"I don't know if Elsa would want you to go look for this guy like that."
Kai and Honeymaren met by the side door near the servants' quarters the day after the ball. Honeymaren had dressed in her plain uniform, but Kai's coat brandished the crest of Arendelle's royal family. Not exactly an unassuming choice.
"I work for the queen," he replied, as if he didn't see a problem with it.
"Well we're working under the princess' orders right now, and the princess said no one can know who's asking for this suitmaker. You can't go showing off the royal seal like that! You'll give our position away!"
"But it's just the royal seal. Anyone could be asking. There's no way of knowing the princess is behind all this." Kai tried to protest and justify his clothing choice, but one look at Honeymaren's indignant expression told him there was no changing her mind. "Fine," he grumbled, shrugging off the coat. "You're lucky it's summer."
"If anything, I think wearing a coat in the summer would draw more attention to us than the royal crest," she said with a wry smile. "Now come on. Let's go."
XXX
The bell at the top of Madam Frosk's door jingled when it was opened. All the seamstresses looked up from their work, eying Ronaldo with interest. He was an unexpected sight. Usually all of Anna's customers made arrangements to see her in advance and entered her room through a side entrance that didn't take them through the main shop. The reason for that was clear.
"Excuse me!" Madam Frosk's shrill voice prompted all her employees to quickly look down at their work again, avoiding her icy glare at all costs. "The mens' store is downstairs."
Ronaldo was slightly taken aback by her inhospitality, but he pushed his own reservations down and pressed on. "Oh, I'm not here for a tailoring job—"
"Then you can leave my establishment and stop wasting my time," she interrupted, her voice accompanied by the sharp ripping of fabric.
He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Actually, I was meaning to speak with one of your seamstresses. It's important."
"Who?"
"Anna Bell."
Anna nearly stabbed herself with her needle when she heard her name. What was he doing? Coming into the shop, looking for her like that. If he wasn't careful, he was gonna blow her cover. Then she'd really be in for it…
Madam Frosk narrowed her eyes. "What do you want with Annabelle?"
"It's a family matter…" His voice was lost to a loud cough when he suddenly remembered Anna was an orphan and had no other family. "I mean not a family matter! A… friend matter? An issue she's helping my family with. And it's urgent. And private."
"That can wait until after work hours."
"Please, Miss," he pleaded, trying his best to look genuine. "My mother… she's dying." What? Anna mouthed, making eye contact with him from across the room. He ignored her. "Anna helped me collect something from the marketplace for her last weekend and I haven't had the chance to get it from her yet. My mother is ill and I want to give it to her before it's too late."
Madam Frosk glanced between Ronaldo and Anna, who put on her most convincing 'I am indeed holding onto something for his dying mother' look. After a few moments of deliberation, she rolled her eyes and looked back down at the petticoat she was sewing. "Fine," she spat. "Five minutes. Any longer, Annabelle, and it'll be taken out of your wages."
XXX
Kai shut the door to Mr Løgn's shop. "Well, that was a dead end—"
"Waste of damn time," Honeymaren muttered.
"There's no need to be so negative," he said quickly. "What were the names of the other stores the princess asked us to check out?"
"There's Madam Frosk and Mr Bunn who work out of the same building, and then Miss Sy who runs a different shop altogether," she recalled. "Miss Sy's shop is closer so we should stop there first. Between the remaining two, Mr Bunn's place would probably be our best bet. Apparently that place is strictly gendered. Only men can work on mens' clothes and women on womens' clothes."
Kai clicked his tongue. "I would have thought people moved past that by now."
"Right?"
XXX
Their steps echoed off the suffocating walls as they felt their way up the dark stairwell. Anna unlocked her door and threw her weight against it to get it open. Ronaldo followed her inside, eyes blinking to adjust to the midday sunlight.
"Your boss is very rude."
Anna rolled her eyes. "That's putting it lightly."
"You know… if you quit this job that pays you next to nothing, you would never have to see her again," he pointed out.
"And what? Freelance? I already told you that's not an option." A hint of exasperation could be detected in her voice. "What are you even doing here, Ronaldo? If you need another tailoring job done, you know the process you have to go through. You can't just come in when my boss is around!"
"Relax, red. She didn't suspect a thing."
"And your mom is dying? Was that really the best lie you could come up with?"
"Look, I panic under pressure. The important thing is that I got you up here because I need to talk to you."
"About what, exactly?"
"Leaving your crappy job and your jerk boss!"
Anna grumbled in frustration. "I can't, Ronaldo! As much as I fantasise about it every single day, I really can't. Freelancing—"
"Jeez, red, would you quit talking and hear me out for a second?" He held his hands up and Anna finally fell silent, watching him warily. "I came here to tell you that you need to get yourself out there. And I mean really get yourself out there. Screw all this anonymity bullshit. People last night, they loved your work."
"My work?"
"The suit! At the ball!" His hands were gesturing wildly now in excitement. "You had nobility asking after you. Nobility. Do you understand how huge that is? A royal job proposal!"
"Nobility?" She allowed herself to appear cautiously curious, while internally she was screaming with excitement. Nobility? Noticing her work? Was she dreaming?
"Imagine: tailoring suits for members of the royal court!" He swept his arms out grandly, "You would be so much happier there. Your talents are wasted in this place."
"Well what am I supposed to do? Just walk into the palace and ask for a job?"
"I'm not saying that," he said calmly. "As per your request, I told no one of your secret identity. But you could start to be less secretive about your work. Talk to more people. Advertise. It's not a crime to be employed and do freelance work at the same time."
Anna frowned, still uncertain. "But it does give Madam Frosk a reason to fire me."
Ronaldo sighed. "I really think you should do this, Anna. I know your craft will take you far if you just let it. I have faith that even if you do get fired and kicked out, the money you earn from your work can keep you going. In fact, if I'm wrong and you need a bit of time to get back on your feet once you leave this shithole, I'll put you up at my place until you earn enough to support yourself. Which I predict won't take long at all."
The redhead smiled, surprisingly touched by the offer. "You really mean it?"
"Definitely," he replied confidently.
Anna hesitated, chewing on the end of her braid out of habit before she finally spoke. "Okay. I'll consider it."
XXX
Kai sighed heavily. "Miss Sy was…"
"A bitch," Honeymaren finished.
"I was going to say unhelpful."
The two of them tried to shake off the unpleasant interaction where they had to endure Miss Sy's condescending attitude. Not only had the maker of the suit not been there, Miss Sy also managed to keep them in her shop for over half an hour trying to sell them her wares, only to be grossly offended and horrifically ill-mannered when they politely turned her down.
"Kai, I think I'm losing my mind," Honeymaren droned, massaging her temples to ease the ache in her head as a result of the exchange. "If I never hear 'the finest silks from the East' ever again, it will be too soon."
"She was very persistent about those silks," he agreed. "But let the past stay in the past. Keep moving forward. There are only two places left to check, and they're both in the same building!"
"And if they're not there?"
"Then… then we keep looking," he replied simply. "Elsa's counting on us to find this person. We can't let her down."
Honeymaren fought back a frown. "This suitmaker had better be worth it," she grumbled, while her true thoughts echoed in her mind.
Elsa better know what she's getting herself into…
XXX
As they approached the next shop they had to check, Honeymaren caught the eye of someone exiting the door they were about to walk through. "Hey Kai," she whispered, nudging her companion and jutting her head somewhere to the right. "Isn't that our guy? The one from last night?"
"I believe so," he replied, squinting to look closer at the man. "Let's move."
As Ronaldo left Madam Frosk's shop, not without a grating death threat from the owner after he dared steal away one of her seamstresses, he spotted the man and woman headed in his direction. He remembered catching the occasional glimpse of them at the ball the night before, but couldn't imagine what they'd want with him. They had to be connected to the royal family somehow. Admittedly, he got a little spooked, and walked quickly away from the crowded street. He wasn't a law-breaking man, aside from of course his leanings towards men which was technically (and wrongfully) a crime, but that didn't stop his paranoia from spiking. Ronaldo turned into an alley, thinking he'd be able to go out the other end, but his brain wasn't sharp enough. He took the turn too early. The alley was a dead end.
"Excuse me," Kai greeted calmly as they approached, essentially cornering him. "Are you Ronaldo?"
"It depends who's asking," he replied coolly, while on the inside he freaking out.
"We represent a client who's interested in employing the tailor who designed the suit you were wearing at the Summer Ball yesterday evening," Kai explained.
"You'd want to talk to Mr Løgn—"
"We did, but the styles don't match," Honeymaren said. "And none of his designers claimed the outfit you were wearing."
Ronaldo shifted uncomfortably. "I'm afraid I really can't say who my suitmaker is."
"Our client is very insistent," Kai pressed. "They're willing to offer compensation for anything that may lead us to them." He withdrew a heavy sack of coins from his pocket, the sight making Ronaldo's eyes bulge. "Any lead at all would be appreciated."
Ronaldo was certainly drawn to the money, but he was still hesitant to speak. "On the other hand," Honeymaren added, unsheathing a short dagger from its position in her back pocket. "Perhaps this will loosen your lips." Ronaldo noticed the royal seal carved into the hilt and realised speaking would have probably been in his best interest.
"Okay, okay, just put the knife away!" he blurted, taking a small step back. Kai side-eyed Honeymaren to make sure she didn't stab anyone while she sported a victorious smirk. "I can't give you a name. All I'll say is that they're Madam Frosk's ward. A redhead." On the one hand, he should have felt bad betraying Anna's trust by practically giving away her identity, but on the other, he knew this would do her so much good.
"Thank you," Kai said gratefully, tossing him the bag of coins that jingled when caught. "You've done the right thing. That tailor is about to get an opportunity like no other."
XXX
The two of them climbed the narrow stairway to Madam Frosk's floor of the shop. Seamstresses were scattered across the room either hunched over on stools or standing by mannequins, all of them engrossed in their own work. The shop owner was quickly identified through her age, at least twice if not three times as old as her employees, as well as the way she carried herself with power and authority.
"Madam Frosk," Honeymaren greeted. "It's a pleasure. My name is Honeymaren and this is my colleague, Kai—"
"Yes, yes, what is it?' the old woman snapped. "I'm very busy, I have a shop to run."
"Yes, of course. We were just hoping to speak to one of your seamstresses."
Madam Frosk tsked, muttering something in Norse under her breath. "Spit it out. Who?"
Honeymaren's eyes swept over the room until she spotted a young redhead, the only one in the room. Just as Ronaldo had said. She was crouched in a corner at a clunky looking sewing machine, head down, focused on her work. "Her. She's your ward, isn't she?"
"Annabelle?" she sputtered. "What do you want with her?"
Anna glanced up at the sound of her butchered name and laid her eyes on the two visitors for the first time. A man and woman, both of them well dressed and well mannered. They wore plain clothes but Anna noticed the specific shade of green fabric that could be found on each outfit. Like a dusty forest green. They were royal colours and while it wasn't against the law for commoners to wear them, hardly anyone did. These people had to be from the castle.
"We'd just like to talk to her in private for a bit," Kai explained.
She shook her head defiantly, apparently determined to stick her nose in Anna's life even more. "No. She's wasted enough of my time today. Whatever you have to say to the girl can be said here. Annabelle! Get over here."
The young woman stood and walked over to them. She felt like every eye in the room was on her.
"Hi, Annabelle. I'm Honeymaren and this is Kai, my colleague."
She felt too awkward to correct her. "Hi…"
"We're looking for the person who designed the orange suit worn last night at the palace's Summer Ball. Are we right in assuming that was you?"
Damn it, Ronaldo… "Wh—"
"Case closed. It's not her," Madam Frosk interrupted, rising to her feet and practically standing in front of Anna, trying to block her from their view despite being inherently shorter than the younger woman. "If you're looking for a suitmaker, you'd be better off downstairs with Mister Bunn."
"Why are you asking about the suit?" Anna pressed, her curiosity growing. Wasn't Ronaldo just talking about nobility having noticed her work? And now two people in royal colours just show up looking for her?
Kai tried to look past the short, scowling old woman. "We represent a client who would like to hire the suitmaker responsible."
"Hire?" she squeaked. "Full time?"
"That's right," Honeymaren affirmed.
Anna took a steadying breath, psyching herself up to risk it all. This could potentially get her into real trouble, but if Ronaldo was right about the royal job offer, she at least had to try. "It was me," she shakily admitted.
Madam Frosk went red in the face but she tried to keep her composure. "No, there must be a mistake here," she tried to reason through gritted teeth. "None of my seamstresses—"
"It's my work," Anna said again. "My freelance work. Everything that comes out of our shops comes with a label under the collar but that suit doesn't have one. It didn't come from the store. It came from me."
Aside from Kai and Honeymaren, every jaw was dropped. The few women who knew of Anna's business never thought she'd come clean about it, and those who didn't never thought she'd be the kind of person to secretly do freelance work at all, especially when Madam Frosk strictly ordered against it.
"And you'd like to take the job?"
"I'd like to hear more about the position please," she requested as evenly as she could manage, trying to hide the excitement growing in her gut.
Honeymaren was happy to answer her. "So as we said, the job would be full time. Accommodation will be provided and everything is fully catered. Any materials you need would of course be available to you." She said this next part softer so only the four of them could hear it. "It's ten thousand kroner up front to accept the offer, after which you'll be receiving a salary of five thousand kroner a month."
Anna's eyes were as wide as saucers. Ten thousand kroner was more money than she'd ever had in her entire life. And a place to stay plus the guarantee to always have food on the table? She'd be an idiot to turn this down. "I—"
"I forbid it." Her employer cut her off, standing up straighter. "She won't be taking your 'job'."
"And what gives you the jurisdiction to decide such a thing?" Kai questioned.
Madam Frosk let out a nervous laugh, stepping next to Anna and putting what she hoped seemed like a motherly hand on the young woman's shoulder. "You see, Annabelle here is an orphan. She's been under my care since she was fourteen. Her mother asked that I take good care of her, and as her guardian, I cannot allow her to take the job you offer her. It wouldn't be in her best interests to do so."
The man looked between the two of them sadly. "And how old are you now, Annabelle?"
"She's fifteen—"
"I turned eighteen last month," Anna corrected. "Madam Frosk just hasn't celebrated my birthday since I was fifteen, so I think she's lost track."
The woman stumbled over her words. "You are not—"
"And my name is Anna," she continued, growing in confidence now that she knew she had a little more leverage. "My name's just Anna. Bell is my last name. Anna. Bell. It's not that hard." She shot her employer a dirty look, shrugging hard so that her hand fell away.
Kai smiled. "Then by law, Anna is no longer under your care or guardianship. She can make her own decisions regardless of whether or not you approve of them."
Madam Frosk coughed awkwardly before offering Anna a smile that seemed more like a grimace. "Anna, dear," she forced out. "You know your mother asked me to look after you before she passed. I know what's best for you."
"Do you?"
Her tone was sharp with accusation, but Madam Frosk didn't seem to notice. "I do. You want to stay here, don't you? You've got excellent ideas. If you stay, I could promote you to head designer here! You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
No. She wanted nothing more than to escape her guardian's clutches forever. "Will you let me work for Mr Bunn and design mens' clothing?"
Madam Frosk scoffed, as if she couldn't believe Anna dared make such a request. "You know I can't allow that. It's simply inappropriate."
That was all she needed to hear. The young women turned to Kai and Honeymaren. "Then I accept."
This story is also available on AO3. I also have a Twitter where I post behind the scenes content, polls, writing updates and more. Both are under the same username kalesalad003 and the links are in my bio!
