"Cast off! We are leaving!" Hans snapped at the captain as he stomped up the gangway.

Majority of his men who had attended the tourney had set sail the day before, leaving only a single ship, his ship, still docked at Arendelle's harbour. The instant he set foot on board, a pair of waiting sailors hauled up the gangway and began untying the ropes securing them to the harbour.

The captain barked out orders, sending sailors scurrying across the deck, rushing to their stations. Hans stayed by the bow, watching as they began drifting away from Arendelle, the kingdom that had slipped out of his grasp.

"Do we have a heading, Your Highness?" The captain, a burly man with bulging biceps asked.

Unlike the other ships, the crew on board this one were bound to serve Hans explicitly. They were handsomely paid for their discretion and loyalty. Even the ship looked different, appearing more as a merchant vessel and unmarked by the Southern Isles banner so as to sail the seas discreetly. All arranged by Hans of course.

"Take me to Weaselton. I have to pay my weasel friends a little visit." Hans instructed.

The captain nodded curtly and left for the quarterdeck while Hans ducked into his lavish cabin, slamming the door behind him.

So damn close.

He pounded his fist into the oak desk in frustration. Damn that Elsa Frost and damn that princess of Arendelle. He was the bigger fool to think she was another one of those mindless women desperate to please their Prince. He had let his arrogance got the better of him, but he would not be making the same mistake again.

"Those wretches will pay. I will be sure to enjoy humiliating them before I slit their damn throats. Starting with the Frost wretch. Oh, Anna. I'd have treated you well." Hans muttered angrily.

"But first, Father will want to know of these new developments."

Grabbing a quill and some parchment, he quickly scrawled out a message, signing his name at the bottom. His father had never thought particularly highly of him but this news will definitely be of interest. It was an opportunity to expand their territories. The Arendelle throne occupied by an elected Queen would be easy to overthrow. His father would send troops marching through the border and Hans will use that to his advantage. It would be a perfect distraction while he launched his own attack from the seas, allowing him to strike swiftly while everyone was focused on the battle along the borders. All he needed now was for the Duke of Weaselton to make good on his promises.

The time for talk was over. Victory will be his.

xxx

Anna led Elsa back into her father's study. The room had become their little hideout so much so that even the servants steered clear of it, leaving the pair alone and leaving trays of food by the door during meal times. While they had been away at the meeting, the study had been tidied, a small fire lit in the fireplace and several candles strategically placed to illuminate the room.

Anna held the door open while Elsa carefully picked up a tray of food left by the door; no doubt due to Gerda's consideration. With the door securely locked and Elsa setting the heavy tray onto the low table before the settee, Anna crossed the room to stand by the fireplace, wrapping her arms around herself as she stared into the flames.

A few minutes later, Elsa joined her and Anna slipped her arms around the blonde's waist. Strong arms encircled her shoulders and Anna relaxed into the embrace, pressing her ear against Elsa's chest and listening to the steady beat of Elsa's heart.

"He knew all along." Elsa stated quietly, her voice almost drowned out by the incessant patter of raindrops against the windows.

"What do you mean?" Anna lifted her head to study Elsa, shuddering inwardly at the darkness swirling in Elsa's eyes.

"The decree was dated a few days before the tourney. Your father knew what was going to happen." Elsa explained solemnly.

Anna's eyes widened, understanding Elsa's train of thought immediately. Her father had no cause to leave a decree that specific. Her mind raced as she tried to think back about her last few interactions with her father, one immediately coming to mind.

"He told me that I must live. He can't have known an assassination was planned during the tourney can he? It's too coincidental…"

"Perhaps it had been predicted." Elsa mused.

"Predicted?" Anna repeated, puzzled. "Wait. He wasn't surprised when I told him about us either. He wouldn't tell me the details but he seemed to be expecting it. What's going on Elsa?" She clutched at Elsa's jacket in alarm.

"These lands may be governed by Kings, but magic still thrives, still guides the world as we know it. Do you remember the time I was…away?" Elsa peered down at Anna who nodded. "I visited the trolls. And I found out that your father had brought us to them, the night I did this…" Elsa gingerly touched the streak of blonde weaved into Anna's braid. "But that's not the point. The trolls are wise, able to see into the future with the help of ancient magic. I wouldn't be surprised if your father was given some insight as well."

"So this is all predestined?"

"Perhaps." Elsa replied. She withholding the truth and she hated it, but Anna cannot know the truth now.

She had made a painful realisation earlier. Action and consequence. The King had asked for the safety of his child in exchange for protection of the trolls. Except the trolls had never needed protecting. They were bound in the ways of ancient magic; believing wholeheartedly that their existence belonged to the very magic they wielded.

A life for a life.

Anna's life was tied to Elsa's. To guarantee Anna's safety then had called for the sacrifice of two lives. The King and possibly the Queen had been very aware of that fact. The only question was a matter of when magic will claim its share of the deal. Anna had sealed her parents' fate by accepting and reciprocating Elsa's affections.

The gods clearly had a wicked sense of humour.

"Are you sure you want to go through with your father's wishes?" Elsa asked hesitantly.

"Yes. Marriage between two women is hardly conventional but I doubt that matters much considering our attraction to each other." Anna tilted her head, scrutinising Elsa's face intently. "I'd think my engagement with Hans being cancelled would make you happier. What's bothering you, Elsa?"

"An heir." Elsa muttered, averting her gaze.

"Really, Elsa?" Anna huffed in exasperation.

"In three years, you will be of age. When that time comes, I'll abdicate the throne and you will be Queen. We can then annul the marriage and you can find a suitable partner. One with whom you can produce an heir with." Elsa explained in a rush, much to Anna's annoyance.

"Why would I do that? I want nothing more than to spend my life with you." Anna chided gently.

"But – y…"

Anna pressed a finger to Elsa's lips, silencing her. "No more talk about this Elsa. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Fine." Elsa breathed out. She still had her doubts, but for now she will keep them to herself.

Anna replaced her finger with her lips and they shared a chaste kiss, taking comfort in each other's arms. When they parted, Anna searched Elsa's eyes.

"Are you afraid of marrying me, Elsa?" She asked gently, fearful of Elsa's response and even more fearful of seeing a flicker of uncertainty in Elsa's eyes.

Elsa snorted, surprising Anna with her reaction to the question. "On the contrary. I'm more afraid that you don't want to be married to me." Elsa admitted, smiling ruefully.

At that, Anna laughed; her shoulders shaking with mirth. "Elsa, I was willing to go to war with the Southern Isles just so I could break off the engagement with Hans and be with you. Do you actually think I'd have consciously made the decision of endangering the lives of our citizens if I wasn't certain I want to spend the rest of my life with you?" She quirked a questioning eyebrow at Elsa.

"I'd still rather you made the decision on your own instead of having to abide by your father's wishes." Elsa muttered quietly.

"Why else do you think he would even leave such a decree?" Anna reminded gently, cupping Elsa's cheek in her hand. "It's because I've expressed my desire to be with you, Elsa. Whether it's now or years later, I doubt my feelings for you would ever change."

"But – th…"

Anna pressed her lips against Elsa's.

"Forget about the decree. Just for a moment forget about everything else. What do you want most, Elsa?"

"You." Elsa replied simply, holding Anna in an unwavering gaze.

"Then take me. I am yours."

Elsa looked away. "I don't deserve you."

Anna placed her hands on Elsa's cheeks, turning the blonde to face her. "Your modesty makes you far more worthy than anyone. Besides, that's not for you to decide." Anna pulled Elsa forward to rest their foreheads together. "I chose you, Elsa. Whatever happens in the future, we will go through it together."

Elsa nodded wordlessly, kissing the tip of Anna's nose affectionately before pulling her closer into a tight embrace.

Outside, the storm eased a little, fading into a light drizzle.

They clung to each other for a long moment before a loud rumble from Anna's stomach caused her to pull away in embarrassment.

"Sorry." She muttered.

Elsa merely chuckled and led her towards the settee. "Come on, my betrothed. Let's feed you."

"Betrothed. I like the sound of that." The single word spoke of promise, so different from the way it had rolled of Hans tongue. With Hans it had come across more as a death sentence than a term of endearment.

Elsa took a seat beside her and began removing items from the tray. Anna gratefully accepted a bowl of steaming soup, warming her hands against the sides of the porcelain bowl and breathing in the enticing aroma of field mushrooms and cream. Her stomach rumbled again and Elsa casted her an amused glance before holding out a thick slice of freshly baked bread.

With the bowl perched on her knees, Anna took the offered bread and dipped it into the thick soup, biting into the soggy mess and immediately scalding her tongue.

"Argh…" She gurgled, tears brimming as she was forced to swallow, the hot liquid burning down her throat.

Elsa set her bowl down and reached over to touch a finger against the side of Anna's. A thin layer of frost spread across the porcelain and melted away immediately, cooling the contents by a few degrees.

"There. Good thing the citizens do not know that their prospective queen is a complete klutz." Elsa deadpanned.

"Good thing the citizens do not know that their soon-to-be queen regnant is a walking cooler." Anna retorted, breathing through her mouth to bring some relief to her stinging tongue.

Elsa quirked a perfectly arched eyebrow at the sarcastic comment. "You really want to say that to the only person who could probably sooth your pain?"

Anna pouted adorably and Elsa rolled her eyes. Taking Anna's bowl, Elsa placed it carefully on the low table before pulling Anna into her, one hand going straight to the back of Anna's neck in support. She pressed her lips against Anna's in an open-mouthed kiss; her tongue darting between Anna's lips to meet the redhead's tongue.

Anna sighed in relief as she felt the coolness of Elsa's tongue against her scalded one. The pain stinging the sensitive nerves in her tongue was long forgotten and Anna focused more on the taste of Elsa. Cool, sweet and so very addictive. She grew progressively bolder, pushing Elsa down onto the settee and settling herself atop the blonde's. The hilt of Elsa's sword was digging painfully into her side and Anna idly wondered if her own sword was causing Elsa similar discomfort. Damn things.

Anna deepened the kiss, pushing her way into Elsa's mouth. There was a growing urge within her belly, the same persistent feeling whenever Elsa kissed her with unbridled passion and Anna found herself wanting more. She wanted to feel Elsa's skin against hers but there was just too much damn fabric between them.

Elsa moaned throatily and Anna could feel the vibrations resonating within her chest. Breaking the kiss, Anna pressed her lips repeatedly against Elsa's jaw, working her way towards the stretch of pale skin visible above the high collar of Elsa's jacket.

"Anna. We shouldn't. Not here." Elsa gasped out as Anna sucked lightly on the sensitive flesh between her jaw and neck.

With a final kiss against sensitive skin that sent Elsa shivering, Anna braced her weight against her elbows to stare down affectionately at the breathless blonde.

"A few months ago you would have flinched at the hint of physical contact. Now look at you! Cuddly and all! I should get a medal for turning you into an actual human." Anna grinned.

"Oh, shut up." Elsa muttered; her face beet red.

Anna merely laughed, snorting so hard that she rolled to her right only to find that she was on tethering on the very edge of the settee. Flailing wildly as she righted herself back atop Elsa, her hand caught the lip of Elsa's soup bowl and sent its scalding contents to the ground.

A whisper of cold air swept past her fingertips and the thick soup solidified as it splattered onto the thick rug. The oddly shaped chuck of rich brown cream floated back into its container, dropping with a clatter.

"Thanks. I was looking forward to that." Elsa grumbled, pushing herself into a sitting position.

"Sorry…" Anna ducked her head, apologising meekly. "Have some of mine." She offered.

"It's alright." Elsa dug around the tray, pulling out a small flask of wine hidden behind an overflowing bowl of fruit. Catching Anna eyeing the flask, she held it away from the redhead, casting her a wary glance. "No alcohol for you. The last time you drank, I had to haul you to bed then you used me as a human bolster for the rest of the night."

Anna stuck her tongue out in response before reclaiming her soup and balancing it on her lap as she carefully took a sip, testing out the temperature with her sore tongue. Holding out a spoonful, she smiled encouragingly, persisting despite Elsa's polite declination.

"Eat it or I'll force it down your throat." Anna threatened with a menacing glare that sent Elsa grudgingly doing as told.

Anna alternated between feeding Elsa and herself, occasionally holding out a small piece of bread dipped in soup for Elsa to nibble at. They couldn't be more different. Everything Elsa did, even the way she ate was delicate; in stark contrast with Anna who despite having spent more time trained in the etiquette of fine dining still ate like a savage. If she weren't feeding Elsa, Anna would have devoured everything on the tray by now. She had a hearty appetite as her father used to say, much to her chagrin of her mother. The thought of her parents brought a bitter smile to her face.

"Say, have you given any thought about who might have hired those assassins?" Anna asked suddenly.

"Ahh, I've been meaning to discuss that with you." Elsa recapped the flask, placing it carefully on the table before turning to face Anna.

"I've seen them before..." Elsa paused, glancing around the room, searching for eavesdroppers in the shadows. Not entirely convinced, she lowered her voice. "In Weaselton. If my memory serves me right, they were the Duke's personal guards."

Anna's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you absolutely certain? The repercussions of such an accusation if false will be unimaginable…" She whispered back.

"I know. That's why I've kept the information to myself. I have no witness to support my claim that they were the same guards I briefly met on Weaselton's docks."

Anna tapped her chin thoughtfully. "If they were indeed Weaselton's guards, how is it that they arrive on Southern Isles ships? Aside from the two knights, there were no other bodies recovered during the search. Unless they disposed of the poor souls into the seas after stealing their uniforms."

Elsa quirked in inquisitive eyebrow at Anna, causing the younger woman to squirm at the unwarranted attention. "Your perceptiveness really makes me wonder if you pretend to be dense about other… matters sometimes." Her remark earned her a painful smack on her arm. "But yes. That's one possibility. The only other logical conclusion that I could draw though, worries me more."

"Someone on the Southern Isles side smuggled them on board?"

"Right again, Your Highness. You are as wise as you are beautiful."

Anna hit the smirking blonde hard on the arm again. "So that means the mastermind is still at large. Along with an unknown number of assassins."

Elsa nodded in affirmation.

"Who do you think the mastermind is? The Duke of Weaselton?"

"I doubt it. He doesn't seem capable." Elsa propped her elbows on her knees, resting her chin against her laced fingers, a pensive expression on her face.

"You have someone in mind." Anna commented.

"Yes. And you are not going to like it." Elsa tilted her head to the side, watching Anna through the corner of her eyes.

"Hans." Anna stated and Elsa gave am almost imperceptible nod. "And this isn't a biased opinion due to your jealousy, is it?"

Elsa shifted her head from left to right in a tiny shake, a small smile gracing her lips.

Anna stared at the flames blazing in the fireplace, her mind whirling as it sifted through the events of the past months; her dance with Hans, being completely smitten by the charming Prince that literally appeared out of nowhere, his proposal mere minutes after their initial meeting.

"I was being played all along." Anna slumped back into the cushions in defeat. "Gods. How can I be so stupid."

"We were both stupid. But some good did come out of it. We wouldn't be here, like this, otherwise." Elsa scooted closer, drawing Anna into a side hug before pressing her lips against her forehead.

Anna hummed, playing with the end of Elsa's thick braid while Elsa drew soothing circles on her shoulder with a thumb. They sat that way for a while until Anna nearly dropped the bowl still on her lap, prompting Elsa to set it safely on the table.

"I love it when you take care of me." Anna murmured, tilting her head up to press a kiss against the underside of Elsa's jaw.

"Don't get too used to it." Elsa joked, grimacing when the hilt of Anna's sword jabbed painfully into her side as Anna shifted. Swiftly removing the scabbard from its hold, she propped Anna's sword against the side of the settee.

"What are you doing?" Anna asked in confusion, already missing the warmth of Elsa's body pressed against hers.

"Oh, just putting away any pointy objects." Elsa replied nonchalantly.

"Whatever for?" Anna's brows furrowed deeply.

"For this."

Sliding off the cushions, Elsa knelt on one knee, holding up a glittering ring made of ice that reflected the flickering flames from the fireplace and the candles around the room in a myriad of colours. She gazed at Anna with open adoration, a nervous smile on her lips.

"Will you marry me?" Elsa asked, grateful that her voice did not crack in her anxiety.

"What?" Anna gasped out, clutching her hands over her heart.

"Technically, we are already engaged. But I wanted to properly ask for your hand, you deserve an actual proposal. I know it's a not a particularly romantic gesture, seeing that it lacked any planning whatsoever… but, I wanted you to at least have a memory, something that marks the start of our lives together. Anna, if you'd have me… will you marry me?"

Anna gaped, overwhelmed by the sincerity in Elsa's voice and the thoughtfulness of her actions. Elsa was just too good to be true. Too perfect. And all hers.

"Yes." Anna replied breathlessly and Elsa smiled; a broad grin that reached her eyes and caused them to sparkle in delight.

The ring, a slim band with a large snowflake flanked by two perfectly spherical orbs of ice encased into the band was slipped onto the ring finger of her left hand. The ring was cool to the touch, decidedly warmer than ice but with the same denseness albeit resistant to heat. It may not be encrusted with precious gems collected from all around the world, but it had an uniqueness unrivalled and worth more than gold from all the kingdoms combined for it was from Elsa, of her very own design.

Anna flung her arms around Elsa, pulling her up into a searing kiss. She threaded her fingers through the loose hair at the nape of Elsa neck, pressing deeper into the kiss, trying to convey the magnitude of her feelings through the simple act of intimacy.

When they finally parted, Anna rested her forehead against Elsa's, breathing in the blonde's scent.

"I love you, Anna." Elsa murmured against her lips.

Anna smiled, tears brimming in her eyes.

"I love you too, Elsa."