Late-March, 1851

Halsten Castle,

The Southern Isles

"That's my darling, drink up all Mama's good milk." She brushed a kiss to the baby's forehead; the family had escaped to Halsten Castle at the beginning of March during another 'diplomatic' visit to the Isles- two days earlier, Sofia had turned a year, and the family had celebrated with a small celebration. Once the babe had finished nursing, Elsa laid her down for an early morning nap before joining her family at the breakfast table.

Over breakfast, she and Hans listened quietly to the conversation as Milla, having turned six the previous November, asked if they could go hunting for mermaids in the waters off the beach that morning; her brother quickly retorted that mermaids would not be on the beaches, because they didn't want to be seen by humans. At five, Annes had come more into his own; though still quiet, he stood up to Milla more- despite the closeness of he and his sister. It wasn't uncommon to see the two oldest of the king and queen's children chasing each other about Halsten or Jannicke, or playing games such as Jacks or, if the weather was nice, outside playing Blind Man's Bluff, of which Hans and Anna- and even Elsa, if she felt like it- joined in.

It was one of the things she loved about their getaways; for a few days, they forgot the stresses of their reigns and the strain on their marriage caused by their separation, and were just parents. Parents who played with their children and talked with them, who read stories and tucked them in at night, who were Mama and Papa and nothing more-

"Papa?" Hans set his cup down, turning to his oldest.

"Yes, Milla?"

"May we go riding today? Please?" Her husband glanced at her, before turning back to his daughter with a thoughtful expression.

"I don't know if we can, Milla. It depends on the weather-"

"But it's sunny out-"

"But that could very well change. It could snow." He cut her off, taking a bite of his toast. The little girl furrowed a brow in confusion, before turning to her mother. It was then that it clicked, as she looked between her parents.

"Papa, that's not funny!" Hans chuckled softly.

She turned at the soft touch, to see a young steward by her side. "Oh, I'm sorry." He smiled softly at her, holding out a letter. She took it, bidding him a soft thank you. Once he was gone, she turned her attention to the missive. She recognized the seal but couldn't remember where she'd seen it before, absentmindedly breaking the seal, glancing over the wording briefly as she sipped her coffee.

Her gaze darted back to the beginning, and after a moment, she quickly set her cup down, gaze skimming over each word. "Darling, what is it?" She looked up, to find herself the focus of everyone at the breakfast table. "Eliza? What's wrong?"

"Ah..." She stopped, thinking. "Q... Queen Victoria of Britain wishes to... form an alliance."

"With Arendelle?" Anna asked, buttering her toast and taking a bite.

"With Arendelle and the Southern Isles." Her husband froze mid-sip, as his wife stood, coming to his side. She held out the letter, and he glanced at her before accepting it, setting his cup down.

... Queen Victoria requests an audience with their Royal Majesties, Queen Iduna Elisabeth of Arendelle and King Johannes Christian of the Southern Isles to create an alliance...

"She wishes to meet with both of us." He shifted, turning to meet her gaze at her soft words. "Should we, dearest?"

He reached up, gently thumbing her bottom lip. "The most powerful leader of Scandinavia, creating an alliance with the most powerful leader of the British Isles?" He smiled softly. "It would be the strongest alliance in the Western World."

She reached up, catching his hand and holding it to her lips. "You're wrong, dearest, it would be the two most powerful leaders of Scandinavia. Just because the Isles do not possess same amount of land Arendelle does, doesn't mean she is not strong in her own right. She has a strong king to guide her into the future." She kissed his knuckles again, her voice soft. "We really are building a dynasty, aren't we?"

He folded the letter, handing it back to his wife as he shifted to face her. "A dynasty requires alliances, my love. An alliance as strong as this will only strengthen our legacy."

The response was returned quickly; both the King of the Isles and the Queen of Arendelle would be honored to meet with the British royals, and after Elsa and Hans informed their respective councils, the family's venture was underway. Victoria knew the queen had children, and had requested they come as well, to meet her children, and of course, Anna came, for the queen requested to meet the young princess.

The voyage was long, yet the seas calm, and as the children spent time with Anna in the cabins, getting used to the water, Elsa came on deck to enjoy the air. Leaning against the railing, she let her thoughts wander; the last time she had stood upon the deck with seas this calm had been her wedding day, when she'd married Hans in a secret ceremony upon the deck of the Vinterrose, back in May of eighteen-forty-one. She had been so young back then, and couldn't possibly conceive of the turns her life would take-

"Certainly brings back memories, doesn't it?" She smiled softly as she felt her husband's arms slide around her from behind. He kissed her head, resting his cheek atop her head with a sigh. "Nearly ten years since we spoke those vows."

"Two months." She agreed, turning to face him. "Could you possibly have imagined we would be here in ten years? Four children, two kingdoms, and one of the strongest alliances in the history of either of our countries?"

He chuckled softly, turning his gaze to hers. "It never crossed my mind." He leaned down, kissing her softly. "I only knew that I stood upon that deck and was soon to marry the love of my life. And from that moment on, no matter the struggles we've faced, I've never been happier." She giggled softly, nuzzling her nose against his before he pulled away. "Come on." She let him tug her away from the railing; as they made their way back below decks, they found their children, as well as Anna, all sound asleep thanks to the gentle rocking of the ship.

Once they'd slipped into the king's private quarters, she tugged him towards the bed. He followed without a fuss, removing his boots before he joined her. Once settled, Elsa climbed onto the bed beside him, shifting until she was curled up next to him. "Of everything, I miss this the most, dearest."

He chuckled softly, brushing a tender kiss to her head. "I couldn't agree more, darling."

When Captain Frej knocked softly later on, opening the door to remind them of dinner, he stopped at the sight before him. He'd known the young king since he was a mere boy, when he had reached the age of service for all young men of the royal family, Frej had taken him on, and that love of the sea that surrounded his homeland the boy possessed only grew. Until he met a certain blonde...

The queen did wonders for the king, that much was certain. She challenged him, forced him to think, to step out of what was comfortable, and taught him to look at everything with fresh eyes. And he calmed her down, got her to see reason and to weigh her impulses before she reacted. They certainly balanced each other out, not just in how they ruled, but their marriage and how they raised their children.

It was one meal; he would make sure there were plates left for them after. Besides, the more sleep they got, the faster the voyage would fly by. And so he quietly shut the door behind him, leaving the Queen of Arendelle curled up on the King of the Southern Isles chest, both sound asleep.