp and circumstance, the royal couple was at their wits end. Which was a big problem, considering the wedding was still many months away.

Even Anna's wedding wasn't this much of a headache to plan - no matter what the extravagant request. Since this was the queen, this was a very long time coming. And since this stood to be the biggest ceremony Arendelle had in 20 years, it had to go utterly all out. Or so the Queen and her future husband were made to believe.

But it was already out of control. It was already more about everything other than the actual wedding. If it was only going to get worse from here, it'd be a wonder that they could walk to the aisle itself, let alone down it.

Robert even said sarcastically that at least poor people could get married for nothing. But one person didn't see it that way.

"So why don't you?" the birthday boy asked.

Once Elsa and Robert realized they were wedding-ranting at a birthday party, they were appropriately ashamed. "Sorry, sweetheart," Elsa said. "It's not fair of us to rant like that here. This is your day. You don't need to use any more sarcasm."

"But I wasn't," Christian replied. "I just asked why you can't get married for nothing. If you don't like having a big ceremony first, then don't have it."

Ah, the simple observations of a child. "We wouldn't have it if that was an option. But it isn't," Elsa stated. "Queens have to get married in big, elaborate, day-long affairs. It's tradition. No matter how aggravating it is, it has to be done so all of Arendelle can enjoy it."

"But you're not enjoying it. And you're getting married," Christian noted. "You really can't get married with just a bishop and us there? It'd be easier and it'd be just for you guys!"

"That would be a diplomatic nightmare. For the guests and the people," Elsa pointed out.

"If they knew about it," Joan suddenly added.

"Joan, I'm sure your tutors didn't teach you that kind of diplomacy," Kristoff warned.

"No, this'll work anyway!" she figured out. "Why don't you guys get married in secret? Have the Bishop marry you in private, with just us there! You get married there for you, with the people you love, then you get married in the big, annoying ceremony for everyone else! But you'll be married by then for real, so it won't be so bad!"

"Why didn't I think of that? Stupid aging process and maturity, that's what it is!" Anna pouted.

"Okay, let's stop this insanity right now. We had enough of it back there," Elsa said.

"But this is good crazy!" Christian exclaimed, then gasped. "You could even do it tonight! You could go to the church and we'd be the only ones there! We wouldn't tell anyone! The Bishop won't too!"

"Yeah! Not if he still wants to do the fake public wedding, he won't!" Anna got into it.

"Now that is quite enough!" Elsa declared. "The wedding's months away! How do you even think we could keep that kind of secret for that long?"

"Since you're the one who asked about keeping a secret….you probably need another strategy. Um, honey," Robert tried to soften up.

"Well….why would you think about doing it tonight? This is Christian's birthday!" Elsa reminded. "It's supposed to be a day about him!"

"And what I want for my birthday tonight is to see you get married," Christian hit a really low emotional blow.

"We….we can't," Elsa said with noticeably less conviction. "We'd have to lie to everyone for months. Waste money on something that's already wasting money! Turn our backs on our royal obligations! How can we be that irresponsible?"

"We'll be that irresponsible as husband and wife," Robert gave in. "That should still count for something. Right?"

"Of course it counts…." Elsa started.

"So let's make it count the way we want first. Big ceremonies have never been your cup of tea anyway," Robert stated the obvious. "So why not get married in a way that's….well, you?"

"Full of secrets and lies?" Elsa mocked.

"Full of the most intimate, private, special love anyone could ever have. And limited to the people truly special enough to earn that love," Robert stated. "With the most powerful woman in the world using that power for peace, order, stability and a still, true love. Not extravagant, decadent showmanship. But she'll still do that other stuff anyway….only after being more true to herself."

"Yeah, I meant that stuff too! So there you go!" Christian tried to sound convincing.

"Right! We won't tell anyone the truth either! There you go again!" Joan added.

"At least you'll be keeping a big secret that makes you happy. And you'll be married for everyone else anyway, so they'll be happy too! We'll just keep one small detail away from their happiness," Anna offered.

"If it's what my son wants for his birthday, my hands are tied. Plus he's gonna stay up late tonight anyway. He might as well do it in a church, I guess," Kristoff reasoned.

"I think that's the case right there," Robert said, then turned to Elsa. "How about it? Let's get married before we get married. All we need is a quiet bishop and our family."

Our family….he sure knew to tug her icy heart like family.

And it could be official in just a few hours. And no one else would have to know. And going through the public spectacle would be much easier. And she'd still have a true wedding true to herself, with the people who loved them both so much. Loved them enough to give up a whole birthday, in one case.

Could it be that simple? Even though it…..just wasn't done?

Like….virtually everything Elsa had ever done to rebuild her life for 19 years. Everything that had led to this….potential wedding night.

Yet Elsa had to stop herself from getting too carried away.

If only a little.

"I will talk to the Bishop," Elsa said calmly. "I will try to talk in some kind of hypothetical. I will see just how trustworthy he can be, and how much space is available. That is all I'm promising anyone."

She commanded this in her queenly, no nonsense voice, then walked out in the same way. Butterflies and all.

She even did it when she came back and said the church would be available, and deserted, in two hours.

She even did it when they tried to have an actual birthday party for Christian to pass the time.

She even did it when Anna and Joan sent Robert away first, even though the bride had already seen the groom all day.

She even kept it up when they had to sneak into the church without anyone seeing or hearing them – and when Anna tested the limits of silent sneaking.

Somehow, she held up when Anna found her in the church, and started talking about giving her away.

Her resolve was tested further when she conjured up the most snow white ice dress, and clear icy veil, she could muster. But even when Anna struggled not to cry too loud, Elsa remained stable.

Yet when they got to the start of the aisle and they could see Robert, Kristoff, Joan and Christian at the end, lit by candle and other spare lights….Elsa did need to hold onto Anna's arm for a few moments.

"I got you, Elsa," Anna whispered. "Like you got me back then. I've waited 17 years to return the favor, so this is happening. Okay?"

"This is happening…." Elsa finally accepted. It didn't make her move her legs any faster, though. Yet they went forward one at a time, until she reached her destination.

Anna let go of her and moved down to stand beside her children. Elsa did a bit more with them, turning to Christian and saying, "The things I do for family birthdays," hoping a joke would settle her stomach.

"And every other day," Joan reminded.

"So giving you one of my birthdays is nothing," Christian figured.

"It's so much more than that. So are all of you," Elsa promised. If they didn't need to hurry this along, she would have had a hard time hugging them and letting them go.

But there was someone else there that she wouldn't let go of for a good long while.

All that stood in the way now were some ceremonial words from the Bishop, and the vows from the royal couple.

Robert went first.

"We've come a long way to be here. For decades, really. But as impossible as my path was, it's still nothing compared to yours. Nothing can compare to you. No one who endured what you have could possibly be so….human. No one could be so loving, brilliant, compassionate, inspiring, and as much fun as any hyper active little sister. No one but you."

"No one could ever deserve such a woman by his side for eternity. But I will spend as many eternities as I have trying to come close. I will honor every sacrifice, every tragedy, every tear, every heartache and every act of love you went through to get here. Just as you would do for me without even being asked. There aren't enough crowns in the worlds worth as much as that….but I'll take the one you're offering anyway. It's a small favor for the woman I love."

Elsa eventually had enough words to follow.

"It took me 13 years to let the only person I loved for a long time back into my heart. It took a few months until I warmed up to her rebound from her failed engagement. I accepted their children a lot faster, though. I got better at accepting love, and accepting I could and should be loved, over the years. But none of that prepared me for this."

"I gave up thinking I could and should fall in love like this. But every time I give up on something, I get something better than I ever dared to dream. In this case, I got someone. I got the only man who found the key to unlocking the Snow Queen's heart. And I will spend the rest of my life making sure he keeps himself locked in. But this is the first door I've never truly wanted to open for anyone else."

"I love you. It may seem banal compared to your wonderful words. But I love you. The fact you know just how deep that really is for me, makes it even stronger." With even greater conviction, she finished, "I love my husband."

Two minutes later, those words weren't premature anymore.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everyone in that church kept this secret night a secret. Even during all the hoopla of the second, more expensive public wedding. No one else knew about the first, right to the end.

Even when they had to protect another big secret in the final month.

Even though it was going to come out in another several months anyway.