AUTHOR'S NOTE: HOLY FUCK IT HAS BEEN 3 YEARS; I AM SO SORRY I FORGOT THIS EXISTED. HELLO AGAIN! I WILL WRAP THIS STORY UP QUICKLY, ALTHOUGH I CANNOT SAY EXACTLY WHEN. (AND NO, I HAVE YET TO BETA READ THIS OR WHATEVER YOU CALL IT.) OK YOU MAY CARRY ON WITH READING THIS CHAPTER!
Xivu - thanks! that's my next target chapter to update!
Guest - hope you're still here to see this new chapter! this was a really fun concept to come up with, if you ask me.
Across the harbor, the sun casted hues of orange and purple as it dipped below the horizon. Laughter and meaningful chatter that once echoed through the grand courtyard now faded into the gentle lapping of waves against the stone walls. The air was thick with a sense of conclusion and closure as their discussions and festivities came to an end. And it was now time for everyone to go home.
As the revelers dispersed, boarding their ships to navigate a course back to their respective countries and kingdoms, Hiccup stood alone on the cobbled path leading to the docks. He was a figure of curiosity, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the Arendellian ship awaited departure. Thoughts danced in his mind as he harbored a lingering question about the absence of its king and queen who weren't present at the festivities but expected, nonetheless.
"I wonder what happened to them…" Hiccup mused aloud, though the winds carried his words away.
A resigned sigh escaped his lips. "Well, I guess I'll see them next time."
"I'm afraid the King and Queen wouldn't be able to attend next time," was the grim answer of the current representative. In their stead were a select few, most probably members of their court. He's a head shorter than him, clean brown hair slicked back, and Hiccup has a hard time paying attention to what he was saying, but his words carried a weight that immediately grabbed the attention of any curious onlooker. "As they're no longer here with us." the representative uttered solemnly, delivering news that hung in the air like an unspoken truth.
"Oh, I'm sorry…" Hiccup trailed off, at a loss for words.
The representative then continued, diverting attention from the somber revelation. "However, the princess looks forward to meeting you. Do expect fewer visits, and her responses would only be in the form of letters." the dignitary assured him, breaking the short silence between them.
"That's good to hear. I mean, it's an honor—"
The man didn't give him the time to finish as he seized Hiccup by the shoulder to turn him to the Arendellian ship's direction. "And she wishes to express her sincerest apologies for her absence. To compensate, she sent these."
The sight that unfolded before him left him momentarily speechless. Barrels and crates, stacked high and wide, filled the ship's deck. The deckhands moved with purpose, unloading the first sets of supplies down the gangplank. His jaw falls open a little at the sheer abundance and number of provisions being carried to the docks of the island—which was a lot .
It was as if the ship carried the very sustenance and treasures of Arendelle itself. Hiccup couldn't help but marvel at the unexpected cargo as the supplies touched the solid ground, a gesture of goodwill from a princess who sought to make amends in her absence.
It was enough to last them a lifetime.
A month passed by like a blink, and Elsa had been fussing over how she would arrange their trade.
"Do you think this is still not enough?" Anna inquired, her eyes widening as she surveyed the bounty of goods they had bestowed upon Berk. The royal chamber was filled with the aroma of freshly tanned leather and the sight of furs and fabrics in every shade imaginable.
"Not enough would be an understatement of the century," Elsa answered, contemplating not just the gifts from Berk, but the possibilities they held for her future. The answer, it seemed, was still elusive to her. "Maybe we need to send them more this month." Elsa concluded, feeling she may have lacked in the clothing department.
On the other hand, the younger princess opposes the idea. If anything, she may have overdone it, delivering an entire year's worth of livestock, materials, fabric, and everything she can ever think of. They wouldn't want to come off too cocky, boasting about their wealth by sending them an abundance of gifts. What if one day they couldn't deliver? They wouldn't want to leave this impression that they have an endless supply of everything.
"But wouldn't it seem a bit too much?" Conflicted, Anna bit her lip, as she gestured towards the meticulously compiled inventory spread across her desk, an evidence of their goodwill towards Berk.
"Maybe you could go over the list and see for yourself." Elsa suggested.
"Are you kidding me!? It's more than enough!" Anna's eyes nearly popped out of its sockets as she skims through the inventory of items they were about to send off. "I mean, they're enough enough, Your High—"
"Oh, I wish you could drop the formalities, Anna," she said as she softly laughed. "There's no need to address me by it."
"Yeah, sure, sis…" the younger chuckled nervously, staying a safe distance of over twelve feet from the Queen. Anna was made to even wait by the door earlier, for good measure, they say. They told her Elsa had a contagious illness which wasn't so easily cured, and the only way to counteract this illness was to maintain a radius of more than two meters.
Whatever their reason was for her to implement said protocol, Anna was not buying it. Elsa would let be close by her anyway, a complete disregard to their protocol.
"I do understand your concern, but we also need to consider that we're addressing a shortage in their supplies. We wouldn't want them to think we're holding back."
Anna paced around the room, hands on her hips. "I still think this is already way more than we can handle. We don't want them to become dependent on us. What if we can't deliver like this every time they demand for more?"
Elsa sighed, acknowledging the point in her sister's words. She wouldn't want to burden and bleed her citizens dry for their trade. "You have a point, Anna. We'll hold back for now. If they need more, they could always ask."
Anna grinned, satisfied with the decision. "That's great! Now, what about the message from Lord Haddock?"
Anna couldn't resist the curiosity that bubbled within her as she eyed the stack of letters on Elsa's desk. The parchment, adorned with wax seals and elegant handwriting, had the telltale signs of coming from distant lands, courtly affairs, and perhaps secrets from a certain secret admirer. Anna's freckled face leaned in, her eyes darting across the neatly folded messages, each holding a promise between them.
Elsa chuckled at her sister's attempt for her to spill all the details, her fingers tracing the edge of a particularly ornate seal. "Oh, just the usual royal affairs. Nothing too scandalous—that,I can assure you."
The young princess pouted, a playful gleam in her eyes. "You can't just dismiss it like that! I demand details, sister dear."
Elsa sighed dramatically; it surprised her how easily it took for her to give in to Anna's persistent curiosity. "Alright, alright. These are letters from various lords and ladies across the seas, congratulating me on my coronation and proposing alliances."
Anna's eyes widened, and she gasped theatrically. "Alliances? Are you sure there aren't any juicy proposals in there?"
Elsa rolled her eyes at her sister's antics. "Not exactly, but some interesting ones, nonetheless. Lord Haddock, for instance, has sent a proposal for an alliance through—"
There then was a knocking on the double doors, and a gust of cool air filled the room as it swung open. Just in time. "Your Highnesses," Kai called, drawing their attention away from the pile of unopened letters spilling over her desk. "The crew has returned. That, and lord Haddock has a message for you."
The freckled princess could barely contain her excitement at the mention of the suitor-to-be. It's almost impossible to miss the way her eyes lit up, how they became impossibly bigger. "Right, um, I'll see to it soon."
Kai went ahead to hand over the rolled-up parchment, taking his leave before Elsa could dismiss him.
Elsa unfurls the scroll, letting it fan out until they could fully see its important contents. She quietly skims through the first parts until she reaches a specific line. Their exchanges between the two became more and more frequent, and Lord Haddock sees to it he doesn't miss a single day. It's as if it became his habit to write a journal entry for her.
The excitement in Anna's voice was palpable, and Elsa couldn't help but feel giddy as well. She unrolled the parchment further, her eyes quickly scanning the rest of the elegant script. Anna, ever eager, peered over her shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the contents.
As Elsa skimmed over the last words on the parchment, a smile slowly spread across her face as she left Anna to continue and read for them. The letters and packages from Berk were momentarily forgotten as the young princess focused on the words before her.
"I regret not being able to attend your coronation ceremony," Anna read aloud. Her eyes sparkled with delight. "So I hope you accept these flowers, trinkets and books to make up for it. Sincerely…"
The coronation had indeed been a tumultuous affair, postponed due to the looming threat of dragons circling their territory. Elsa, now recognized as queen, found relief in the fact that nobles and other royalties were not allowed to spectate. However, the dragons remained a pressing issue, destroying merchant ships and disrupting trade.
"Oh, isn't he just charming?" Anna gushed, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "Flowers and trinkets and books, that's so romantic! You really should consider him."
Elsa chuckled at her sister, folding the parchment carefully. "Well, it seems Lord Haddock is quite the eloquent man. I appreciate the gesture, but let's not rush into things. There's still so much to consider."
Anna pouted playfully. "That's no fun. You're no fun, Elsa. Just imagine the wedding in Berk. Vikings everywhere, dragons flying overhead... it would be spectacular! A wedding of the century!"
A smirk tugged at the corners of Elsa's lips. "Spectacular, indeed. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We have a kingdom to manage, and the affairs with Berk are just a part of it."
Elsa reread the handwritten words on the parchment, and a flicker of excitement mixed with apprehension crossed her face. "Did I miss anything else?"
Fingers tracing the lines of Haddock's elegant handwriting, Elsa nodded. "He wishes to discuss a matter of urgency. Dragons and Vikings are causing havoc with our merchant ships."
Anna's eyes widened, and she leaned in, forgetting the supposed contagious illness protocol for a moment. (Until they forget it completely). "It's like a secret date!" Anna giggled, her eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Don't be silly, it's not a—"
"It definitely says here that you are to convene about the terms, in secret," Anna interrupted, her eyes scanning the parchment once more, stressing the fact that they're about to go and meet undercover. A teasing smile split her face in half. "And wow, all while you're in disguise?"
"It's so his enemies wouldn't recognize him," Elsa explained, attempting to maintain a serious demeanor, with each and every line memorized in a surprisingly short amount of time. Her sister wondered just how many hours she had to read it over to recite it without fail. "See? There's a reason in the next sentence why we had to. It's way too early to jump to conclusions."
"But it's so romantic! Can I marry him?" her ginger-haired sibling begged with wide, pleading eyes. "I promise I'll take good care of him!"
"No! No way. Not in a million years." Elsa responded firmly, though her face betrayed a hint of embarrassment. She then collected the parchment from her sister's hands to gently toss them in an opened drawer.
Anna couldn't help but notice the subtle change in her sister's complexion. Elsa could not have possibly known, but her face was a hot red. "Kidding aside, are you actually… jealous!?"
"Absolutely not. He'll be here on a formal accord to discuss the engineering behind his—"
"Yeah, the blueprints and plans and just more boring stuff." Anna dismissed with a wave of her hand.
"It's strictly for business, Anna."
The ginger's grin grows even more. "Of course! Of course."
"So don't do anything to startle them."
"Sure thing, your Highness—"
"I mean it." Elsa couldn't help but smile as well, seeing as it was difficult to resist her sister's humor.
"Alright, alright, I got it. Don't make the chief fall for me," she assured her, her tone dripping with humor, which did very little to ease her older sibling. "But I won't exactly steal him from you—"
"Anna!"
There's color in Elsa's cheeks, a poorly restrained smile, and a giggle bubbling up Anna's throat.
With a final glance at the letter, Anna turned to Elsa, a sparkle of anticipation in her eyes. "Let's find something to wear as a disguise."
The room became a whirlwind of fabrics and accessories as they tried to assemble the perfect disguise. Gerda scurried around them, fetching garments and offering suggestions.
Upon their request, Gerda had procured an array of dresses laid out on a spare table for them. The room was filled with the scent of lavender as the sisters deliberated their choices.
When it came down to picking clothes, Anna and Elsa were still not sure if their outfits would make them stand out like peacocks in a henhouse even with their handpicked collection of garments that would help them blend into the shadows of the harbor.
Anna first sifted the pile of garments laid out on an antique trunk that came along with the dresses. There were faded dresses, wide-brimmed hats, and even a few cloaks that looked like relics from a bygone era. Her eyes settled on a dark, hooded cloak adorned with intricate patterns.
Anna held up a crimson cloak with a mischievous grin. "What about this? A bit dramatic, but it'll surely divert attention."
"That's too… Anna, we can't afford to be recognized. Our lives depend on it." Elsa watched as her sister examined another dress she held in her hands, a simple garment of faded blue linen, with patches that disguised its true opulence.
"It's not about the dress, it's about the way you carry yourself," Anna advised, holding up a plain straw hat with a wide brim. "And this hat will surely help."
Elsa handed over a velvet hood to Anna, the deep blue material soft to the touch. Anna smirked, pulling the hood over her head playfully. "Perhaps I'll go for the mysterious thief look. No one will see me coming!"
"That would raise quite the alarm with the guards," Elsa pointed out with a lighthearted scoff at her sister's attempt to look like a thief. "And under no circumstances can we let Mattias know about this!"
The two weren't just avoiding the eyes of the Northern Alliance, but also the palace guards, who had no idea of their little venture. General Mattias had incessantly begged for them to never step outside without any of his trusted men or official escorts. They both burst into laughter, imagining the General's reaction to the girls sneaking out into the harbor on their own.
As they dressed, the sisters engaged in a playful banter, their laughter filling the room like music.
"What if he has a keen eye for details?" Elsa twirled a lock of her hair nervously.
"Details, shmetails. We're going to a secret meeting, not an art exhibition or even a masquerade ball," Anna replied with a smirk. "Besides, he won't be able to resist your charm."
Elsa sighed, unconvinced. "I just hope I won't trip over in this. How do people even see in these things?"
Anna chuckled. "We need something that hides our faces but still allows us to see and breathe. Don't want to stumble into his arms, do we?"
The sisters began again with the meticulous process of layering garments, trying on different pairs until they found the perfect combination of concealment and grace to still look decent enough for their foreign guests. They rummaged again through a chest filled with scarfs of all colors, shapes and sizes.
"I feel like I should be holding a sword or something," Anna said, striking a dramatic pose with a scroll of paper. "The guards would never find out!"
Elsa rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. "This isn't a costume party, Anna. Let's just... focus on not getting caught."
"Perfect," Anna declared, holding the scarf up to half of her face to hide her identity. "We'll be invisible in these!"
After much deliberation, they settled on a deep burgundy sunday dress for Elsa, a perfect contrast to Anna's vibrant green. They twirled in front of the mirror, the skirts of their dresses billowing out dramatically.
Gerda, having observed their fashion show, finally spoke, "If I may say, you both look absolutely stunning. No one would suspect a thing."
"Thank you, Gerda," Anna replied, appreciating the reassurance. "Maybe we should bring Gerda along."
Gerda, realizing he had become part of their scheming, but she managed a shy smile. "If it pleases you, my ladies, I shall accompany you in my most inconspicuous form."
"No need to tire yourself out in our little walk, Gerda. We need you here to be our eyes and keep watch," Elsa said, "We can handle ourselves just fine."
Anna nodded in agreement, securing the mask over her face.
"As you wish, your Highnesses."
"Do you think he'll recognize me in this?" Elsa asked her younger sister, Anna, who was too engrossed in examining a pair of worn weather gloves.
Anna, now holding a bejeweled fan, chuckled. "Have you two ever actually met?"
Elsa hesitated for a moment before replying. "No, but we—"
Anna cut her off with a knowing smile. "You have your answer then. A touch of mystery might even work in our favor! See if he could spot you from a mile away."
Elsa sighed, acknowledging the logic in her sister's words. As Elsa adjusted the hood of her cloak, she continued the conversation. "We exchange portraits over the letters. I'm sure he'll recognize my eyes at the very least."
Once dressed, they looked at themselves in the full-length mirror.
The sisters couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. The prospect of attending this secret meeting incognito was thrilling, but the uncertainty of whether their disguises would hold up added an extra layer of suspense.
"Now, all we need is a convincing story," Anna grinned. "You can leave that up to me!"
"Do we look convincing enough?" Elsa asked.
"Absolutely. Now, let's go and meet your boyfriend. And if anyone asks who we are, we're the mysterious travelers from the farthest reach of the East." Anna grinned, pulling her olive-green scarf over her head.
The sisters soon exited their chambers, scarves in place, and made their way down the secret passage of the servants Gerda had prepared for them.
In the dimly lit corridors of the castle, Elsa and Anna emerged from their chambers, each adorned in scarves and cloaks that concealed their identities. As they stepped into the secret passage known only to the servants, the sisters exchanged a glance.
"Elsa, can you believe we're actually doing this? We'll be in so much trouble if Mattias finds out!"
Elsa smirked beneath her scarf, not believing this moment herself.
The passage was narrow and winding, with the occasional flicker of torchlight casting dancing shadows on the stone walls. Anna could barely contain giggles of her excitement.
The secret passage led them to a concealed exit, and as the heavy door creaked open, the bustling sounds of the townspeople reached their ears. They stepped into the vibrant atmosphere, a sea of faces swirling around them.
Elsa's scarf fluttered in the breeze, and she inhaled deeply. No expectations, no judgments. It was just them, hidden behind their masks and scarves.
As they merged with the crowd, Elsa and Anna felt the pulse of the music and lively chatter among the commonfolk, her people. So, this was what it was like.
Soon, Elsa found herself engaged in small and short conversations with strangers, her voice confident and free from the weight of her title. Anna, too, reveled in the thrill of secrecy, her laughter blending seamlessly with the melodies down the square.
"This is exactly what we needed, isn't it? A taste of ordinary life, if only for a little while."
"This is exactly what I needed. Yes, definitely."
Hiccup's heart raced, his attention fixed on the fjords closing in on them as the ship approached the familiar Arendellian shores.
"Calm down." Fishleg's voice broke through his thoughts. Hiccup swallowed hard, his attention fixed on the approaching fjords, the place where decisions would be made that would change the course of history.
"Calm? What? I am calm." Hiccup replied, though the restless tapping of his foot and the rhythmic drumming of his fingers on the wooden rails betrayed his unease after spending an hour nervously pacing the deck.
"Are you getting cold feet since you're meeting with the queen?" Fishlegs teased.
"Yeah, sure, we'll go with that," Hiccup said nonchalantly. "It's not as if she's the most important person in the kingdom." There was definitely so much more at stake as Hiccup's mind raced with thoughts of diplomacy, dragons, and the impending responsibility he carried. It was more than just meeting the queen; it was about securing a future for his people.
Fishlegs rolled his eyes.
As the ship docked, Hiccup couldn't shake off the nerves coursing through him like a swarm of Thunderdrums. The gangplank thudded against the Arendellian pier, and Hiccup hesitated for a moment before taking the first step onto solid ground. Fishlegs followed close behind, muttering something about dragons having an easier time with sea legs than Vikings.
As they made their way through the bustling port, Hiccup's eyes were drawn to the towering cliffs and the majestic castle perched on the edge of the fjord. Arendelle, a kingdom that held secrets, both magical and political, and now it held the fate of Berk in its hands.
The locals, with faces etched by the sun and hands worn by hard work, paused in their tasks to steal curious glances at the strangers in their midst. A burly fisherman with a gray-streaked beard and a weathered hat tipped in their direction. That was new. And definitely odd. It was a foreign but welcomed gesture to Hiccup, nonetheless.
The townsfolk, though initially perplexed by their eccentricities, soon found themselves drawn to the warmth beneath the cloaks and the gleam of mirth in their eyes. Children brandishing their wooden swords had their eyes wide with fascination, gathered around the newcomers and spoke up. "Are you a dragon slayer, then? My dad says dragon slayers wear armor like that!"
"Dragon slayer, huh? Well, not today, I suppose." Hiccup had to watch their disappointed faces as the children walked away to duel each other with their toy swords, pretending to slay a 'dragon'.
Fishlegs nudged him, breaking the trance. "Hey, we're only here for an alliance. Loosen up a bit."
Hiccup gave a half-hearted nod, attempting to steady his breath. The air was different here, carrying a mix of sea salt and pine, a fragrance that tugged at memories of his childhood when his father spoke of the neighboring lands.
"You know, I could never hand him over like that." Hiccup muttered under his breath, now deep in thought.
Fishlegs was a little lost on what he was specifically referring to at the moment. Though, he had a slight idea what this might be about. "Who?"
"The Night Fury." Hiccup even loosened the chains for him to escape. He recalled the moment when the warlords disembarked their warships on Berkian shores as clear as day, the threat of Grimmel tracking down the last of Night Furies gripped his entire being.
He was risking both his arse and the Night Fury's by being an accomplice to its very own escape. It was either they killed him along with his village or the dragon, and Hiccup wanted for both options to be very much alive.
Closing in on them, the ominous footsteps of Grimmel the Grisly approached. Sensing danger up ahead, the Night Fury crouched beside Hiccup, wings pressed against his sides in a desperate attempt to conceal their presence.
Hiccup had no idea what this dragon went through to go as far as protecting him from his own kind. From a dragon hunter.
Swiftly reaching into his pocket and producing a key, Hiccup unlocked the chains that bound the dragon, who then stared at Hiccup with gratitude shining in his eyes before disappearing into the night.
And now, there he was, face to face with the ruthless Grimmel.
Hiccup could definitely say he was lucky having been spared his life after his trap 'broke'. Grimmel was impressed to even go as far as taking Hiccup under his wing as his own apprentice where he was urged to craft weapons designed to incapacitate dragons. With each creation, Hiccup felt a pang of guilt, as if he was forging shackles for dragons that once roamed the skies freely.
One day, as he was in his workshop filled with ominous contraptions, Hiccup hesitated at first.
It was then he finally decided he won't be a part of this slaughter any longer. Hiccup cannot stand to compromise his principles any further for the sake of fear. He earned his keep. He was glad he was even allowed to leave alive, all thanks to his contributions to their empire.
"I saw the look in Grimmel's eyes, and I didn't want anyone to die that night." Hiccup explained. Grimnel may have taught him everything there was to know about every dragon and their weaknesses, but Hiccup couldn't bear to sacrifice the creature to such a merciless fate even years later. And he doesn't regret it. Not even for a little bit.
The salty breeze from the sea kissed the faces of the residents of the kingdom. As their small group stepped onto the weathered docks, they strolled further down the harbor, overhearing snippets of conversations that were as colorful as the people themselves amongst the sound of waves lapping against the hull of a ship.
Hiccup continued to find the rendezvous point, his attention divided between the parchment in his hands and the rhythmic creaking of the docked ships, the smell of fish and brine filling his nostrils. In one hand, he clutched a set of detailed maps, their edges worn from countless examinations.
"Are you sure this is the right spot?" Fishlegs muttered, and Hiccup hummed affirmatively, his eyes darting around as if assessing the surroundings.
Seagulls circled overhead, their cries blending seamlessly with the distant murmur of the bustling market behind him.
"She said they'd be here by this old… ship," Hiccup muttered, squinting at the vessels lining the port. "But, honestly, every ship here looks like it's been through a war."
Fishlegs snorted in agreement, his eyes narrowing as if he shared Hiccup's skepticism. The young Viking sighed, running a hand through his wind-tousled hair. His gaze flitted from ship to ship, searching for any sign of the ship to match their description.
Hiccup squinted against the sun, his eyes darting between the faded paper map and the labyrinth of crates and barrels that cluttered the dock. The rendezvous point was proving to be as elusive as a cat in a game of hide-and-seek.
Across the wooden expanse of the dock, stood a young woman with platinum blonde hair tucked underneath the hood of her cloak, and beside her was another younger woman with a streak of white in her warm auburn hair, leaned casually against a stack of crates.
And then, their eyes met.
And then their eyes met, Hiccup realized.
The world slows as he catches the woman's attention. They quickly break contact, so they could focus where they were going.
As Hiccup tore his gaze away, a sheepish smile playing on his lips, he suddenly became aware that he was in the way of fishermen about to unload their ensnared fish from their catch. He refocused on his surroundings, steering clear of a barrel and sidestepping a burly sailor.
"—And that was the queen." Fishlegs informed him as he regained his senses, trying the best he could to process the encounter. The cogs in his brain began to turn and start running again and it took Hiccup a full second to grasp the fact that he just walked past the Queen of Arendelle .
The world seemed to slow down a second time, and Hiccup could feel the weight of the moment.
Almost immediately, the two leaders simultaneously stopped in their tracks at the realization. Hiccup had never snapped his head around so fast, it must've hurt looking. As he spun on his heel, he saw her back facing him, and her shoulders tensing when she belatedly registered the exact same thought in his head.
Elsa, sensing the gaze upon her and the sudden shift in the atmosphere, shuffled back, her gaze meeting Hiccup's with an equally awkward composure. He, in turn, sheepishly dipped his head in an impromptu bow, a mixture of surprise and embarrassment on his face.
Trying to defuse the awkwardness, Elsa raised a hand as if to dismiss any formalities. But before she could utter a word, Hiccup, still recovering from the shock, took an inadvertent step backward, his head colliding with Elsa's. They both paused to recoil, sharing a surprised glance with each other, apologizing in unison as laughter bubbled up between them, breaking the tension.
"I am so sorry, your Majesty," Hiccup grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Elsa chuckled, waving off the apology with a smile.