I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, so you guys tell me how you see it. Ask me about anything, have I been unclear and is there something you'd like me to adress or focus more on? Until Hiccup figures out how to enter the Cave of Wonders (give it one or two more chapters) I have some time to explore places and characters if you'd like.

Like Arendelle days

"Wild An is on her way into the city!"

Astrid made a quick gesture of gratitude to the boy who'd guarded the ice mirror and downed the rest of her booze.

"Duty calls," she rasped through the burn in her throat and stood. Gobber signed her good luck as she left.

"Hiro, there's about a week left of the fairies' mating season, make sure everyone's informed and that the tunnels are cleared and sealed before that and report the underground numbers to me or Hiccup directly." She discreetly clapped a blood biscuit into the boy's expectant hand that disappeared into his mouth even before their hands parted and then he was gone. Astrid felt eyes follow her and kept her hands on the twin axes by her hip. Anna had mentioned seeing a boy from one of the guilds. Gossip around the city was that Jackson form Dig-Build had laid hand on the princess to cause a riot, but Paranoid Pete had a reputation of exaggerating and not being honest. It was still enough for Astrid to guess where Anna was headed.

The work on Dig-Builds guild house was not complete. They had finished the outside, fortified it and made sure everything looked like it did before the princess placed explosives near the corner that had cracked the most important rock of the foundation. They were lucky there was still enough of the foundation rock left to support the back half of the house, but the state of it had all the builders, old and young alike, sick with worry and so fortifications continued on the inside to ensure there was backup support of the walls in case the foundation gave away. They also hadn't finished all the rooms, but the families couldn't stay in the city and so North had organized temporary sections inside the main room and cried blood over the heat orbs that had been destroyed, which he could only hand in to the orb guild and offer new services in exchange for new ones, which they had fortunately jumped at. But until then he had to dig into the safe for firewood to keep the main room heated, and he didn't need to extract promises from everyone to do everything in their power to restock on wood before dark.

"I swear…" Bunny gritted through his teeth for the sixth time this morning. Jackson agreed. They needed to finish their own living quarters, all of them, but the guild had already been assigned three jobs already, not only because it was their responsibility as a guild or that the rules forbade them to refuse without good ground, but if anyone thought Dig-Build hadn't finished their three day repair, North could very likely end up dead since they weren't supposed to get full rations unless the guild house was completed. But the longer they took to rebuild the rooms the more firewood had to be spent to heat the main room and if they ran out of wood during dark there was no telling how many would freeze to death.

"I just hope nobody asks why the Diggers are lingering," Jack said in a low voice as he poured more sand, so finely crushed it was almost dust, into the bowl Mulch was currently mixing mortar in.

"All I hope for is that the rat stays away," Bunny retorted from where he was carefully stacking rocks to form a new wall. "I don't trust Vizier to be able to keep her on a leach."

"That's mean."

"Yes, but am I wrong?"

Jackson shook his head. The time he'd spent with princess Anna was short, and he was conflicted. There was just something about her childishness and temper that felt off. The princess wasn't a child, but she acted more immaturely than even Sophie. How was that possible? And she didn't know how to do a greeting. To Jackson, it appeared almost as if the princess was… terribly lonely.

Still not an acceptable excuse to tear down their guild house and cause them to be homeless, forced them to lie to the Vizier and now live in fear of their lives.

"But seriously, hasn't she been… well, disciplined?"

"What do you mean?"

Jackson threw a glance around. The noise in the guild was muted, almost drowning in that of rolling rocks, the banging on pots and the stone mill that six yeti was turning to make the sand/dust for the mortar. Everybody worked, even the youngest of children, and though many faces were grim there were very little in form of complaints.

"I…don't know," Jack sighed and poured the liquid mortar over the layer of rocks. The workers were stretched thin, so Bunny was working on this end of the section alone. The wall only reached Jackson to the waist after several hours, and that was only because they had started out with eight workers on this section and were now down to three; Bunny, Jackson and Cuppake who was diligently stacking rocks from the other end of the section.

"You're doing great," Jackson said when he'd poured the last of the mortar in the pot over her side.

She smiled back, but her face was scrunched up in concentration as she choose the placement of each rock with great care. Considering she wasn't born to the guild she had picked up their teachings fantastically well. "A rare talent", North called her. Jackson was more of the opinion that Cuppake was doing everything in her power to learn out of a fear she couldn't shake. Fear that she'd be thrown out if she wasn't talented, obedient and quiet. She seemed to hold more faith in the Vizier than in them, as if he was the only reason she had a home and people who took care of her. Which, if Jackson had to be honest, was true. The rules were there to protect them, the Vizier upheld them with force if he had to, and it was almost always the Vizier who forced the guilds to take in newly homeless children.

"How are you all holding up? When do you think you can get this room done?"

Jackson lifted his head at the sound of North's taunt voice.

"If the workers who left this morning come back today then it will be finished around noon tomorrow," Bunny said without looking up from the assortment of rocks Jack had just dragged over to him. "If it has to be only us three, six days at the least."

The guild master let out a growling groan and moved on. The workers were stretched thin, resources were recycled and might not be enough, they didn't have more Diggers in the tunnels to bring more rock, the yeti were already doing everything they could and they couldn't let the outside world know. Yelling at anyone to work faster would do no more good than echoes.

And to make matters worse, one of the men on guard suddenly burst inside and roughly grabbed North by the shoulder.

"The princess is heading this way!" he said in a loud whisper.

Exactly what they absolutely did not need. Even Jack felt like fainting, like his soul was being torn out of him, but he had no choice but to drop what he was doing.

"Whatever you do, make her leave," North begged him though the hands that rubbed his face.

"Yes, master."

Anna was greeting people, and was awfully proud of herself. It didn't matter that the people she greeted didn't return it, they would eventually, once they got used to Elsa's little sister being their friend. Right now they were just staring agape after her because they were shy and awkward. Anna forgave them with a brilliant smile.

"You dropped this," Olaf said behind her, holding up a bottle to a flustered woman.

"Good Olaf," Anna praised her snowman and spun back around, greeting another man whose face also slackened until his chin almost reached his chest.

The bazar was lively as usual, people lining up to get their rations or trying to bargain with grand gestures while guild people moved about, most of them carrying those circular plates. When Anna greeted one of them, the plate fell out of his hand, but a child at his side hurriedly reached out and caught it.

"Oh, Freya! Oh…!" For some reason the man suddenly staggered as he stared at Anna. "Forgive me! Princess! Just a slip of…! I didn't…!"

"At ease. I am not harmed," Anna smiled, curtsied and moved on.

The bazar was, to Anna's eyes, normal at first. Then, as she happily looked around for people to greet, she realized the three guilds that normally had a queue instead were chasing people off. Not only that, but people seemed to run and hide. As if something was attacking.

"What's going on?" Anna asked Olaf.

"Are they playing chase?" the snowman asked back.

Looking around, Anna caught sight of Jackson who had just exited one of the guilds. He was talking to one of the guard men and a little girl with a wild mane of blonde hair.

"Jackson!" she called and ran up to him. The people he'd talked to got in behind him, and Anna appreciated how polite they were. As Jackson's friend he definitely should give her all of his attention. Thus, she greeted all three of them. "Did something happen? Why are people running?"

Jackson stood before her with round eyes and his mouth hanging open. Then he suddenly shook his head.

"Your… highness. Have you been… doing that gesture on purpose?"

"Gesture? You mean the greeting? Yes! To everyone from the palace to here. I haven't been doing it before, so people are still a little surprised. But soon…"

"Surprised?!" Jackson shouted. "You've been telling people to either give you food or that you want them dead!"

Anna almost staggered backwards. She opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it. Because hadn't… those children at Elsa's playground said the same thing? That Anna had asked for food?

"But I… I did it just as you showed me."

"So you don't want everyone dead?"

It was the little girl who asked.

"No! Of course not! Why would… OW!"

Someone grabbed Anna's shoulder and held it. Behind her stood the woman Anna had ordered just this morning that she never wanted to see again.

"You…!"

Flashing blue eyes silenced Anna on the spot. "You're coming back to the castle, and by the Forest of Bones I'll make sure you can never enter the city again!"

"Release me! Olaf!"

Astrid was not having it. She grabbed the princess's other arm and changed her other grip to Anna's neck and held the girl as a shield between her and the snowman. She wasn't sure how dangerous the little thing was, it had never done worse than make patches of ice, but since he was the queen's creation Astrid wouldn't take risks.

"You've almost caused a riot, your highness. People abandoned their food rations to go home and hide from the queen's wrath or gathered what they have to offer up to placate her. All because you what? Need to vent your frustrations and throw a temper tantrum? If you're that angry with me, I will take whatever punishment you or the queen duke out, but leave the people alone!"

"You're hurting me!"

"IT'S MY FAULT!"

Astrid's head snapped around. There was that young builder, Jackson, kneeling. And just then someone threw themselves on top of Jackson, covering the boy with their own body.

"I'm his father and senior, and I take responsibility," the older builder said with a calm voice. Astrid admired him for hit, because the pallor to Bunnymund's face and the way he gasped shallowly gave his true feelings away.

"I will make you take responsibility," Astrid answered. "As soon as I know what the boy is responsible for."

"The gesture."

Astrid waited.

"I… earlier… when I t… t-t-took her highness to the playground… she didn't know… greetings. I showed her b-b…"

"But she is unaware of all the other very similar signs." Astrid sighed and almost sagged in the aftermath of the adrenaline rush she'd just had.

"I did it as he showed me," the princess objected weakly.

"Then why is there such a great misunderstanding going around? At ease, builders. I will inform Vizier and the queen of your involvement and speak on your behalf. And we better hurry."

Bunny pulled Jack back inside the guild house, shaking and falling to his knees. "Bunny! Jackson! What in Freya's name is going on out there?" North demanded quietly. Behind him were two diggers with wide, worried eyes.

"I… when I went to distract the princess before. She didn't know how to do a greeting, so I taught her. I thought… I never thought…"

"The queen will soon come for me," Bunny gasped. "I took responsibility."

North straightened slowly. Silence filled the building. Everyone was there.

"Freya…" North prayed quietly and covered his eyes.

Jack held onto Bunny for all he was worth.

Mulch's voice was firm. "Send one out. One guard. Come back with knowledge."

A beat of silence.

"Yes." The speaker was the one who'd come in to warn them about the princess's coming. "Yes, I'll go right away. You're not dead yet, Bunny."

"Another 'Kill the dragons' letter. The trees recovered really slowly directly affecting the production of algae and fish in Shallow Lake the same year. Here's the documentation of the punishment of Vizier Thora under Queen Morana. There should be more. Those two didn't have a good relationship. The population in Arendelle dropped by the hundreds. A 'Kill the dragons'. Why have you documented the coronation of Queen Soyala? I just found this curious file of lists over people suspected of revolt from two hundred years ago. Are you aware of Queen Morana was paranoid? What happened this year? Look at this, the reports from the Hunter and Fisherman's guild. I was unaware Death guild reported the number of deaths each year. I'll place them here. Huh? Majesty, if I may be so bold, but curiosity is getting the better of me. Has the fairies sent you the same letter each year? May I have a look?"

Elsa was sitting at her desk surrounded by growing piles upon piles of files in neat order and stared at the bookkeeper without blinking.

"Majesty?"

She flinched and blinked. "Oh, pardon me. Come again?"

The bookkeeper held up the letter Elsa by now knew by heart. "Are you receiving one of these every year?"

Elsa shook her head at herself. If she had known there was a human this effective working under her she would have called for him on day one. In fact, was she ever were to be stuck in the archives ever again she would start by calling for this man. She didn't care that he talked a mile an hour or was keeping at least three lines of commentary rolling simultaneously. Tooth was fired.

"They have arrived more frequently over the years. Which of these piles did you say were from the years of dragon restriction?"

"I've placed everything in a yearly order, oldest to your left, majesty. The first human vizier, Valhallarama if memory serves me, installed a few radical changes. But if you would please allow a humble servant to voice his opinion?"

Elsa was comparing the reports of the years before and after Valhallarama took the seat as Vizier when suddenly the Keeper's voice disappeared. Glancing up she found him waiting and did her best to recall what he'd been saying. "What? Oh, wait. Opinion? Of course. Please go ahead."

"Thank you, majesty. There should be a summary written for each year. A table of content, if you will. It would save you a lot of time in the future."

Elsa straightened up, eyes glowing, until she returned her gaze at the stacks in front of her and realized she would have to do it herself. Yes, she could understand why her predecessors hadn't done that.

"I will offer my services, if you find them to your satisfaction."

"Yes! I would very…"

An ice guard stepped forward. "People are gathering before the palace with offerings to her majesty Queen of Arendelle. Please spare us."

Elsa sat still, uncomprehensive, then she sprung out of her seat and ran. Out of the room, down the hallway towards the reception room and out on the balcony. Indeed. People had really gathered and were lining up offerings, and of course this had to happen on the day Hiccup wasn't available!

"Wind, are you here?" Tothn'ail's familiar, thankfully, wrapped around Elsa's arm. "Go find out what is causing this commotion. Bring them… never mind." At the far end of the plaza, a colourful dress had just become visible. "Bring Anna to me."

The familiar became visible, a birdlike creature that threw itself out from Elsa's hand, and people below screamed. Wind wrapped around Anna and Olaf, and a third person. Elsa didn't recognize her until the blonde landed on the balcony and kneeled.

"Stablemaster Astrid."

"Majesty."

"Sister."

"I'll deal with you in a minute. Stablemaster. What has caused this?"

"But sister…"

Elsa forcefully grabbed her sister over the mouth to shut her up. "Stablemaster."

"Majesty, the princess was up early today and she and I had a disagreement. I left to fulfil my duties as stablemaster when suddenly I started hearing whispers of the princess ordering food and death of the people, so I ran to find her, to plead she punish me and only me. But it is a misunderstanding. A boy from Dig-Build appears to have shown her highness the ways of greetings, which my husband have failed to… make her highness attend. At all."

"Way of greetings?" Elsa echoed, and felt Anna nod enthusiastically in her hand. But that didn't match. Why would the people think Anna was demanding…

Elsa's face burned, and she turned to hiss into Anna's face. "You will take your classes, and until you can preform a proper greeting you are under house arrest." She released Anna and turned to the people below. "Good people of Arendelle. In the name of the Great Ice and from my own heart, I offer to you all my sincerest apologies. Today there has been a grave lapse of my judgement… and you will be compensated. I accept your offerings of goodwill, and hope you can in faith accept them back as mine. This matter will be settled, and the perpetrator punished."

With that, Elsa turned with a straight back and headed back inside, still red in the face and shaking. An ice guard held Anna.

"Stablemaster. Please rise. I want to know what happened this morning to bring about this… incident."

"She was super rude!" Anna shouted with wet eyes. "She said I was a bad student and that I can't do a proper…"

Elsa caught on and felt her whole face start to twitch. She crossed her arms. "From the evidence outside, it was a simple statement of the truth. And you are a bad student. Your tutors tell me you're so full of yourself you've become arrogant, distracted, haughty and dismissive. Is this embarrassment you've just caused me, our entire family, not enough for you?!"

Anna was crying now.

"If I may, majesty."

"Yes."

"A son and father from Dig-Build has taken responsibility for her highness's… unfortunate learning to greet others. Her highness…"

"Didn't learn it properly. Like everything else anyone ever has tried to teach her." Elsa rubbed the bridge of her nose with both hands, trying to stave off the headache. If this was what Hiccup avoided on a daily basis Elsa wanted to make him a creation like Wind that would make his life easier.

"Don't touch him!" Anna was struggling and weeping. "Sister, don't hurt that boy! He didn't do anything wrong! He's my friend!"

Elsa looked at her. "I hope you learned your lesson today then. Take her to her room, and from now on you will take your classes there. Anna, if you dare sneak out again, that friend for yours will be put to the death. Have I made myself clear?"