Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise; the elements taken from Frozen are obvious, and while this version of Zorro is taken mainly from Mask and Legend, I've incorporated elements of his history from other adaptations. Even the original idea for this fic was inspired by the artwork of shishyoukai on DeviantArt, although I have created my own narrative for it; the artwork only inspired the idea of a certain sister becoming Zorro.

Feedback: Always appreciated

AN: Things are starting to escalate now as Anna begins to make contact with those in power; this chapter was a bit tricky, but I hope you enjoy what's coming up

The Frozen Fox

It frustrated Elsa to no end that the parties she so appreciated were also the moments that she felt the most relatively helpless. She might be able to talk with people in a more comfortable environment as opposed to her usual attempts to walk through the streets, but she always felt as though her grandfather would step in the moment she so much as spoke to the wrong person.

As much as she wanted to be free to offer them all help and support, she had to adhere to her grandfather's 'warnings' that giving the people too much would just force the royal family to expend their own resources and weaken the country. Runeard was fine with them giving help to a few people in controlled conditions, but that particular strategy still made Elsa uncomfortable. She could understand her grandfather's opinion, but it felt as though he was doing everything possible to make people dependent on what he and his court were willing to offer on a long-term basis, rather than taking a chance that the people would have the strength to stand up for themselves if they had some support early on.

Elsa wanted to believe the best of her family, but when her father just went along with everything her grandfather said, it seemed as though she was the only member of the royal family willing to listen to her people, and she wasn't even allowed to do anything about that. Her efforts to contribute were always dismissed with the platitude that she didn't understand why that would be a bad idea, but at the same time she couldn't shake the feeling that she should do more. Her grandfather might talk about the importance of giving people what they needed rather than what they wanted, but it wasn't as though Elsa intended to empty the royal treasury to bankroll everyone who asked for help.

"Elsa?"

"Sorry, Father," Elsa smiled over at her parent as he walked over to join her in the corner of the room. "I was just… thinking."

"These parties are always a bit overwhelming, aren't they?" Agnar said, giving her a tentative smile of his own as he settled in to stand beside her. "It was one thing your mother was always better at than me; she was just… more of a people person."

"That was the reason she was part of the original group from Northuldra, right?" Elsa recalled. "She was good at getting people to like her?"

"People liked her," her father corrected with a soft smile. "Saying that she was good at 'getting' people to like her… it makes it sound as though there was something she had to work at, rather than something she could just do."

"Is there anything else-?"

"I already spent so many years running down so many leads on where she could have gone after she originally left us," her father said, in the familiar low voice he always used when she brought up this particular topic. "I can never know which of the possible explanations is better… unless you have some opinion of your own?"

Looking at her father, Elsa knew that she would never be able to find the answer to that question. The idea that her mother had died all those years ago was a grim one, but with no ransom having ever been demanded, the thought that Iduna had left on her own accord for some reason…

No matter how much her father assured Elsa of her mother's love and devotion, he could never know that almost made it worse. If her mother could show so much care for relative strangers, why couldn't she have stayed for Elsa? Was something more important than her, or was Elsa simply not enough…?

With nothing else to say to express the conflicting emotions inside her, Elsa walked back onto the main dance floor, moving carefully around the edge of the room. She had long ago mastered the delicate balance when attending these events of being seen as taking part without actually putting herself in a position where someone might force her to do more than she wanted to. She had enjoyed the occasional dance in the past, but so many potential partners were so… Elsa wasn't even sure what the term was, but she hated how they were so obviously trying to win favour with her grandfather through her.

Would it be asking too much to have one person at this party who I could genuinely talk with?

Later on, Elsa would wonder if those thoughts had been some kind of sign to the wider universe to answer her prayer, because it was the first time she had seen a truly unfamiliar face at these parties for almost as long as she could remember. Elsa had long become familiar with the rich and powerful of her grandfather's kingdom, and she was certain she had never seen this woman before.

The new arrival was young, probably not much older than Elsa herself, with fiery red hair that was partially tied into a bun at the back of her head, although a few loose strands were left free to drape across her shoulders. The dress the woman was wearing was a dark green that left her shoulders bare, but it also had sleeves that extended down to her elbows, and she wore a pair of gloves in a similar colour. There was fine gold trim around the edges of the dress, putting Elsa in mind of a forest as the sun rose, adding to the friendly impression this woman was obviously trying to create as she walked up to where the king was standing on the edge of the main floor. Elsa only realised that she was walking over in the same direction once she started

"Greetings, your highness," the young redhead said, offering a formal bow that reminded Elsa of something the Spanish visitors had done for her grandfather during some particularly important official meetings she had been allowed to sit in on. "I am Anna Menzela; I have recently arrived here from California."

"California?" the king looked at the new arrival with raised eyebrows, asking the question that had also been on Elsa's mind, even as her grandfather and the young woman remained apparently oblivious to Elsa's proximity.

"I am privileged to be considered part of the family of Elena de la Vega, who settled in my country some years ago," Anna Menzela said with a polite nod. "I believe that you and her father, Don Rafael Montero, moved in similar circles once upon a time?"

"We… shared similar interests, although I must express my regret that Don Montero was never given the opportunity to join my circle of… more intimate acquaintances," the king said, his expression now one of cautious interest. "May I ask what inspired you to come here? While I am proud of my own country, Arendelle is a great distance from the colonies."

"California is a most pleasant country, but there are limited opportunities for one to truly branch out if they seek opportunities," Anna said, her tone cool but confident. "I received a significant inheritance from my mother, and I decided that it was time to explore opportunities in Europe."

"What opportunities would those be?"

"I am currently exploring my interest in fashion, but I am open to branching out," Anna smiled, as she spread her arms and gave a twirl, allowing the dress to open slightly as she spun before she came to a halt once more. "What do you think?"

"You made that?" Elsa spoke up in surprise before she could stop herself.

"Indeed," Anna smiled at her as she and Runeard turned to look at the speaker, Anna's hand tracing down her dress as though to show off something more about it before she held out her hand. "And you are?"

"My granddaughter," the king cut in, the familiar edge to his tone as he partially stepped between Elsa and the newcomer. "Princess Elsa of Arendelle, meet Anna Menzela."

"Enchante, my lady," Anna said, taking Elsa's hand and giving a mixed bow and curtsey with her other hand.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance," Elsa replied with a polite nod before she allowed herself to take a closer look at Anna's dress. "This is exceptional work; you truly made it?"

"I make many things," Anna nodded at her, giving the princess a grateful smile at the compliment. "Clothing is one of the things that truly separates us from the animals; it is the mark of a civilised society that we can create such finery."

"Impressive," the king said, in a manner that Elsa was used to hearing. Her grandfather would be polite, but it took a great deal to attract any kind of genuine compliment from him, and fashion was an area he had very little interest in. "And you wish to set up shop in my country?"

"I have heard great things about your work in Arendelle, and decided that I was interested to see it for myself," Anna replied with a cool shrug. "If you do not wish for me to remain-?"

"No," the king said, looking at Anna with a thoughtful expression before he gave a firm nod. "No, it would be good to bring some fresh blood into Arendelle, especially one with such a distinguished pedigree as yourself. If the daughter of Rafael Montero vouches for you, that is enough for me."

"Thank you, your Majesty," Anna said, curtseying at Elsa's grandfather before she turned to Elsa. "May we talk further, your Highness?"

"I would be delighted, Miss Menzela," Elsa smiled back at the young woman, only allowing herself to briefly register her grandfather's approving nod before she walked off with her new acquaintance. "And when it is merely us, please feel free to refer to me as Elsa."

"So long as you are assured that you may freely call me Anna in turn," Anna replied with a brief smile. "The formalities have their place, but it is good to be comfortable with friends."

"I would… I would like that," Elsa said, fighting down the urge to smile at that particular declaration. She doubted that it would last for long once her grandfather took more active notice of what she was doing, but there was nothing wrong with enjoying the opportunity for the moment.

"It is a pleasure to meet you directly at last," Anna observed. "I have seen you around the town, but there is something to be said for meeting them directly."

"You have seen me?" Elsa said, briefly concerned at that statement before she pushed that reaction down. Her grandfather knew about her activities; he wouldn't complain if someone started talking about them.

"If I may ask a… somewhat personal question?"

"You may ask," Elsa replied, hoping that she wouldn't break any of her grandfather's rules with this response as they discreetly moved towards a corner of the room.

"When I was preparing to relocate to this country, I did some reading on your family's history," Anna said, her tone polite as she continued. "Obviously your grandfather has done a great deal for your kingdom since he took the throne, but… what are you doing with your own time? I can understand wanting to see more of your kingdom, but there is more to your excursions than a simple walk, correct?"

"I… seek to help my people where I can," Elsa said, hoping that this woman would be satisfied with that answer. "There is only so much I can do with my time, and obviously my grandfather is the final voice, but I want to help them be more if I feel they are suitably motivated…"

"Suitably motivated?"

"Obviously I do not wish to encourage someone to fall back into negative habits if they are given aid, but so many people just require a little extra to achieve their dreams…" Elsa shrugged. "It is a small thing, I know, but-"

"Small things are sometimes all that is required," Anna observed. "My own mother prided herself on her work in our local village to help the less fortunate, even when she could do little more than offer another pair of hands for the work."

"Your mother worked?"

"She did not need to work, but she liked it," Anna explained, a wistful expression on her face that Elsa recognised.

"What happened?" she asked, suddenly reluctant to finish the question.

"The doctors speculated that she was exposed to… something… during her charity work," Anna responded, lowering her head sadly. "She assisted in various construction projects in our village, and it is believed that certain local mines were contaminated in the past. Nobody knew what had happened to her until it was too late to treat it, and after that… all that could be done was to keep her comfortable."

Elsa could only reach out and place a comforting hand on Anna's arm at that statement. In a strange way, she both understood Anna and resented her at the same time in that moment; each of them had lost their mothers, but at least Anna had known her mother…

"So… how are you part of the de la Vega family?" she asked, seeking something to stop herself actually voicing that particular question."

"Elena de la Vega and her family were good friends to my mother and I ever since we came to California," Anna smiled. "I consider myself truly blessed to have received their guidance over the years."

"If I may ask-?"

"My father was… not part of my life," Anna said, a brief edge to her voice that reminded Elsa of how she reacted to questions about royal policy that she had been required to answer on several other occasions. "I would appreciate it if that was not discussed further; it is… difficult."

"Of course," Elsa nodded in acknowledgement. Considering the questions she still had about her own mother's absence from her life, she could understand Anna's desire not to talk about an apparently equally absent father.

The party itself was still relatively dull and frustrating, but as Elsa spoke with this fascinating new resident of Arendelle, for however long it lasted, she had a feeling that she would enjoy spending more time with Anna Menzela…