Authors note: I want to thank you all for reviewing and reading the last chapter. Hearing your opinions means a lot.

For all those wondering, yes Anna was angry with the Firebird, but there is a reason why she is so friendly towards him in the last chapter rather than being hostile and such, I cannot say what for it would be a huge spoiler.

Anyway...the last time we left off Elsa and Firebirds interactions had gotten worse. Sure she accepted the ring, but it was because she wanted to use it to keep other prince's away. Will Firebird be able to crack her icy exterior and win her over? Only time will tell so please read on, enjoy and review when done as I would like to know how you all like it so far or if you have any questions. :)

All her life, Elsa had been taught to be tolerant and forbearing, even in the face of adversity. "After all," her tutors used to say, "It's one of the virtues that every proper Victorian lady must have." But ever since the Firebird entered the picture, she could feel her patience being pushed to its limits.

Clingy, sardonic, and self-satisfied – these were all character traits that Elsa loathed, and the Firebird embodied them all. He would constantly remind her of their betrothal and impending union, and he was a total busybody. True, he was kind enough to drop some advice every now and then, but his delivery was so smug and so sarcastic that it rankled her to no end. Because of this, there were times she had found herself tempted to grab him by the neck and strangle the living daylights out of him.

Like right now...

Laughter could be heard coming from the council room; it was not light snickers nor casual chuckles, but loud, booming guffaws that echoed through the castle halls.

Curious, but at the same time worried, Elsa hurried inside to find the British ambassador, Lord Raffles, and his aides laughing at something the Firebird said. 'That presumptuous beast!' she growled, glowering at the creature perched at the head of the table where she usually sat. It was bad enough that she was going to marry him, now he was doing her job? 'Just what is he up to?'

Just then, Lord Raffles noticed her presence. "Oh, Your Majesty, there you are!" he exclaimed, strolling over to shake her hand. "It's been an absolute pleasure doing business with you and your fiancé. I have yet to meet a conversationalist as excellent he."

"I-I'm sorry, I don't quite follow," she stammered, baffled by his jollity. "Just what is going on? If I recall, there was a deadlock in the trade negotiations."

"Oh that!" Raffles replied, "Your fiancé managed to sweeten the deal. We were able to talk it through and an agreement has already been signed. I look forward working with you all." He shook her hand once more before leaving with his aides.

Once she was sure they were alone, Elsa whirled onto the Firebird, her eyes blazing with fury. "Alright, what did you do?"

"Me?" he drawled, "I haven't done anything." He took a sip of merlot and cringed. "Ugh… This is awful!"

Elsa slammed her palms on the table. "Look… I don't have time for your vapid mind games," she hissed. "Tell me, straight and simple– What. Did. You. Do?"

The Firebird snorted. "Honestly, you're no fun… Well, It goes like this… I just happened to notice that you were having some trouble with some trade contracts, so I, as your beloved, decided to lend a hand. Luckily, I happen to know Queen Victoria, and I was able to use that connection to get them to sign the agreement and secure the deal."

"You didn't ask them for less, did you?" Elsa demanded. Being a person who liked control, the very idea that someone else had done her job without her explicit instructions just did not sit well with her. In fact, it was more than enough to make her neurotic.

"No," he replied, pushing a sheaf of papers towards her. "They actually agreed to your deal. They even threw in some additional goods after I explained to them the benefits of buying in bulk."

Taking the papers, Elsa could not help but smile as she studied the trade contract. The Firebird really had definitely outdone himself. In exchange for timber, fur, fish, and ice, Arendelle would be receiving cotton and wool textiles as well as coal, steel, and luxury products from the British colonies. It was even better than what she originally had in mind.

"Thank you…" she said, setting the contract down. "This really is wonderful news. But next time, please let me handle my responsibilities or at the very least consult me before holding any meetings on your own."

He leaned closer, carefully studying her. "Do you always have to be in control?"

She tilted her chin defiantly. "But of course! I'm a queen, thus it is my obligation."

"I see…" the Firebird mumbled. He shook his head. "That can't be healthy."

Elsa raised a brow and crossed her arms. "Really now? How so?"

"Control is merely an illusion, you can't control everything," the Firebird explained. He flew over to the window and pointed at the sky. "See the sun? I can't make it rise or set whenever I please nor can I block it out with clouds and make it rain."

"I'd beg to differ," Elsa rebutted. "There are things we can control such as when and where to travel if it rains, and umbrellas can keep us dry; therefore control is not an illusion."

The Firebird chuckled. "Yes, but whether you want a sunny day or not, the weather is not ours to command. If it rains, it rains, and we cannot snap our fingers to make the sun shine just because we wished it so."

Elsa stared at him for a moment, mulling his words, and before she could stop herself, a tiny bubble of laughter escaped from her lips.

"What's so funny?" the Firebird asked, not that he was complaining. He found that he actually quite liked it when she laughed.

"You know," Elsa said between giggles. "For someone who's foolish enough to test my patience on a daily basis, how can you be so wise?"

"That's because there's a method to my madness, dear Elsa," he said, winking at her mischievously. "Everything that I have done so far was aimed to help you."

"Oh yes…" she huffed. "Making me angry has been quite helpful."

"Elsa, there's a big difference between the queen and the person," said the Firebird, his voice laced with concern. "It can be prove to be quite the problem if you can't separate the two. If you keep this up, life will just pass you by until you'll be left with nothing but regret."

"How would you even know?" she snapped. "You don't know me, and I've told you nothing."

"You don't have to," he told her. "I merely watch and observe you. By now I know enough to read you like an open book. You have a noble heart, but I think you should also focus on what makes you happy. Your sister misses you– Elsa the person, not Elsa the queen. You have no idea how my heart bled for her when she told me that. To have such a loving sibling is truly a blessing from heaven."

"If Anna truly does feel that way, then why does she spend more time with Kristoff than she does with me?"

"That's because she's afraid of the queen," the Firebird replied. "Tell me, when was the last time you two actually spent time together without worrying about court etiquette or royal protocols? When were you just two sisters out having plain, wholesome fun?"

Elsa opened her mouth to retort, only to snap it shut when she found herself unable to do so. Now that she thought about it, she could hardly recall a time when it was just her and Anna. Yes, they did attend the balls, galas, and other royal functions together, but their interactions had been rather stiff and stilted, as if they were strangers, not sisters.

"Elsa, please…" he whispered, "Just let me take care of your duties for one day– one day, so you and Anna can have some real quality time together. I promise that I won't fail you, and I promise you won't regret it."

Now Elsa was torn. The queen in her wanted to refuse, but the more she mulled it over, the more she wanted to take the Firebird up on his offer. It had been a while since she and Anna had some quality time together, and it would be nice to have a sisters' day out.

After a bit of deliberation, she gave in to his suggestion. "Very well," she said, "But if I find even anything that remotely displeases me, I'll turn you into an icicle."

"There's no need for threats for I intend to stay true to my word," he chided. "Now, if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, I would recommend that you take Anna out for short excursion– ice skating, making a snowman, all of which to be followed by a picnic in the woods."

A shadow of a smile flitted over the queen's elfin features. "Did you plan all of this with my sister?"

"Doubt it," said the Firebird. "I'm just doling out some helpful advice, as any other friendly neighborhood firebird should." He smirked, but this time, it was a lot less smug. "See? I'm not that bad now, am I?"

"I suppose," Elsa mumbled, averting her gaze.

He glanced at her, still smirking as if he knew something she didn't. "Huh… If I didn't know better, I could have sworn you actually agreed with me. I guess this counts as a battle won."

"That may be so," Elsa scoffed, steeling her features into a frigid mask. "But the war's not over yet. Next time, you won't be so lucky."

"And that's a challenge I'm willing to undertake," said the Firebird. "But just so you know, in a game of wits and wills, I have yet to lose."

Anna had always been a cheerful young thing, but today, she was practically brimming with elation as she went about her duties with an ear-to-ear grin threatening to split her face in half. It has been quite the surprise when Elsa approached her and invited her for a day off together, and Anna, being Anna, was more than happy to accept. In her eyes, this was going to be the best day ever – other than the day she first met Kristoff.

Nearby, the Firebird smiled benevolently as he observed Anna's antics. He was happy for her, he really was; but at the same time, he could not help but feel a twinge of sadness as he was reminded of the tenuous relationship he shared with his brothers.

It had been a simple task – All he had to do was steal some pears and his brothers would accept him into their fold. But somewhere along the road, things got complicated. Bothered by his conscience, Hans mustered up his courage and marched over to the house next door to apologize. His brothers, the brutes that they were, had laughed and called him a weakling and a fool, but he no longer cared. His actions haunted him and the guilt ate at his conscience. He had to do it. He had to make things right.

An audible gulp could be heard as he stood before the front door. He wanted nothing more than to turn and flee, but his guilt outweighed his fear. Taking in a deep breath, he lifted the iron knocker and rapped it on the door a few times. The next thing he knew, everything went black.

When Hans regained his bearings, the first thing he noticed was how high up the ceiling was. He knew he was rather small for his age, but even so, it was rather odd that everything look much bigger than it did. To make things worse, his head was throbbing and the room seemed to spin from beneath him. He held up a hand to steady himself, only to see a down-covered wing.

Panic immediately flooded over him. He patted himself over to discover that he was naked and covered with the same downy material. Bending down to look at his feet, he was horrified to see a pair of bird talons sticking out in its place. Overcome with terror, Hans screamed, which in his new form, came out as a high-pitched screech.

"My, my… What a voice for such a tiny hatchling." He whipped around to see a woman, the owner of the house, enter the room as she mixed a bowlful of mush. With wavy blond hair, bright blue eyes, and fair skin, she was indeed a sight to behold, and not even the rough-spun peasant wear could detract from her beauty. But despite her humble appearance, something about her aura belied power and wisdom beyond human comprehension.

Hans gazed at the woman in horror as he finally put two and two together. So she was the culprit behind this new avian form, which meant the rumors were true! Standing before him was none other than the witch of the garden. He screeched again, only for her to stuff a paintbrush dripping with mush into his beak.

Much to his surprise, it was quite sweet and at the same time, tangy – a mix of forest berries, judging by its taste.

"Now listen well, little prince," said the witch as she loomed over him, "I do not like thieves, but since you came back to apologize, there might be some hope for you just yet. The road will be long and hard, but the reward is worth the risk."

"I demand you change me back!" he screeched. "I want to go home!"

It seemed that the witch understood the language of the birds for she threw her head back and laughed. "Home?" she scoffed, "You call that death trap a home? That place would kill you in more ways than one! You'd best thank your lucky stars I managed to get you out before it corrupted you any further."

"I want to go home!" he insisted as he angrily flapped his wings, "Change me back and take me home right this instant!"

By now, the woman had had enough of the bird-prince's impertinent behavior. She drew herself to her full height and when she spoke, there was a thunderous timbre to her voice. "My answer is no, and it shall remain so until I say otherwise." She picked up the bowl of mush and set it before him. "Now eat. It's good for you."

He glared venomously at her retreating form, too angry to eat. He needed to find a way out, one way or another.

Despite the wintry weather, or perhaps because of it, Elsa and Anna were having the time of their lives. So far, they had already spent the morning building a snowman, skating on the ice, and engaging in a friendly ice fishing competition, and by noontide, both sisters had worked up quite the appetite.

Tittering as if they were children again, the royal sisters had found a suitable picnic spot in a secluded forest glen, and it was there that they partook of their midday meal. Lunch was delicious – gravlax sandwiches garnished with pickles, ham sandwiches topped with sauerkraut and cheese, rice pudding drizzled with a generous helping of cloudberry jam, four whole boxes of assorted chocolates, and a kettle of spiced cider kept warm over a fire.

"Once Kristoff took me on a nighttime sled ride," Anna said, her cheeks bulging with chocolate. "It was so romantic!" She swallowed before continuing her tale. "You should have been there– the sky was clear and dotted with stars, and just when we were about to kiss, an aurora borealis appeared." She sighed dreamily. "It was like a fairytale."

"It sound like a wonderful experience," Elsa agreed as she took a sip of her cider. "I'm so happy for you."

"What about you and the Firebird?" Anna asked.

Her older sister quirked a brow. "What about us?"

Anna nervously twiddled her thumbs. "I figured that since the two of you are betrothed and you have yet to freeze him or banish him… …um… …perhaps maybe you have grown to…. …uh… ...like him?"

"Anna, don't be silly," Elsa replied rather tersely, "I merely tolerate him at best."

The princess chewed on her lower lip. "Erm, Elsa… …promise me you won't be angry, but can I tell you something?"

"Alright, what is it?"

"I think you're being a little hard on him," Anna opined. "I've spent some time with him, and so far he seems to be a pretty decent sort."

"That may be so, but you're not the one who has to marry a bird," Elsa muttered. "Decent or not, there's nothing natural about this union."

"If I were in your place, I would've been glad," said the younger Solberg. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but he's absolutely smitten with you. Not many women have the luxury of a suitor that devoted. I really think you should give him a chance."

"Anna, I don't think–"

"Please try!" pleaded the ginger-haired girl. "Who knows? Maybe you'll grow to like him."

Elsa felt her spirits sink. This was the very scenario she was trying to avoid. With the Firebird gaining Anna's approval, the whole situation just got even more complicated. Arguing would also prove to be moot, given that the princess could be very vocal on her opinions and very defensive of her friends. 'Still,' she couldn't help but wonder, 'What does Anna see in the Firebird that made her defend him so much and insist that I get to know him?'

It was close to sundown when the royal sisters returned home, and much to Elsa's relief, everything at Arendelle Castle seemed to be in good order. She had worried that the castle would be in ruins or worse by the time she and Anna returned; but so far, the Firebird had debunked her fears by doing a splendid job in managing her affairs. Everything was running smoothly, and the staff went about their chores with nary a complaint.

In addition, not only did the Firebird exceed expectations with the administrative work, but he had also managed to squeeze in enough time to prepare an exquisite candlelight dinner for two.

The table was meticulously set and laden with all of Elsa's favorite foods. The silverware had been polished to perfection and a vase full of her favorite flowers served as the centerpiece. All in all it was a very romantic atmosphere, and everything was perfect… ….except for the suitor waiting for her at the opposite end.

"So…. Elsa, how was your day?" the Firebird asked.

"Just fine…" she replied, eyeing the table with scrutiny. 'Did he really do all this? Just for me?' She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't moved by the gesture, but as thoughtful as it was, the fact remained that she was being courted by a bird. It was simply unacceptable.

"Aren't you going to take a seat?" he offered, not unkindly.

"Why?" she whispered, her trembling fists balled at her sides.

The Firebird peered up at her, confused. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Why do you insist on this? On all of this!" she cried, gesturing to the table, "I may be forced to marry you, but I don't want to be with you!"

"For what reason?" he asked, pinning her with his stare.

"Because!"

"Because why, Elsa?" he pressed, despite the pain of rejection welling in his chest. "Why do you dislike me so much when you don't even know me?"

"I know enough," she spat, "And from what I've seen, there is nothing to like about you."

"Alright then," he challenged, "Name one thing that you know about me."

"Well you... You…" She racked her brain, hoping to find any shred of information she could use against the Firebird, only to come up blank. Even his personality was an enigma. Yes, he was clingy, sardonic, and smug; but at the same time, he was also friendly, considerate, and helpful. If anything, he was very much like a Russian nesting doll – opening one layer would only reveal yet another, and it was there that she realized that she did indeed know nothing about him.

"Just as I thought…" said the Firebird. "You know nothing about me and yet you choose to remain in the dark. Why are you so adamant on not knowing? Is it because you're afraid that you might come to like me? Maybe even love me?"

"I-I…" Elsa worked her jaw, trying to come up with a suitable response; but try as she might, she just could not counter his statement. The Firebird was just far too perceptive, so much so that not even she could hide her secrets from him, and it frightened her. "I have to go..."

Before the Firebird could even protest, she quickly turned on her heel and hurried out, never noticing the heartbroken look on his face.

To be continued...

Beta and cover image: Nightrain and Brownstone

Authors note: Elsa's exterior is cracking, but it will take much much more than words. Will he succeed? We shall see...

Any way please hope you all enjoy this chapter and please review and stay tuned for the next one.