Chapter Eight

It's been almost a week since Elsa left Arendelle and Anna feels the weight of her absence even worse than before. She starts to wonder if something's wrong with her. It's not like her sister doesn't visit often. There are plenty of letters that go back and forth between them, so there's no shortage of words. Even the frivolous ones.

She's strolling the gardens aimlessly as the ache in her chest opens into a chasm. Tears well in her eyes when she recognizes a snowdrop thriving in the morning frost. Everything in the castle reminds her of Elsa, but the sight of the resilient flower hits a particular cord that forces her to swallow around a lump in her throat.

Frustrated, she wipes her eyes with the sleeve of her dress. She understands why Elsa abdicated. She understands why her sister made the decisions that she did, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. It's not that Anna doesn't want to be Queen, in fact, she enjoys it (well, the people part of it, screw the paperwork). It's the fact that being queen means that Elsa isn't here. She's expressed to Kristoff plenty of times before how ridiculous she's being. She's already realized that for years she was co-dependent on her sister, but do these irrational feelings imply that she's not over it? Does she still need more time?

Anna sighs and wraps her arms around herself as a cold breeze travels through the garden. She welcomes the cold, even though it bothers her.

Her watery eyes flicker skyward when something steals her attention. Her heart lifts and a smile curls on her lips when she recognizes it as a carefully folded letter. She reaches out to catch it between her thumb and index finger. The parchment feels light, but she knows the words inside will mend her fractured heart.

"Thank you, Gale," she whispers to the wind spirit.

Gale circles her and Anna giggles softly, twirling with the motion.

"Tell Elsa I miss her and that I'll write back as soon as I can. Well, probably tonight, but we both know queenly duties call!"

Gale whistles in acknowledgement. Anna imagines that if the wind spirit can take on a physical form, it would be dipping its head in a respectful bow. The idea makes her hold back a giggle. Just as quickly as Gale appears, it's gone with another chilly gust.

Anna exhales, holding the letter close to her heart. She moves to sit on a nearby bench when a familiar voice calls to her from the castle.

"Your Majesty." It's Kai. He pauses to make sure he's gained her undivided attention. "I'm sorry for the interruption, but we have visitors. The ship flies the colors of Great Britain."

Anna's eyes widened and the letter in her hands is forgotten when she jumps up from her seat. "What? I don't remember being informed they were visiting. Were they visiting? Did I forget to put it on the calendar? Oh no, I'm not anywhere near presentable for British royalty!" she frets.

Kai just shakes his head. "No m'am. No one was informed…it's a surprise to all of us. The council is convening as we speak. Would you like me to escort them to the receiving room until you're ready?"

Anna rolls her lips into a thin line as she makes her way to the doorway.

"Yes, please. That would be helpful. Thank you, Kai."

Kai gives her a respectful nod and retreats back into the castle. Anna remains in the doorway, leaning against the threshold to gather her thoughts.

She'll have to make sure she's presentable. Find Kristoff to make sure he's ready. Then somehow entertain whoever the British monarchy sent and extract information as tactfully as possible. Though, Anna knows that's definitely not her strong point. Elsa was always better at talking circles around dignitaries and wearing them down.

Anna just prays that whatever they're here for is minor and manageable.


"This is hardly what I call 'manageable'," Anna mutters under her breath about a half hour later as she sits in the receiving room with Kristoff at her side.

Her fiancee places a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezes. When she glances up at him, he gives her a soft smile that says 'you're doing great.'

As if she is ever tactful in these situations. What would Elsa do?

The crown Prince of Britain is kneeling at her feet, bowing his head so low that she swears he might accidentally bump his head on the dais. After a few more awkward moments, Anna clears her throat.

"No need for any of…that, Prince Felix. You may rise," she tells him with a flourish of her hand.

At her words, Prince Felix smoothly rises back onto his feet. His smile is is charming and Anna is surprised that it reaches his eyes. She wonders how genuine this prince is when her mind travels back to how she was deceived by Hans.

Anna returns the smile with one of her own. She tilts her head and pushes off the arms of her chair to stand.

"What brings you to Arendelle, Prince Felix?" she asks.

"Queen Anna," Felix starts. His is voice deep, but is as smooth as his smile. "I first and foremost wanted to apologize for being unable to attend your coronation. I had important matters to attend to that I was unable to put on hold. My father, however, sent some members of the British royal court in my place and I hope that the lack of my presence didn't offend you."

Anna raises a hand and shakes her head. "I appreciate the apology, but there's no need for it. We all have important duties to our kingdoms and I understand that your absence, while missed, was due to important matters. Although, I have a feeling that you didn't travel all the way to Arendelle just to apologize to me," she says, raising an incredulous brow.

The corners of Prince Felix's lips twitch upward and he nods. "I came to Arendelle on a diplomatic mission. My father apologizes for not sending notice ahead of time and he would have come himself if it weren't for matters of state that needed his specific attention," he starts. He pauses to take a deep breath and clear his throat before continuing. "Arendelle is a small port kingdom and in the past the country of Great Britain has never shown interest in this beautiful land and its people. However, in light of recent events, my father wants to change that. It will be a great honor for Britain and mine to discuss an alliance with Arendelle."

Anna blinks. She opens and closes her mouth like a fish out of water and glances at Kristoff before swiveling her head back to the prince. She's unable to hide her surprise and stands on the dais, grappling for the words hanging on the tip of her tongue.

The great and powerful country of Britain wants to form an alliance with the small, otherwise unnoticed, northern Kingdom of Arendelle. What can she say?

The cogs are turning in her head and she can't seem to find a proper response. This can be a wonderful opportunity for Arendelle, herself, and her people. Yet, she's hesitant and isn't sure why. What would Elsa say?

An image of her graceful and intelligent older sister pops into her mind, giving her the confidence to form proper words. Anna inhales, draws her shoulders back, and lifts her chin. She folds her hands in front of her skirts. She sends the prince a a demure smile.

"As Arendelle's Queen I'm intrigued. After you get settled, how about we set up a meeting later this afternoon or tomorrow morning to discuss this in more detail," Anna replies diplomatically. She keeps her voice soft but strong.

Felix returns her smile and dips his chin. "Of course, Your Majesty. My men and I will get settled in and we can schedule a more proper, diplomatic meeting," he agrees.

Anna nods and catches Kai's eye to her left. "Kai will show you and your men to your rooms. Please, make yourself at home and if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Kai steps toward the door and opens it for Prince Felix and his entourage. The men are quick to follow the steward through the halls of the castle.

Once the door shuts and Anna is left alone with Kristoff, she falls back into her chair with a heavy sigh. Kristoff shifts beside her and places his hands on her shoulders, squeezing gingerly.

"What's on your mind?" he asks.

Anna frowns and closes her eyes, lifting a hand to cover one of his. The warmth of his skin is grounding. "Being Queen is exhausting. This will be a great opportunity for Arendelle but…" she trails off with another sigh.

"But what?" Kristoff prods, affectionately running a hand through her hair.

Anna's eyes flutter open and she purses her lips. "But how do I know whether they genuinely want to be allies with Arendelle or if they have ulterior motives? Prince Felix could just be another Hans in disguise."

Kristoff gives a thoughtful hum. "He could be another Hans or he could also be a genuine person. We don't really have a way of knowing. Just…follow your gut, whatever it tells you."

Anna purses her lips and snaps her eyes up to his. "I don't know what my gut is telling me, that's the problem!" she grumbles, rubbing her palm over her eyes. She sighs. "Elsa would know what to do…"

Kristoff doesn't reply right away. His brows furrow in thought. After a moment, he shifts and kneels in front of her, resting his hands on her knees. When he looks up at her, Anna gets lost in the molten brown of his eyes. The love and support she feels is overwhelming. For a moment, she wonders if she even deserves it.

"You're right. Elsa would know what to do. But, you're not Elsa," Kristoff tells her. Anna's heart sinks at his words and her eyes water. But before she can croak out a reply, he continues. "You don't have to be Elsa to make good judgements. Elsa was a great queen, but so are you. Just because you handle things differently doesn't mean that you're doing everything wrong. The people look up to you and you take care of them. Anna, you're caring and kind. Sure, you're a little clumsy and wear your heart on your sleeve, but that's what makes you a great Queen. The people need someone as down to earth as you to help them through hard times."

At the end of Kristof's speech, Anna sniffs and wipes away a stray tear. Her heart feels a little lighter after his speech. "How do you know exactly what to say to make me feel better?" she asks.

Kristoff gives her a crooked smile. "I may be a rough around the edges mountain man, but when it comes to you, I'm an expert," he chuckles.

Anna pulls him into a hug, burying her face into his chest.

"Thank you, I needed that," she murmurs, voice muffled by the wool of his shirt.

Kristoff's wraps his arms around her, rubbing her back in a soothing manner. He kisses her crown.

"Anything you need and I'll be here to provide it," he says into her hair.

Anna sighs and closes her eyes, melting into his embrace. After a minute, she wrinkles her nose and pulls away. "You need a shower," she comments, pinching her nose shut.

"I just took one this morning!" he exclaims.

"Well, you need another one. I can't have you stinking up the council room and scaring away our important guests with your impenetrable reindeer stench."

"You've got to be kidding me," Kristoff groans.


Later that afternoon, when Prince Felix and his entourage are settled in, they decide on a meeting time. Anna sits in her study, pen in one hand and a document in the other. Her eyes flicker to the clock for the umpteenth time in the past two minutes.

Even though she has an entire hour before her meeting with Prince Felix, she can't help but wish it was over. She doesn't know how long she can survive with her stomach doing painful somersaults. Her lunch still remains untouched on her desk.

Anna bites her lip and re-reads the same paragraph. She can't even remember what the report is about.

After another minute of unsuccessful productivity, she slams the paper on her desk with an aggravated growl and falls back against her chair. She crosses her arms and stares at the ceiling, mentally counting down from ten and taking deep breaths.

By the time she's finishing a fifth round of counting, a soft knock sounds on her door. Anna sits up and clears her throat.

"Come in!" she calls, hoping she sounds more confident than she feels.

When Kai steps in and greets her, a flutter of nervousness fills her being and her pulse races.

"Is it time already?" Anna asks.

Kai shakes his head. "No m'am, not yet. I just wanted to inform you that they are being escorted to the council room as we speak. However, you have plenty of time before they're ready for you."

Anna nods, exhaling softly. She sits up straighter and folds her hands in her lap just like how she's seen Elsa do a million times. No matter what Prince Felix is here for on behalf of his father, the King of Britain, she has to manifest every ounce of confidence and assertiveness that she can get. In the back of her mind, Anna wonders if Elsa ever felt this nervous before important diplomatic meetings with foreigners. Then again, in the three years her sister ruled, never has she had a surprise visit from a big European country.

"Thank you, Kai. Alert me when it's time, please," she tells him.

Kai nods, gives a curt bow of his head, and leaves.

Once the door is shut behind him, Anna slumps in her chair with a stressed sigh. The document she's been looking over for the last few minutes now lays forgotten in a pile on her desk. She can't bring herself to have the motivation to finish reading, not when she's so anxious about the meeting with Prince Felix.

Anna has gone over various scenarios in her head. He wants an alliance, but why? He mentioned recent events, but that could be a plethora of things. Did he mean Elsa's accidental Winter? The Great Flood that Elsa saved Arendelle from or even when they freed the Enchanted Forest from the mist? He could have meant all of those things or none of them. And even if it was about the Enchanted Forest, why would Britain want to ally with Arendelle? What would they benefit from it?

Anna leans forward, resting her elbows on the dark oak of her desk. Her head falls into her hands. She closes her eyes and releases a frustrated growl, which is muffled by her palms. She doesn't know how long she sits like that, scrubbing her face and sighing before Kai returns to inform her that it's time.

Slowly, she stands. Her stomach turns as she takes the first step. Kai leads her to the council room and she doesn't even realize that they approached the doors until she hears him announce her arrival. When Anna enters the room, all of the men stand.

Anna tries not to frown or show how uncomfortable the formal protocol makes her. Why couldn't everyone just skip the formalities and get straight to the point? A memory comes to the forefront of her mind. She's said the same thing to Elsa right before her sister's abdication. Elsa's response was in the form of a light, amused chuckle followed by a 'Of course you don't like formalities. Anna, you have a rare soul and a passionate heart, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.'

To this day, Anna still isn't entirely sure what her sister meant. Elsa also informed her that such protocol was a traditional sign of respect. Which is understandable, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't make her feel any less uncomfortable.

The men in the room don't retake their seats until Anna settles into her own. She sits up straight with her head held high, shoulders back, and her hands in her lap. She prays that her stature alone is enough to make her appear more confident than she feels.

Kristoff, seated to her right, catches her eye and gives her a reassuring smile. At this, Anna returns the smile with a soft, yet genuine one of her own before she turns to address the room.

"Gentlemen," she greets. "Let's get started shall we?" Her eyes scan the room, taking in her audience before they settle upon Prince Felix. She gestures to him. "Prince Felix, why don't you start by explaining to my councilmen the purpose of your trip to Arendelle?"

Prince Felix draws his shoulders back and gives Anna a respectful dip of his head. "First, I want to thank you, Your Majesty, for taking my men and I in on such short notice. I know from experience that a Queen's time is limited and we are grateful that you cleared your schedule for us," he starts. At his pause, the Arendellian council exchange glances. "As you know, King George of Great Britain asked me to sail to Arendelle in his steed on a diplomatic mission. We are interested in forming a strong and unique alliance with the Kingdom of Arendelle."

When he finishes, a low wave of murmurs erupt throughout the room. Anna keeps her hands on her lap, hidden beneath the table, and digs her fingers into the fabric of her dress. She doesn't know she's been holding her breath until she catches Kristoff's eye, who subtly gestures for her to take a breath. She does. The tension releases.

She can do this.

Anna holds up a commanding hand and the room silences. All eyes turn to her, but her gaze is locked onto Prince Felix.

"What would this alliance entail, Your Highness? What can the small portly Kingdom of Arendelle even offer a great country such as Britain?" Anna asks incredulously. Her heart hammers in her chest and she inhales. When she exhales, the tension leaves her body again. How did Elsa do this almost every day?

Prince Felix smiles at her and he nods. "I'm glad you asked, Your Majesty. Due to recent events such as your sister's Eternal Winter followed by freeing a so-called Enchanted Forest, it's caused quite a stir in all of Europe," he tells her, pausing to let his words sink in before he continues. "My father has no intention of ignoring such events nor does he want to make enemies of Arendelle in any way. In fact, there's various reasons as to why a union between Great Britain and Arendelle would be beneficial and unique for both parties."

Anna raises a brow. Her lips twitch into a frown. One of her hands rest on the table now, tapping the smooth surface with a nail. She hates beating around the bush. Why can't he just get to the point? What does he want?

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but my time is limited. So please, get to the point. How would a union between your country and mine be beneficial for both and what kind of union are we talking about?" Anna presses.

The corners of Felix's lips twitch and it looks like he's holding back a chuckle at her words. "Very well, I'll get straight to the point. Arendelle has a variety of timber and wood-pulp, not to mention a flourishing ice and seafood business. Your ships are also engineered to conquer the most vast and vicious of oceans. Great Britain would be interested in trading for Arendelle's timber and engineering expertise. In return, my kingdom will offer glass, iron, and anything else Arendelle needs to flourish," he tells her.

Anna chews on her lower lip, taking it all in. It's a lot that they want from Arendelle, but an alliance with Great Britain would improve the economy in ways that she couldn't even imagine. She'll have to reconvene with her councilors over the details another time, but this offer seems almost too good to be true. Which means, the prince isn't telling her everything; and that's what makes Anna hesitant.

"I see," she finally says. She takes a deep breath to calm the rapid beating of her heart. "This is an intriguing offer, if you don't mind I would like to take the time this week to talk it over with my council. In the meantime, how does your father plan on sealing an alliance?"

For the first time since this meeting started, Prince Felix hesitates. However, he presses on. "Your Majesty, my father believes that the best way to seal such an alliance would be through marriage."

Anna blinks, surprise is clear on her face and she glances at Kristoff then to the engagement ring on her left hand. She clears her throat. "My apologies, Prince Felix, but I'm already betrothed," she informs him.

Confusion crosses Felix's face for a split second before he understands her meaning and he laughs lightly, shaking his head. "Oh, of course I don't intend to ask for your already taken hand. You should have received my father's letter congratulating you on your engagement," he replies.

Now Anna is even more confused. There's no one else that the prince could possibly marry. "Then…who?"

"Queen Anna," Prince Felix starts, capturing her attention in the shift of seriousness in his tone. "The King wants me, the crown prince of Great Britain, to ask for Princess Elsa's hand in marriage."

His words send Anna's heart plummeting to her stomach as the rest of the room gasps and murmurs. The idea of it makes her nauseous. She threads her fingers together atop of the table to prevent herself from doing anything stupid. Her knuckles are white from the pressure.

"Absolutely not!" Anna gasps, her voice echoing across the table. "Elsa's hand is not an option."

Now it's Prince Felix's turn to look confused. "Is she already betrothed?" he asks.

Anna finds herself tongue-tied, backed into a corner. "Well…n-no but—"

"Then she is an available maiden, is she not?"

Anna jumps to her feet. The force of the motion tips her chair over behind her. The echo of the crash silences the room.

Wide eyes stare at her, but her eyes are burning as she glares at Prince Felix.

"Regardless of her status, Elsa's hand is not available for marriage! This meeting is over," Anna growls. Without another word, she swivels on her feet and storms out of the council room.

Her eyes are blurry as she rushes down the hallway. She hears someone call after her but she ignores them. Instead, she lets her legs take her wherever they need to.

It's not long before she finds herself standing outside of Elsa's room. With a tear rolling down her cheek, she turns the knob and pushes the door open. When she steps inside, the door slams behind her.

The room is tidy. Just like how her sister always kept it. The bed is made and a book sits on the nightstand; the only sign that Elsa had been there less than a week ago.

Anna makes her way to the bed and sits down. Her hands fall uselessly in her lap and she stares down at them. Her heart is still racing, but her mind is numb.

She took a vow to always do what's best for Arendelle, but here she is, breaking it. Anna knows that refusing to marry off Elsa would be best for her sister, but would it be best for Arendelle?

A choked sob escapes her and she covers her face with her hands. She feels terrible for even thinking such a thing.

Elsa abdicated the throne so that she can be the other half of the bridge that Arendelle and the Enchanted Forest needs. Her sister is finally free and happy doing what she was born to do.

Elsa has already sacrificed so much of herself for Arendelle that Anna would be damned if she traded her off to what would likely be another cage; just disguised in a marriage, a loveless one.

Anna sniffs, steeling herself. She dries her eyes and presses her lips into a thin line. No matter what happens, she won't give in. She'll never give them Elsa's hand in marriage. Her sister's happiness depends on it. She's already lost Elsa once and she won't lose her again.

"She can't ever know," Anna whispers into the dark room. Her voice echoes off the walls, it's so soft that it sends a shiver down her spine.

If Elsa were to find out, Anna knows that she wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice her future for Arendelle. It's in her sister's nature. She won't allow it to happen.

In the meantime, she'll have to stall Prince Felix and convince him that an alliance with Arendelle won't be as beneficial for Great Britain as he thinks it is; or rather, that a union with Elsa won't be worth it. It's a tall undertaking, but Anna's willing to try. For Elsa.

In the back of her mind, Anna wonders how Elsa fended off her own suitors.

The thought doesn't have time to formulate further when she hears a soft knock on the door. She lifts her head as the knob turns and isn't surprised to see Kristoff step in.

He offers her a tiny smile when he closes the door behind him. "Hey," he greets, the whisper of his deep voice is soothing.

Anna tries to return the smile, but fails. "Hey…" she trails off, her own voice floats between them in the empty space.

Kristoff crosses the room until he's sitting next to her on the bed. The slow, heavy dip in the mattress grounds her and she allows her head to fall onto his shoulder. He doesn't say anything. Instead, he wraps an arm around her.

Anna closes her eyes when she feels the hot burn of tears again.

Kristoff's hand squeezes her arm and pulls her in closer. The motion is all too much and she finds herself crying softly on his shoulder.

He doesn't move. He just sits there and lets her cry her eyes out, running his hand along her arm in a soothing manner.

"I-I don't know what to do!" Anna finally gasps. She hiccups as more tears cut down her cheeks. "An alliance would be fantastic for Arendelle, but I don't want to sacrifice Elsa's happiness for it. I'll pay any price but that. She's already sacrificed so much…"

"I know, Anna. Believe me, I know," Kristoff whispers to her. He leans over and places a soft kiss on her crown. "And I agree with you."

Anna wipes her eyes with the fabric of her sleeve. "Y-You do?" she asks, voice small.

She feels Kristoff nod.

"Besides, alliances through marriage are overrated aren't they?" he jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

It works. Anna breathes out a watery laugh.

"Way too overrated. And stupid. I mean, mother and father married for love. We're marrying for love. Why can't Elsa?" she argues.

"Exactly."

They sit in silence after that. Anna's cries die down to sniffles. She feels numb and tired.

"Kristoff?" she calls, breaking the silence. A noncommittal grunt tells her that he's listening. "Am I doing the right thing?"

At her question, Kristoff pulls her in closer. "Of course you are."

Even though he didn't hesitate in his answer, Anna still isn't sure.

She sighs and closes her eyes, leaning her head against Kristoff's chest. She listens to the steady beating of his heart. Its rhythmic sound grounds her; and, coupled with his hand rubbing her back, she begins to grow drowsy.

It when she begins to doze off that she hears a familiar chirp in the distance.

Anna jolts up. Her head collides with Kristoff's nose, who recoils with a grunt. She races to the window and pushes it open.

"Gale!" she calls, feeling her heart in her throat. "Oh thank goodness. Is Elsa okay? Did she send a letter?"

The wind spirit breezes past her, carrying flecks of sparkling snow with it, then swirls around her. A paper airplane soars through its playful winds until Anna reaches up to pluck it from its grasp.

As soon as she has it in her hands, Anna unfolds the paper airplane. Her eyes rove over the contents of the letter, taking in every word and detail of Elsa's elegant handwriting. As she reads, everything in the room falls away.

She doesn't realize she has a vice grip on the paper until Kristoff lays a hand on her shoulder and calls her name, breaking her out of her trance.

"What?" Anna asks, snapping her head up.

Kristoff blinks and frowns. He glances at the letter in her hands before turning his attention back to her. "Are you okay? I called you like five times," he tells her.

Anna clenches her jaw. Her eyes shift back to the letter in her hands. Her heart slams against her chest like a battering ram and she paces across the room and back. She can feel Kristoff's eyes on her, but is grateful that he doesn't say anything else. Unlike her, he's patient, she's thankful for that.

"I knew something fishy was going on!" she finally growls, slamming the letter down on the nightstand.

"Uh…what's going on?" Kristoff asks. "Is everything alright?"

"No! Nothing's alright and it's all Prince Felix's fault!" Anna snaps. Her nails dig into the surface of the nightstand as she hunches over the letter, reading it over and over again. "Or, at least, his father's fault. I don't know, but I knew I couldn't trust the British!"

Kristoff gently takes her by the shoulders and turns her around. She tenses in his grip, seething. Her jaw clenches and she curls her hands into fists at her sides to prevent herself from punching a hole in the wall.

"Hey, hey…take a deep breath. In and out," he encourages her.

She listens to his instructions, inhaling then exhaling. He instructs her again. She slowly feels the tension leave her body.

"There you go. Now, tell me what's going on because I'm starting to feel like I'm lost in the woods again and I can't help you if you don't tell me anything," Kristoff tells her.

Anna takes another deep breath, then explains to him in the simplest of terms, "The British army has taken up camp in the Enchanted Forest."

"What?!"

Anna pulls away and throws her hands in the air. "I know! I'm going to punch Prince Felix and tell him to take his shitty proposal and shove it where the sun doesn't shine!" she growls, seeing red.

"Well, I'm pretty sure that won't go over well," Kristoff says dryly.

Anna shoots him a glare.

Kristoff raises his hands in surrender. "What I'm saying is…we can still do that, but without the punching part," he says, then pauses and adds. "And the vulgar words."

Anna deflates and falls back onto the bed. She drapes an arm over her eyes.

She remains like that in silence.

It's only when she feels weight beside her on the bed that she speaks up again, voice small, "Kristoff? What am I going to do?"

He's quiet for a minute. Then, "…I don't know."