A/N: A chapter somewhat Elsa-focused. And you all thought you'd heard the last of a certain Princess, didn't you? We get a bit heated in this chapter, which leads to its title… and that ending, tho. That ending.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The Warmest Welcome

Elsa knew she shouldn't be doubting herself. Confidence was key. As her father once said, getting upset only made it worse. But she couldn't bottle her emotions up, either. She was learning that she had to feel in order to be able to control her passions. Her unexpected meeting yesterday with Allowyn had left the tense snow queen adrift in a blizzard of emotions, none of which she'd been prepared to face. The new revelations about Hans and his sister made her remember the sorrow after Anna's sacrifice for her, the resignation she had felt of having nothing left to lose. She could still hear the short, piercing note of Hans' sword as the metal sang against the sheath. She'd hardly been able to make it back to her room today before the floor below her sprouted small ripples of powdery snow, which melted and left flat circles of moisture in the decorative rug lining the floor. She wrung her hands, pulling the fabric of her glove tighter against her skin, further down her arm until the velvety blue material would give no more.

A hand lightly rested on her shoulder. "You can postpone the meeting."

Elsa instinctively shrank away from the hand, while seriously considering the suggestion. The advice was sound, she finally decided. She was their guest and they seemed to need her as much as she needed them. "Would you mind terribly telling them I've asked, no, decided to put off-" she took a breath before correcting herself, "postpone the trade negotiations until tomorrow?"

"No," her lady-in-waiting replied with an undertone of hesitation. Though she shook her head as she spoke, Elsa saw the way she folded her hands together, the worry pulsing through her veins. The queen felt sorry for her lady-in-waiting.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, I can go." She started to reach for the woman's shoulder to pat it, but stopped and recoiled in mid-reach. Elsa wanted to give comfort as desperately as she wanted to accept it, but neither was permissible with her magic so askew. Her hand retreated back to her chest where she cradled it, turning her body away.

"My lady." Elsa felt the gentle gaze of her assistant on her back. "I'll go."

Elsa steeled herself, pulled her glove taut again, and rested her hand on the round post of her canopy bed, watching the wood shimmer with thin layers of frost. Frustrated, she closed her eyes and murmured, "thank you."

"I am happy to help however I can," her maid replied, curtseying a little clumsily and opening their door a crack, checking for prying eyes. Finding none, she slipped out, leaving the door open long enough to murmur, "After all, you aren't alone. I can empathize with your struggles." The door shut, leaving Elsa to herself.

Elsa spent her time pacing restlessly back and forth as she awaited the royal family's answer to her suggestion. She whirled at the sound of the door opening, only to find her sudden start had sent a thin sheet of ice spreading hungrily across the floor around her.

The maid quickly shut the door behind her and held out her hands in a calming gesture. "Queen Elsa… if I may… remember… love is key. Don't let the fear overpower that. I know you can do this."

Elsa nodded weakly, looking at the ice below her where her reflection returned her gaze, blurry below the sheen of the ice. The comfort wasn't as assuring coming from a virtual stranger, but it was better than being alone. Be strong, Elsa. Be strong for Arendelle. Be strong for Anna. Be strong for your parents. Be strong for yourself. "What did they say?" Elsa asked, willing the ice to melt, to recede into cool vapor which drifted away.

"They agreed." Elsa heaved a sigh of relief, her lips spreading into a small smile. "But… they're having a special dinner tonight… to welcome home the estranged sons. Queen Allowyn sent a personal message that she would consider it a great favor if you were to attend as she considers you family. What shall I say?"

Elsa brought her hand up to massage her forehead. According to the rules of diplomacy, she would be within her rights to refuse such an offer, especially if she were feeling unwell. However, the Queen had been nothing but kind to her, and she hated to retaliate with something that may seem cruel to strangers. Standing with the queen in the gallery, she had sensed the depth of the bond of friendship and commitment between Allowyn and her mother. If she didn't accept, she would be doing her mother a disservice by not reflecting the same gesture of closeness and honoring her memory. Even though her mother and father had been gone for a long time, the wounds were still sensitive… and somehow, being in the queen's presence almost made her feel as though her mother was there beside her.

Elsa slowly took a deep breath and steeled her resolve. "Tell her… she can expect her family members to be there… all of them."

#

"Do I really have to wear this?" Heinrik commented, brushing his shoulder and jumping suddenly. "Ouch! Careful where you stick those!"

"Well, I wouldn't stick you if you would hold still for just a minute! I'll never get this suit refitted to you if you don't hold still. Fifteen years is a long time to grow out of your old clothes," Heins murmured through firm lips clutching several pins.

Heinrik grunted, scratching furiously at his neckline. "Fifteen years and the damn lace still itches! This fashion is all well and good for you, but things were so much easier when I could wear what I wanted, when I wanted-Ow!"

Heins plucked a pin from his brother's arm, giving him a firm look. "Oops."

"If this is just a simple family dinner, why do I have to be trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey?" Heinrik grumbled, pulling at the fancy collar again.

Heins sighed and resumed his work. "First of all, fashions have evolved significantly in the past years you've been missing, and I simply must make a few adjustments. Secondly, this is not a simple family dinner. You know father is going to announce the decisions he's reached regarding the future status of his missing wayward sons… and most importantly, this welcome home celebration means everything to mother. Not to mention… need I remind you what happened at the last family dinner? I've heard we have several visiting guests and it's important that we demonstrate the upmost gentility and good manners." He gave Heinrik a little poke in the ribs. "This silk is from Maldonia…. If you get one spot of gravy on it, you'll get a lot more than pins in your arms." Then, almost as an addendum, he added, "Besides… you need to look good to impress the women."

Heinrik snorted an in undignified manner. "Little brother, I don't need to draw the women with how I dress," he said drolly. "They come to me." He glanced at his sibling as the younger prince straightened up the hem of his pants. Heins had long already finished dressing in his evening suit, with an accompanying jacket which fit him as neatly as his white gloves. "And you look rather smart enough for the both of us. You'll impress them enough once they learn where this design prowess comes from."

"I hope not," mumbled Heins, finding it increasing difficult to concentrate.

Heinrik raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner. "You hope not? That's an odd thing to say… unless… oh." Understanding flooded his face. "That strange girl you threw your boot to on the docks, the one that helped us escape?"

Heins looked up from his hemming with a glower. "Helena."

Heinrik held out his hands defensively. "Whoah now, no reason to rend my clothes with those daggers in your eyes. I didn't know her name."

Heins blinked a few times and his gaze softened, face drooping. "I'm sorry," he apologized quietly.

He looked so uncharacteristically pitiful Heinrik bent down to awkwardly pat his back, his body language making it clear it was a gesture he was unused to performing. "Don't apologize for protecting your lady fair, little brother. It's a good thing. Maybe just a little… unrealistic." Again Heins' eyes darkened, but before he could say anything, Heinrik continued. "Easy, now. I can't speak much on being realistic, a prince turned pirate and all. I just… well, I hate seeing you so down and out. I don't want to see you keep hoping for something that's unlikely to happen."

Heins sighed through his nose, bowing his head. "I will never love anyone else like I love her. I could be completely destitute, alone with the world with nothing to wear every day but rags. As long as she was beside me… I would be happy."

Heinrik was silent for a moment, observing his brother. "… You really are pathetically, uncontrollably, disgustingly in love." Heins looked up at his brother with astonishment, face crumpling as if he were hurt. "So when are you going to see her again?" The astonishment returned and Heinrik shrugged with a smile. "It's obvious you're crazy about her. She must like you at least a little if she went through all the trouble to break you out of prison. Either that, or she did it because she has something worse planned for you. You never can tell with women."

"I… I'd have to get back to… but Mother's just recovering, and Father is likely still angry about my leaving so suddenly… I don't even know if she wants to see me again…"

"No wonder you're not looking forward to tonight. All the women pining for you must be torture. Mind you, it's a torture most men would be thrilled to endure."

Heins groaned aloud, smoothing Heinrik's pant leg. "You're not being very comforting, big brother."

"Sorry." Heinrik patted his brother's shoulder. "If worse comes to worse, you can let them know you're not available."

"How?" Heins asked, looking glumly at his brother.

"Don't ask me, I'm just the good-looking one. You're the creative one in the family. You'll think of something. Now, am I presentable as a prince yet?" Heinrik asked, striking a comically heroic pose.

Heins couldn't help but grin, examining the effort spent on his brother from his head, (where his wild, unruly hair had been combed into a mane of smoother waves), to his feet, which now sported smooth, shiny black boots. The lining of his blue satin suit shimmered in the light with even the most delicate movement of his steady breathing. Heins studied his brother's ears, where the golden hoops still hung, knowing his parents had always disapproved of piercings and tattoos. His grin grew even wider as he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. "Perfectly," he replied. He threw a light punch to his brother's arm and gestured for him to lead the way with a sweeping wave of his hand.

#

From the very beginning of the family dinner, Hans was frustrated. Although he was not certain whether someone had planned it or it had been no more than an unfortunate turn of events, he had been seated with an impossible view of Elsa. He had only been able to catch a glimpse of her as she entered alongside her hooded lady-in-waiting. He had been able to study her only briefly as the men at the banquet chivalrously rose to their feet at her arrival. She looked paler than normal, attired in a conservative navy dress with golden rosemaling outlining it. Her cape, a similar dark blue color, hung flatteringly off her shoulders, offset by her platinum blonde braid. As soon as she sat down at one of a few tables across the larger dining room, she disappeared behind his taller brother Heins. Even if he could not see her, her chair being pulled out drowned all other noise around him.

As he strained to catch another glimpse of Elsa, a sudden commotion directly in front of him drew the attention of everyone in the room. With a flurry of bright colors and an ear-piercing squeal of excitement, a commanding female figure threw herself into the chair alongside Heins.

"Prince Heeeins!" she fairly shrieked, fluttering an orange silk fan frantically in front of her face, which was flushed pink in excitement. "I was so relieved to hear you'd returned safely! I just had to have my Daddy, the king, procure me an invitation to the dinner tonight so I could see to your safety with my own eyes." She thoroughly inspected him from head to toe apart from his feet which were tucked under the tablecloth, fanning herself even faster until it seemed as though she would lift off the ground. "And they do not disappoint." She strategically placed her white gloved and bejeweled hand in the crook of his elbow, leaning in closer. "I am so looking forward to spending the entire evening hearing all about your adventures." She snapped her fan closed and wagged it back and forth in front of his nose. "You were such a naughty boy, leaving me so worried and running off without a word of goodbye even to me." She picked up several hors d'oeuvre and swallowed them without even chewing. "Why, I've been practically pining away for you. I'm sure I've lost at least five or six pounds from worry."

Harald, who was sitting nearby with an amused smile suddenly choked on a sip of champagne he had just taken. After coughing for several minutes into his napkin, he wiped his lips and tucked it away, but the brothers sitting next to him heard him say under his breath, "I doubt they'll be lost for long."

"P-princess O-orion!" Heins stammered uncharacteristically, at a loss for a suave comeback. "It's certainly a… surprise to see you! I mean, a pleasant surprise, how could I have forgotten you? That is, you're certainly an imposing figure! You are the kind of pursue-" He cleared his throat, "-person, one could never forget!"

"Oh, I know," she drawled with an added giggle afterward. "You're just so kind to say so! Here I thought you'd be shanghaied by pirates or who knows what out there in the big world. At least you're back now, safe and sound, with me." She ever so slightly stroked the crook of his arm and shuddered delicately. "I've heard such terrible stories of vicious pirates even sailing nearby to our shores. It's enough to give a lady of my standing nightmares. With such devilish, horrid villains sailing the seas, whatever could have possessed you to leave in the first place?" She batted her eyelashes becomingly at him.

A throat cleared behind them, and Johan stepped up to the table, accompanying Heinrik. "I think she's talking about you," he quietly remarked with a smirk on his face as he looked sideways towards his captain.

"And who, may I ask, is she?" Heinrik asked gallantly while shoving Johan with the sharp end of his elbow. He shot Heins a quick glance, scanning his brother while reading his tense body language. He frowned in sympathy at Heins' clenched jaw and barely disguised expression of misery.

Straightening in her chair, Orion squeezed her arms together in order to make her bosom more prominent and puckered her lips as her eyelashes fluttered. "I am Princess Orion, the only royal heir hailing from Allorin. Really the whole kingdom of the Southern Isles should know me, after all of this terrible disappearing voyage nonsense Prince Heins and I have been through together over the past few months." She pouted pertly. "And yet I see we still need to spread the word about us. Heins, you really are a bad boy, keeping us all to yourself. I was beginning to think you'd gone and done something foolish like finding another princess across the seas."

Heinrik watched as Hans' gaze fell to stare at his plate, still filled with untouched food. He parted the corner of his lips and grumbled to Johan. "I know I'm going to regret this." Then, plastering an ecstatic look of awe on his face, he swept into a graceful bow, offering Princess Orion his hand. "How could I have been so callous? Could it be I'm speaking to the same Princess Orion whose visits are craved across the sea? The same woman who- dare I assume, is so becomingly adorned in an authentic Heins ballgown at this very moment?"

Heins gaped at his brother as if insulted, the expression only thinly veiled. Orion's chest swelled with a deep intake of breath, her eyes widening until they resembled big blue sparkling marbles. "Oh… oh my…" She was clearly at a loss for words and instead passed the faux pas off by waving her fan in front of her face, gingerly holding out her hand for him to take as she basked in the glow of his flattery.

"But of course it must be an original Heins creation! What else could possibly be a perfect fit for such a lovely bosom-er, blossom of beauty and grace?" Heinrik continued, taking her hand and lifting it high to send subtle hints in her direction. "What lengths you must have gone to obtain it, what riches were spent trying to improve upon such obvious perfection!"

Orion looked into his eyes, her devotion to Heins drifting amidst the sea of his older brother's attentions. "And to which of the thirteen princes might I have the pleasure of speaking?"

"Begging your lady's pardon," Heinrik purred, "I should have introduced myself from the very beginning. Heinrik Eric Westergard… at your very humble service."

"Oh my! You're the son who was missing for so long, weren't you? Who only just returned? The… fourth in line, if I remember correctly?" Orion asked, enamored by his smooth speech.

Sensing she was ripe for the picking, he lifted his arm, curling his fingers around her hand to keep her from slipping away. "If I might be so selfish as to ask you to sit alongside me as we dine, I would be happy to tell you all about it. I'm afraid being away from my homeland for so long has left me famished for feminine company, and you are as pleasing as they come."

Orion glanced sideways at Heins only briefly, and lightly waved her fan from side to side as she spoke. "Would you be alright without me, my sweet Heins? I do so hate to leave your poor brother all alone."

Heins gaped at his brother, jaw slack. "I… I…" Heinrik offered him a pointed look and he swallowed. "Yes?"

"Oh, goodie!" Orion rose and flapped her fan as she gave a little wave to Heins. "Don't you worry, buttercup. I'll be back to see you just as soon as I finish comforting your brother."

Heins' eyes were glued to the two as they walked away to the same table with Elsa, Johan, and the king and queen of the Isles, finally turning back to look at Hans with bewilderment. "What just happened?"

Harald took a fresh sip of red wine before commenting with a sly smile. "I think your significant other was just pirated away." He clucked his tongue in mock sympathy and added dryly, "A pity to lose such a treasure."

#

"You were taken by these bandits? And you were stranded on the ship for so long!" Orion exclaimed, her eyes as wide as the dinner plates before them. After a little prompting, Heinrik had been telling the story of his capture to those present. The dinner had been flowing uncharacteristically smoothly with all ears at the table tuned intently to hear about the prince's plight. "You poor thing, those scoundrels must have made the whole experience absolutely horrifying! I imagine it was a dirty, crude, dangerous experience; the exact opposite of the calm, steady, clean life you've known here."

"Absolutely!" Heinrik paused and lowered his head, burying it in his hand so the audience wouldn't see his smile. "I mean, yes… yes… it was."

"But you must have been so strong… to continue holding out hope you'd return home someday… and with the ship under control of such a fierce, reckless and unruly captain. I'm sure he'll be caught one day and the kingdom will see him brought to justice. I can hardly imagine ever meeting a man like that. Why, I'm sure I would faint straight away!" Orion exclaimed with a trembling voice, fanning herself quickly.

There was a snort, and Heinrik began to shake a little, the other hand going to cover his mouth and shake his head. "I… I'm sorry, I just… I just get so emotional when I talk about it." He took a deep breath and lifted his head, wiping away a few stray tears streaking down his cheeks, his mouth quivering.

"Oh, you poor man…" Orion gushed, snapping her fan closed and placing it on the table beside her place setting. "Of course you do, why, no one can expect anything less of you. You're nothing if not the bravest man I know."

Johan, who had been listening to Orion go on for some time, grunted as he set aside his fork. "Reckless captain, indeed. You have no idea of the stories I could tell."

Heinrik shot his first mate a glower and cleared his throat. "Of course, I can't say the same for Johan. Most of the first few months he sat and cried each night and went on about how he missed his home and his family and thought he'd never see them again. I tell you, he was a mess. Luckily, he had me there to comfort him."

Piteous eyes turned on Johan, and he scowled at Heinrik, but he knew, for at least the time being, he was beaten. Nodding in defeat, he mumbled a curt "yes" before spooning a mouthful of steaming corn into his mouth. Only Heinrik caught his carefully spoken, "Time to drop your act."

Surprisingly, the next voice to speak up was that of Elsa. Staring reflectively at Heinrik, she smiled coolly. "I think it's admirable to know someone cares so much about their home. Those we love can never be replaced once they're lost." Allowyn gazed empathetically at her from across the table.

"Speaking of family matters," Orion interrupted the tender moment, "is it true you were on your way to be married when you were overtaken by pirates?"

Heinrik barely disguised a wrinkling of his nose, simply nodding. "Yes."

"Do you think you'll still be going through with those plans?" Orion asked invasively, oblivious to the effect on Heinrik.

Heinrik suddenly turned and looked at Elsa, silent for a long moment. "I don't think that's going to happen."

"Why is that?" asked Elsa curiously, realizing how intently he was staring at her and puzzling over it.

"Because I think she's got her hands full already…and I think I run a little too hot-headed for any woman to handle for long," he replied with a smug smile.

"What a pity," remarked Orion with a little pout. "But the good news is I'm already planning for a union of my kingdom with yours, so you can take your time deciding on your future queen; you don't have to wait for me."

"Your kingdom?" Heinrik replied, blinking. "I thought it was your father's."

"Well, it may be Daddy's kingdom, but everything in from the castle to the courtyards is mine," replied Orion snidely. "And soon, it will be Prince Heins', or should I say, King Heins', too." Her hands clasped together and she gave a little sigh of contentment.

King George, who had been accommodatingly silent with an unfathomable well of patience for Orion's intrusions suddenly looked up from his plate. "Heins and you? Married? You can't mean to say he's actually proposed to you?"

"Oh, he doesn't know yet either," she giggled dreamily. Heinrik met his father's eye contact with raised brows. "But of course he will when I ask him. And I'm just certain he'll say yes afterwards. Didn't you see the way he looked at me? A marriage cannot be far in the future, and then we can talk about the plans for incorporating my creativity into his fashion designs. I'm thinking something like 'Orion's Belts'," she emphasized with a wistful gaze into the distance.

"Suppose… on the off-chance that, I don't know, he refuses your proposal?" Johan asked, waving a hand nonchalantly, "What would you do?"

Orion's lips parted and she stared at Johan as if he'd just grown a pair of antlers. "Refuses my proposal? That's just simply impossible. Prince Heins is madly in love with me, I'm sure of it. Who could blame him? Anyone would fall helpless to the princess of Allorin." Her chest swelled and she held her breath, regally giving her silk fan a few slow flaps in front of her face. Suddenly, before anyone could comment further on her marriage prospects, or the lack thereof, a wave of red washed over Orion's dress.

An earsplitting squeal sounded as she thrust back in her chair, the lace on her chest stained red and the rest of her gown dripping steadily with wine. "My gown!" Orion's eyes, along with most of the dinner attendees, turned to face the culprit holding the empty pitcher previously filled with wine. No one knew her, for she was Elsa's lady-in-waiting, but her hands were trembling and her hooded face bowed low. Orion's lady in waiting immediately dashed away to grab something from a servant. "Don't just stand there, give me something to clean it!" the princess snapped, snatching at her own lady-in-waiting as she was handed a towel, dabbing herself wildly to sop up the extra liquid. "I can't believe this," the princess snarled under her breath, her frenzied moments dying into more gentile dabs, trying to keep her face from turning as red as the rest of her.

"Neither can I," murmured the king. "Such a waste of good wine."

"George!" softly scolded the queen, though her quivering lips were enough to indicate she agreed with him.

"If you'll pardon me for saying so, Queen Elsa, you really must learn to choose your ladies in waiting much more carefully. You wouldn't want this atrocity to affect Arendelle's trade circumstances," Orion commented, tossing the wine-soaked towel back to her own maid unabashedly as the woman fumbled to catch it. "We are lucky my own maid is an expert in laundering and can have this gown cleaned before any real damage is done. After all, the Allorin royal family is known for their renowned beauty."

Elsa watched Orion's interactions with a steely cold gaze before she spoke, her hands gripping the table edge tightly. "Perhaps my lady-in-waiting was distracted by your renowned bust."

"Ooooh…" mouthed Heinrik, looking from Elsa to Orion. He leaned over to Johan and whispered from the corner of his mouth. "What I wouldn't give for some popcorn to go along with this show."

"At least I've a real purpose for my visits. Marrying to take care of your country is much more forthright than trying to negotiate trade terms, especially when your people are struggling so." Orion fanned herself with a few gentle waves of her wrist. "Daddy says your people are close to running out of food. Is it true?"

"The condition of my country is none of your business," Elsa replied through gritted teeth. "My parents were never able to formally teach me how to regulate our economy."

"They must not have been a very good king and queen if they let their people come to ruin like this. My Daddy always says if you can't take care of your country, you're better off dead," she said with a regal nod.

Allowyn gasped, her hand moving to her throat and stroking the lilac brooch pinned there. Her other hand slid over her husband's and she met his gaze, her face pale, her fingers tensing to squeeze his hand. "George…"

Elsa bit the inside of her lip hard enough to feel pain, hoping it would also serve to bite back her words. She lifted her glass to take a sip of her wine to wash the taste of blood from her mouth, only to find her lips touched cold, unfeeling glass, and nothing more. Staring inside the glass, she found the wine had solidified into a chunk of crimson ice, and the frost was spreading to the outside of the glass itself. She quickly placed it down on the table, shoving her hands in her lap as her heartbeat began to race. The frost stopped spreading just beyond the edge of the glass itself, and Elsa had to move quickly, hiding the ice by dropping her napkin over her glass.

"I'm sorry, I think I need a breath of fresh air," she breathed as she rose from her place, causing the men to politely rise as well. She felt the air around her react to her desire for isolation, causing the temperature to plummet.

Allowyn hugged her arms lightly as she rose, looking behind her to see the fire struggling to flicker, much dimmer than it had been a few minutes ago. "George, the room's gotten far too cold for my taste. Ask the servants to add some logs to the fire. I'll join you, Elsa."

"No!" Elsa shook her head and held her hands against her chest as she backed away, her lady in waiting approaching to touch her shoulder. "I mean… no. No, thank you, your majesty. I'm feeling tired. I think I may retire early."

"Wait! You can't leave until your maid apologizes for what she did!" Orion reached and snagged the hem of the strange lady in waiting's cloak, pulling.

"I'm not apologizing for anything!" the figure snapped suddenly, "and you're a horrible, ugly, thoughtless woman to say such awful things about Queen Elsa!"

Orion released her cloak and recoiled with a gasp. "Ugly?" Her face turned red as her dress.

"I think it's time you leave, Princess Orion," George said, straightening and gesturing for the doors. "Suddenly dinner has turned quite stale in your presence. Perhaps when you learn to control your tongue you'll be invited back… tell your father this time it will be at my discretion."

"Y-you can't do that to me…" Orion stammered. "It's not my fault her parents never taught her how to take care of their country."

"I have to leave." Elsa pushed her chair back, squeezing her hands together as tightly as she could and sheltering them against her chest, where her heart pounded against her ribs like a wild bird trying to escape its cage. "Please excuse me, your majesties. I'm so sorry. I will see you when we begin the trade negotiations tomorrow."

"Elsa, wait!" The snow queen turned and all eyes faced the youngest prince of the Isles, Hans' hand extending towards her. "Please." He shook his head, meeting her eyes, oblivious to the rest of the room. His eyes spoke volumes to her while he obviously struggled forming the words. "Don't listen to what she's saying about you, about your parents."

"This coming from the thirteenth son who will never be a king or knows anything about how to run a country," Orion spat, "it's no wonder the princess of the Isles decided she couldn't take it anymore!"

The entire room seemed to take a collective gasp and then hold its breath. "That is enough!" George shouted, shattering the silence and pointing at her. "Fetch the guards and have them take this woman out of my presence! I will not allow her to disrespect my family any further!"

"Allow me." Harald began to stride towards her from his table, brows furrowed, a sneer curling his lip.

"Don't you dare touch me! I'm the only daughter of the king of Allorin! Heins, do something!" Orion reeled, backpedaling from where she stood, looking to George hatefully.

"And I am king here!" George boomed, closing the gap between them. "You have upset my wife, insulted my guest, slandered my son," he sputtered, "but you dare to defame my daughter's memory! I will not see you in the Isles again as long as I rule, so help me, I won't! Harald, take care of her!"

"Yes, sir!" Smartly saluting his father, the captain of the guard sprang forward, took one of the princess' arms, and tugged her towards the door. "Move!"

"This is all your fault!" Orion said, pointing at Hans as she was carted off, struggling wildly. "You'll regret this later! Heins, are you going to let your family do this to me?"

Harald lifted a foot and placed it square on the train of Orion's dress, and with a strained rrrrip sound the fabric tore completely away to reveal a glimpse of frilly undergarments. "I said move!" Orion shrieked and covered herself as she disappeared out the door.

For a moment, everyone held their breath as the tension melted, and George sighed as he slowly sank back down into his chair. "One dinner… that's all I ask… just one peaceful dinner."

Allowyn took his arm and leaned over, brushing her husband's cheek with a trembling kiss. "Thank you, my dear. That was the most chivalrous thing I've ever seen done…"

Harald returned a moment later free of Orion, though his hair was a little mussed, and he strode mechanically over to where he'd left his meal, sitting down beside Hans without a word.

Hans watched his brother's grim expression as he stared deeply at his plate, so deeply Hans thought he may bore a hole into the ceramic. He'd never spoken much to his older brother, but he'd handled the situation so smoothly, and Elsa seemed more relaxed now that Orion was gone. "Harald…" His older brother looked up and faced him with an almost guilty expression. "Thanks…"

"Mhm…" he mumbled, taking a bite of bread and chewing.

"That was a very nice big brother thing to do, Harald… and… and I thank you, too," Heins exclaimed. "Here I thought you didn't like Hans."

"I don't," came the cold, calculated reply, and Harald took a long sip of wine afterward. "But… I like her even less."

Elsa had remained standing through all of this, and felt the pinpricks of emotion racing down her arms into her gloves, which she wrung over and over as if they'd just been through the wash. "Thank you very much for your consideration… George. Allowyn." Both parents looked stunned at the use of their first names. "I'll see you tomorrow... and Hans… you, too."

She quickly turned away, the pinpricks finding no release through her clenched hands, and draining down to the soles of her feet. A sheet of thin ice spread out from her fanciful slippers, covering the floor around her. Pinching her fingers against her forehead, Elsa collected all her concentration and focused. The ice melted, and left puddles of water. Elsa quickly curtsied to the crowd and rushed towards the doors, and her maid followed, though unprepared for the slick floor.

Slipping and thrusting both hands out to keep from falling, with a surprised noise, she grabbed Elsa's hands, her hood falling free from her face. A long, twining black braid spilled from within the clothing, mossy green eyes blinking as she looked at the royal family, finally coming to rest on one member alone. Then, fumbling to replace her hood, she disappeared with Elsa.

Crash.

"Heins! What's wrong with you?" Harald cursed, jutting his chair away from his brother, who had dropped his wine glass.

Heins did not answer, vaulting to his feet and moving to follow the fleeing figures. Suddenly, he reeled back, his foot jolting upwards, revealing itself to be entirely bare. He sank back into his chair and cradled it over his knee, examining a tiny trickle of blood from the glass shards he'd accidently stepped on in his hurry.

"Why in God's name are you wearing one boot?" questioned Harald, wrinkling his nose.

Heins gaped at the open doorway across the room, his face blank, voice hushed. "I…I lost my mate…"

"Oh, Heins… and it's your favorite pair, too…" Allowyn was swiftly by his side. "My poor baby… are you cut badly? I'll have the servants help you scour the castle and find it immediately after we've finished dinner…"

"No… that's alright," Heins said, a slow, serene smile spreading on his face. "Actually, I found it, Mother… I know exactly where she is."

He turned and limped quickly out the room leaving his mother with an astounded expression and his father shaking his head in confusion. "We had to have thirteen sons," he sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if they're all crazy."

His wife smiled slowly as she glanced back towards the door Elsa had gone through. "Something tells me it's only the beginning. But I think the craziness is all going to work itself out."

A/N: Ohhhhh! Ohhhhhhhh! I've already started the next chapter, so that's good news, right? Oh, and if you haven't checked out my tumblr page, check it out, just had some amazing fanart done for my OC bros: sakumefrozenheartsdottumblrdotcom!