Bonds of Frost

by InfiniteDragon

Dominic Alders (OC) is just a normal guard, a normal man, a normal soldier, a normal spy. Until chance alone leads him to become one of the most important people in the life of Arendelle's future Queen... and her sister. And several other people. An OC Elsa-Harem romance with a D/s and light-mid BDSM twist, slow build, realistic mythology and magic, and a mostly original plot. NSFW

1. Chapter 1: Hearing Things

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This chapter IS LONG compared to the rest, about 31 pages as I write them (I average 6-8, which is about a standard novel chapter in paperback format). They won't all be this long, though the first couple are.
Oh, and enjoy!

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Bonds of Frost

An Elsa x OC (notSI) x Anna HaremFic

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Chap. 1: Hearing Things

Dominic Alders stared at the plain white door with his mouth hanging open. Did I really hear... that?

He wasn't truly certain. The noise, faint and muffled through the door besides, was similar to something he would hear frequently in his youth and less frequently as his parents aged. But no one was inside the suite of rooms past the door. It was his job to check the rooms for assassins, kidnappers, and thieves before she entered. Even if his charge and employer only left the room once or twice a week to visit the library and select new books to read. Dominic, not a betting man, would happily put out any amount of money he could afford that he was one of only five people in the entire castle that had actually seen his charge in the last two years.

Most of the castle's once-vast staff were long gone, having drifted off for more guaranteed payment (not that he thought the coffers were running low by any means), or more... safe employment.

One would think, he sometimes told himself, that working for a queen-apparent princess would be fairly safe, what with the guards and soldiers at her beck and call. And it's not like the princess' moods are extreme, or anything.

In fact, Dominic could recall the number of times she had even raised her voice in the past two years, since his employment began, on three fingers. All of those had been at the knocking and calls of the kingdom's other princess, his charge's younger sister.

Once, he might have wondered why. But before he had left his home to join the castle's guard (and unofficially act as his great-uncle, the King of Lansington's eyes and ears in the allied country), he had been educated about what his distantly-related sovereign had known.

The eldest child of the Arendelle royal line had inherited strange powers at the moment of her birth. From where those powers came, no one seemed to know. Rumors and gossip told that on occasion, the princess would spend hours shut up in a room with her mother, and that passers-by could occasionally hear strange talk of magic. It wasn't unheard of in any realm that Dominic knew of, of course, but actual magic manifesting in a human was rare. Feared, if only because it made those who wielded it both an enigma and so powerful compared to the average soldier, much less commoner.

One year into his tour, promoted through back-door political machinations on his king's and father's part, and his own rather high level of skill in combat had left Dominic not just a simple guard, but a lieutenant in the princess' personal guard, one of two second only to the Captain of the Guard. Never mind that he was a foreigner, he was distantly related to several families in Arendelle, and his skills (due to expensive and extensive training in his youth) had earned Dominic the spot after its previous occupant had fled from 'that strange witch-princess'.

Personally, Dominic didn't think she was very strange. Sure, the girl had been a little weird when they had met, she at eighteen and he at seventeen, but he had quickly learned that he never saw her for two reasons: The first and least was that her parents had just died, and she was in mourning. The second was far more important and relevant: she did, in fact, wield some sort of magic. He'd first seen it as ice growing from beneath the gap in the door, freezing the teal carpet he stood upon, accompanied by fervent prayers to whatever gods would listen to take away 'this curse'.

That night, in unseasonably late spring, it had snowed four inches. Not that unusual for the northerly country, but it was hardly common, either.

Similar situations repeated throughout the years, and he had even felt a distinct chilly frostiness in the air despite the fire and torches that flanked the guard-post he was manning a few feet down the hall from the door that led into the princess' chambers after the worst of the arguments between the royal sisters.

It wasn't like the guard and spy didn't understand both points of view, either. It was obvious to him, to anyone that ever heard both, that the sisters had once been very close (the younger made it quite clear in fact, that she felt she'd lost out on a friend and sister both after their parents had been lost at sea), and that they missed each other terribly. They were both hurt and hurting, and the continued isolation only made it worse.

But he understood why the heir was reluctant to be seen by anyone, especially someone for whom her own emotions ran so high. Her emotions were very clearly linked to her 'curse'.

No one that remained in the castle talked about it. In fact, the one time he'd brought it up to the butler, the older gentleman had taken him into a nearby scullery cupboard and nearly choked the life out of him while hissing, "Silence! No mention of- of the m-word. Not at all! No one can know. Anna especially can not hear it!"

Anna, the younger princess. She of the clumsy but energetic appeal, intrusive good cheer, with her adorable freckles and bright red hair, looked like she could have been from Lansington or Corona. It wasn't that unusual either, for he knew that Agnarr, the princess' father, was related to both the previous king and queen of Corona, and their daughter before she had gone missing. I think they're related to my family, too, now that I think of it, but that's a long way back.

That had been the end of any discussion about the princess' strange magic, however. Now, there were only four or five maids left aside from the head maid and cook, the butler, the stable-master, and two other liveried assistants that filled multiple tasks to keep up a castle that had once housed a live-in staff numbering in the hundreds.

The guards had dropped off significantly, too. He'd read reports that before the king and queen's demise, they had kept a standing force of three hundred guards and soldiers around the city and castle of Arendelle. Now, he suspected there were about a hundred twenty-five, both to patrol the streets and guard the walls, watch posts, and castle. The surrounding villages only had a few soldiers each, despite the dangers of the wilds in a country this untamed and rough.

Honestly, Dominic felt it was a pitiable state of affairs, but he knew full well the princess could not yet do anything about it. She was yet too young to take the throne without the expressed wish of her father the king, and so acted as regent in her own kingdom. As regent, she was bound by law, her own family's law, not to increase funding or drastically change the make-up of the military or its disposition- that was left to generals.

Of which there were precisely none, as no one but a sitting sovereign could promote someone to that position, and the last had died a mere month after King Agnarr and Queen Idunna had perished.

If she could change the law or add provisions, that would help, Dominic mused as the sound repeated itself again, slightly louder, shaking him from his thoughts.

"What is it?" he whispered to the empty hall. It was dark and quiet throughout the castle. Even the night-time patrols had largely gone by the wayside, and he suspected that he was the only guard awake outside those posted on the gates, where it was too cold at night even in the height of summer to sleep.

Predictably, there was no answer aside from the faint pop of the torch to his right, opposite the door.

"Better go see what it is," he muttered, then stepped forward, reaching for his ceremonial glaive as he did so. It wasn't going to be very effective against an assassin, of course, but he was being overly-cautious. That's what his side-arm was for, anyway.

Outside the door, Dominic's head tilted as the sound repeated, only marginally more clear five feet closer. A whimper, perhaps, or a moan.

Not unusual once again, he knew, for the princess had semi-frequent nightmares. He'd been told in no uncertain terms that those were to be ignored, no matter how violent they might seem. He was not, under any circumstances, to enter the princess' chambers unless he suspected there was a threat to her life.

Which was why, after listening to silence and his own breathing for more than a minute, he had turned, about to head back to his post, when the next noise caused his heart to leap into his throat.

A higher-pitched one, almost as if from pain.

In an instant, Dominic made a flash decision of the kind very few people can ever manage to do. He knew that summoning guards and assistance would alert the threat to his presence and awareness. Their plans would be rushed, sloppy work would be done, and the princess' life would be in far greater danger than it was now. Assassins were out of the question, because they would've already killed her, not let her keep whimpering.

The door was not locked, it never really was. Anna could have simply barged into her sister's room at any time, if only she was not so... polite. Respectful of her sister's wishes, maybe. Whatever the reason, he knew he could go in, and the door opened with nary a click as he readied his pole-arm and pushed his way inside.

Darkness. The sitting room, one he had only seen when inspecting the rooms for hidden enemies during daylight hours, was lit only by the stars and moon, half-hidden by a cloudy sky. It was getting brighter, though, the clouds moving by and sending a bright shaft of silver light angling onto the larger of the couches and the table between it and two reading chairs across from it.

A door to the right, he knew was a privy and washroom, similar but mirrored to Anna's in another wing of the castle. To the left was her bedchamber. That's where she'd be at this time of night.

He crossed the fifteen feet in just a few seconds and fewer long strides, and did not hesitate at the door.

It flew open with a crash, the pole-arm leveled for a thrust at the back of whomever, whatever, he would find threatening the reclusive princess, a shout of alarm on his lips to both surprise and alert.

The alarm died with little more than a peep escaping his mouth, and he slid to a halt on the carpet, his polished black boots slipping in his sudden haste, and Dominic's eyes widened painfully at what he saw.

It was not a threat to his charge.

Instead, the white-blonde hair of Elsa, Princess of Arendelle was splayed out wildly across her soft-looking pillows, while her blankets were shoved down around bare, pale-white feet. A think silken nightshirt was bunched scandalously high around her, just below her breasts in fact. That was not what caught most of the young man's attention, however.

It was the positioning of the woman's hands. One was inside said nightshirt, glowing faintly in the moonlight that came stronger now through the wide-open curtains, clearly cupping one of the princess' breasts, and the other was buried between her legs, which had both knees canted up and open.

Was... was she just...?

There was no movement in him, nor in her. In fact, it took several seconds of staring (and covert memorization, he would later admit) for Dominic to realize that while he was staring at his mostly-nude charge, she was most certainly staring back at him, her brilliant blue eyes wide in surprise.

"Er... Sorry. Thought- thought it, was, a, um... a, you know, a- a kid- kidnapper," he stammered uncharacteristically.

Then, without a further word, Dominic adjusted his stance to attention and spun on his heel in the most strict posture he could manage while his face quickly heated to something akin to that of baking bread. He barely managed to cross the threshold when Elsa Arendelle's cool, one might even say frosty, voice rang out, "The door, please."

He swallowed, then took a half-step back without turning, and reached blindly for the door, fumbling twice in his nervousness. Once it clicked shut behind him, a loud, very frustrated-sounding sigh met his ears next, forcing another gulp past the still-expanding lump that seemed to be not just his heart, but a lung and possibly his pancreas as well bunching in his throat. He quickly took another step while his mind buzzed with the implications of what he had seen, before forcing himself to clear his mind, temporarily at least, while he returned to his post.

Once there, in the quiet of the night, he unfortunately had nothing better to do than dwell on what he had heard, what he had seen.

Too much, he acknowledged, too much by far. If I'm lucky, she'll exile me back home, which means King Godric will have to get another spy up here. If I'm unlucky, she'll arrest me and have me hung for seeing that.

Yet, a traitorous, rather large part of himself could only think, as a smile sprouted and began to slowly grow, It was worth it, though. She's... so perfect. I've always thought she was beautiful, but seeing that much of her... and she does that sort of thing, too? She's a normal enough woman then, I guess, magic or no, princess or no. I never suspected, but... it makes sense.

He barely remembered to wipe the smirk off his face twenty minutes later when the door opened with a soft click. The images of his charge's body, indistinct but even more bared to his imagination's eyes than he had already seen, dancing for his pleasure vanished into haze and mist as the much more clothed, yet still nightshirt-clad object of his thoughts stood, red-faced as he was, in the doorway. "We should talk."

She did not wait for an answer. Instead, Elsa only turned around and returned to her chambers, leaving the door open in a clear, if utterly surprising, invitation.

No one ever actually entered her room. The princess was famous in the castle for doing her own cleaning as far as that went. She was seen picking up and setting down the dishes from her meals by the day-watch and occasionally by Dominic for the latter at dinner if she forgot to eat for a bit, and on her once-a-week trips to the castle's library, for which the staff had long been instructed to clear every hall in advance. She saw no one but the butler, Handel, the head maid, Hilda, who was Handel's sister, and her guards. Usually, for the library trips, Dominic himself.

Anna probably didn't even know about the hours-long journeys, which was probably also why Elsa made them late at night most of the time. The red-headed princess was very well known to be a deep, heavy sleeper.

Those thoughts occupied Dominic's mind in lieu of more dangerous (no matter how relevant to his continued survival) ones as he entered the chambers again, this time without his glaive. Better not to appear a threat, he reasoned, if the woman did indeed have the powers she suspected.

Again, Elsa surprised him by her position and posture. She was not threatening, and did not appear to be angry, though he thought he noticed a faint tremble in her hands that belied the carefully-schooled expression. Yet, her cheeks still burned with red, and he suspected his did as well.

"The fire, please," she pointed as his shadow filled the doorway. Her own turned away to face the casement, leaving her to look out toward the valley to the east and about half of her capitol city, small though it was, while he used the still-warm coals to re-light new tinder and the last few pieces of firewood. Once it was going strong a minute or two later, he stood back up to face his charge, who was still looking out the window with her arms beneath her chest. She now wore a thicker house-coat over her nightgown, but the silken, semi-sheer material was visible for a few inches past it, and did not quite cover the woman's knees. My mother would call just seeing this a scandal, Dominic inwardly snorted.

And now I'm using humor to hide my fear from myself. If she wanted me dead, I'd be an icicle against the wall or something. If she's that strong. People sure are scared of what she could do, though.

"It's, um, lit, your highness."

"I can see that," he heard Elsa said coolly, and he lifted his gaze to look at her in surprise. She was looking over her shoulder at him, a wry sort of half-smile twisting her expression pleasantly. It was only a second later, after she tapped the glass, that he realized his reflection was plainly visible to her, as hers was to him.

"Sit," Elsa gestured with a hand as she turned, pointing toward one of the chairs. He swallowed, then stood next to it as she crossed around the couch. "Sit," she repeated, with a little more force.

"I, um, I was taught by my parents not to sit before a lady," he murmured quietly, feeling the burning in his cheeks return.

Elsa actually snorted. Snorted, like some wild horse or maybe even pig, before frowning. "While I am Princess-Regent, we are in a sitting room, and we are going to talk. So sit, Mr. Alders."

It was the command, yes, but also that Elsa actually knew his name that had him obeying without a moment's thought.

Once he had done so, Elsa took the last few steps, then smoothed her coat before primly sitting on the couch with her hands crossed on her lap and began watching him.

Breathe, perhaps, or look back at her, confused, or try to keep his eyes from straying down her graceful cheek and jaw-line to her slender neck, and gods above no, not any lower to the hint of cleavage, or the swell around...

"I require your silence about what you saw, Mr. Alders."

He swallowed. "Er... I... hadn't planned on telling any- anyone."

One of Elsa's silver-white eyebrows rose smoothly, while the other barely twitched. An impressive display, one that Dominic's father had mastered but that he could not pull off at all. "Good, but I require a little more than your word. I know who you report to."

He swallowed. "R- Report, Your Highness?"

She nodded smoothly, then looked away, toward the fire. For several seconds, she only watched the flames dance and slowly grow. "I knew within a week of your appointment at the gates, and knew fully before you reached your rank. I don't object, it isn't like Arendelle doesn't have eyes and ears in other kingdoms as well. It's necessary."

He swallowed.

"As long as you continue to serve Arendelle, and therefore me, along with your previous home, I see no problems. We are allies, after all, and bound by much tradition and friendship stretching back generations."

Two, he knew, a whole two generations of peace. But that's longer than some treaties last, I suppose.

"I..."

She interrupted the moment he realized he didn't know what to say, "You understand the position I am in. You- you must know, by now, what I... am."

The last word was said so quietly that Dominic had to replay it four times in his mind before he was sure of what Elsa had been trying to say. He nodded slowly, firmly.

"You know that because of what I- I am, that people fear me if they know."

Again, he nodded, but for reasons he could not fathom, felt the need to add, "It's nonsense, but yes, I know."

The eyebrow quirked upward again, prompting another delay in the princess' response, "Think about what it would be like if, as heir to the throne of Arendelle, less scrupulous persons thought to use my abilities against their enemies through marriage. Or worse, that I was a threat that must be eliminated at any cost, including war. What would it mean for the royal line, if the oldest child never married, never produced an heir, because people were afraid of her?"

He nodded, "I- I understand. I think."

"My parents made it very clear when I was young," she said softly, looking back at him now, "that I was to tell no one. That I was only allowed to explain if someone found out accidentally, and that I was to do everything I could to figure out a way to control my- powers."

He nodded again.

"I have, thus far, failed at the second. You are my first explanation."

She went quiet, and to fill the void of uncomfortable silence more than anything else, he murmured, "Well, I'll let you know how that goes when we're done, shall I?"

Again, the soft lips twitched upwards into that same wry smile. "Please do. Will you, given the consequences for Arendelle, agree to keep my powers secret?"

He nodded at once, "Of course. I mean, my king- er, King Godric Lansington, already suspects. He- he knows you have magic of some sort, I've, uh... perhaps, maybe, intimated they were cold-related."

This time, he watched as the princess' eyes rolled very high indeed. "In other words, he knows everything you did until tonight- everything except me confirming it with my own mouth."

Another nod.

"It's alright," Elsa reminded him, "I- I know that he knew. When I first started checking into your background, he was the first person I sent a letter to. He was... most forthcoming. Pointed out that he knew who both of my spies in his kingdom were, and told me about you. As long as it's just Godric, I don't... well, I don't like it, but I can't do anything about it."

"I... I could stop. Er, not send him any more, um, details. If- if you wanted me to," Dominic offered, not entirely sure why. It would mean betraying his crown, his mission, and his family if he did so. And for what?

"I would appreciate that," Elsa nodded, "but the damage is done. If you were to refrain from any details about what you saw tonight... that I would appreciate."

"Erm... I, uh, had not planned on telling anyone that. To be honest, I'm surprised I'm not stuck to a wall or pierced through the heart right now."

At once, the smile came back as the princess' eyes narrowed slightly, "I haven't ruled it out. I... I have never in my life been so embarrassed."

"Nor I," he admitted quietly, and his cheeks heated once more to match hers.

Elsa took a long, deep breath and lifted her legs onto the couch as she spun to lean against the arm of the couch, facing the fire fully with her legs against her stomach in a most un-ladylike fashion that he found both vulnerable and endearing. "I cannot undo what is done. If you promise you will speak of it to no one, I will... forget that it happened, as much as I am able."

She didn't say I had to forget, he crowed inside, then tamped that victory-dancing, perverted part of himself down violently. "I- you have my word, Your Highness," he found himself saying instead.

"Good. The very last thing I need is more marriage proposals as people realize that, shut-in or not, I am an actual woman."

This time, Dominic found himself nearly mimicking her smile, and for a moment, the two simply looked at each other. Then, "That will be all, Mr. Alders. Have a pleasant night."

"Er, you too, Your Highness," he stammered as he stood, "Er, I mean, more, uh, pleasant. I won't, er, interrupt again."

To his surprise, as Elsa looked up at his now-standing form, she seemed strangely sad. "I... don't think I'll be trying again tonight. It never seems to work anyway."

At a true loss for how to respond to that, he repeated, "W- Well, good night, Your Highness," then walked to the door, shutting it quietly behind him this time.

---

For a little more than two weeks, Dominic went about his business in the castle on eggshells, feeling as if his entire purpose for being in Arendelle, and his life for the last two and a half years would come crashing down around him. It would all end at the whim of a petulant princess who he had- with only the best of intentions, mind- witnessed in a compromising position. Damn it, I thought she was being attacked, he constantly reminded himself.

Would it be the butler, Handel Bjornson, who delivered the news of his sacking and exile? Or would the guards simply come and arrest him, throw him in Arendelle's cold prison for the rest of his short, miserable life?

But as the days passed and none of those events happened, Dominic began to wonder. Was she... truly not that upset about it?

He'd... he'd clearly walked in on the princess... enjoying her private time.

Even now, he could barely bring himself to think the proper word for it, even as in the quiet hours of the morning after his normal night shifts were relieved and he was in his own quarters, alone, the memory sparked more than a few similar sessions of his own, no matter how guilty it made him feel afterward.

She's just so... so beautiful. I can't help thinking about it... about her. Even if I know I could never... She's the princess. She's going to be the queen. Even if I'm from a noble house, there's no way someone like me would stand a chance. I have three unwed brothers older than me, if it came down to it.

Those were the worst kinds of thoughts. In a way, Dominic would have preferred the swift arrest and execution to the knowledge that he was... unworthy.

Why do I even care, though? It's not like she's ever... expressed interest. She sits in her room all day, every day, unless she goes to the library. She never even really speaks to anyone, except through the door. Is she just that shy?

No, he realized after a moment's consideration. Elsa had not been shy that night. She had been surprised, a bit flustered, certainly embarrassed, but she had been calm and rational, had not hesitated or stuttered once that he could recall.

Shy was not how he would describe her. Unsure, possibly, but not shy. And she had reason to be unsure. Of his intentions, his character...

Of him in general, if he were honest with himself.

But no arrest came, no angry butler, not so much as a letter dismissing him from his post. Not even a slight reprimand.

Which was why, at the beginning of the third week since what he had started calling 'the incident' in his head, Dominic heard the door open just before the distant church-bells rang out the eleven o'clock hour, indicating the last ring of the night as the priest was heading for bed. "Mr. Alders?"

"Huh? Oh, y- yes, Your Highness. What can, I, uh, what can I do for you?"

"Are you... available to talk?"

He blinked, then glanced up and down the hall. No one was in sight, as usual for this time. His own watches were, by and large, solitary affairs, the only company his own thoughts and the hiss of the torches. "I- yes, of course, Your Highness."

"Good. Come inside."

He swallowed, then followed the woman's long plait as it swished into view and then moved, snake-like, back out of sight. When Dominic entered the increasingly-familiar sitting room, he found the princess once again at the window, closing the curtains, but she was not wearing the nightclothes he might have expected. In fact, she wasn't wearing a dress or skirts of any sort. She was wearing something akin to riding breeches, he thought, though seeing a woman in them was unusual even in this forward-thinking country. They hugged her thighs and calves fairly snugly, and were dyed a deep blue, almost black, while an equally dark green tunic was draped over a softer, embroidered long-sleeved silken shirt. Her normal ornamentation, a simple bracelet and a circlet that denoted her status as Regent and the elder princess, were both still on as well, despite the late hour. She turned to face him with a faint smile, and he realized she was still wearing soft make-up as well, for her lips were a little darker than they had been a couple weeks before, and her eyes were shadowed in a shade similar to the teal carpet outside. "Sit down, please. Would you like some tea? It's still hot."

He followed her gesture toward the teapot hanging over her low-banked fire, and moved toward it, but a graceful gesture made him stop after just one step.

"Allow me. I'm used to pouring my own."

Does... does she think I'm going to poison her?

Still, Dominic was flabbergasted at being served something to drink by the reclusive princess, and could do nothing but stare as she filled two tea-eggs from a jar over her mantle, then turned over a clean cup from the service that had been delivered an hour earlier, and picked up her own dirty one, then filled both smoothly before dropping the eggs inside to allow the tea to steep.

Without a word, she handed him one, then sat down on the couch once more, crossing her legs as she gestured again at the service, "Help yourself to milk or sugar if you like, I rarely use either so there should be plenty."

"Er, th- thank you, Your Highness," he murmured, glancing at the tray for a moment before bringing the cup to his lips. It froze a moment before he made contact. There was lipstick, faint pink, on his cup.

Her- she got the wrong cup. Should I say something? Before he could debate too long, the woman had raised her own cup and started stirring it slowly to help the steeping go a little faster. No... that would just embarrass her more. Better not to say anything.

Both sat in silence for several minutes. Dominic's tea, a blend he wasn't familiar with but which smelled divine, was quite finished, and he'd removed the tea egg and set it on the service tray before either spoke.

"I wish.. to apologize, for the- the other night," the princess began, for the first time hesitating over her words.

"You... what? I'm- I'm the one that should apologize, Your Highness. If I hadn't been so rash, so sure you were... well, being attacked..."

One of her eyebrows rose again, and the same wry smile returned. "One would hope that as a protector of a royal scion, your charge's safety would be your first thought and priority."

"Well, of course," he agreed at once, "it's just... if I'd taken a moment to think about it, I wouldn't have seen..."

He trailed off, feeling his cheeks, neck, and even chest begin to burn with heat.

Then she laughed, a sound which terrified and surprised him at the same time. "Oh, your face," she continued to chuckle, only remembering after the fact to cover her mouth as she laughed.

He felt a strange stab of disappointment that he couldn't watch her white teeth glint in the firelight, or her bright lips move, but Dominic quickly pushed those feelings down.

"Mr. Alders, you... are a strange man. Most of the men I have met- which is few, I will admit- would brag about seeing what you no doubt saw. I have asked, you know. Quietly. But there is no gossip about the castle about it, which means you told no one. For that, I am grateful, just as I will be grateful for your continued silence on the matter."

"O- Of course, Your Highness," Dominic mumbled, feeling embarrassed still, but also a rush of faint pride in his choices and actions.

"Since your first thought was to my safety when you heard... me, I cannot allow myself to be angry about your actions. You acted as a soldier loyal to Arendelle would, not as a soldier or spy loyal to Lansington."

"I am loyal," he said quietly, "to you and Arendelle. And to Lansington."

For a moment, she said nothing in response, only looked at him. Then she pointed toward one of the hundreds of books that lined one wall of the room, "That is one of my favorite plays. It details a man who tries very hard to serve two masters. In the end, he disappoints both. One day, Mr. Alders, you may be asked to choose. Today is not that day, but if that moment comes, I wonder which it would be?"

He wanted to answer, but Dominic found he could not. Not because of any magic or anything so arcane. He simply didn't know.

Taking his silence for what it was, the princess smiled faintly and took a sip of her tea. "Do you know why I asked to speak to you again?"

He shook his head, mirroring her sip with markedly less grace. It really is good tea. I wonder what kind it is? Could I convince Handel to get me some out of the stores?

"Firstly, to thank you for your silence. Now that that is done... what... I want to know something. I will not force you to answer, as my questions will be rather personal. But I find myself at an impasse, and I do not know where else to turn."

"I... okay. But why me?"

"Why you?" the wry smile returned, and she gestured at herself, "You have seen more of me than anyone in the last two years except my physician, and as it's rather late, I would not feel comfortable asking that old witch for advice."

"But... you would ask me? A known spy who, er, caught you out in a compromising..."

The eyebrow raising again made him trail off, but Elsa did not seem upset by the question. In fact, she smiled, more fully. "I would. Look at it this way: You already are aware that I... have needs and urges. That I am a woman, you might say. You know that secret, something only one other person besides myself knows- that same physician. You have not, so far as I can tell, abused that information in any way. You have shown you can be trusted. You have demonstrated your loyalty to my safety and health by your actions that night. If there had been an assassin or kidnapper that had somehow overpowered me, you would have provided, I think, enough of a distraction for me to end them."

The frank way in which the princess spoke surprised Dominic again. He had never taken a life, and had felt incredibly guilty after seriously injuring a sparring partner in his younger teens. But Elsa spoke as if... as if she had, and was fine with it.

"Obviously, between us, you are the superior fighter. I would not claim otherwise. But against someone not prepared for me... I can be dangerous." The princess' voice dropped several decibels and a half-octave, "Whether I want to be or not."

"I- I suppose. But..."

The princess' hand rose, "If you do not wish to discuss things with me, that is your prerogative. I will not force you, as I said. But... I could use some advice, if you are willing."

"I am, but surely there are those... better? I am not a scholar, or high-ranking noble, or... or anyone particularly well educated."

"Are you a virgin?"

He nearly spat out his tea all the way across the sitting room. His lips caught it at the last moment, making it dribble down his chin instead. Fortunately, most went back into the tea-cup.

Elsa laughed again, louder, and almost fell to her side as the laughter continued. Face truly burning now, Dominic reached for one of the napkins and wiped himself off. He didn't pick up the tea again. Meanwhile, the princess, who had mostly calmed by the time he finished, took another look at him and started laughing again.

Way to go, Dominic. Make a fool of yourself in front of the future queen. Good job. At least she's in a better mood... idiot.

It took a few minutes for her to calm down enough to apologize, "I'm sorry... that was terribly rude of me. It's just... you looked so shocked, so embarrassed."

Without pausing to consider who he was talking to, Dominic shot back, "Well, people don't just- ask that sort of thing! And from a princess!"

"Perhaps," Elsa replied, still smiling behind her fingers, "but you will find that I am not a 'normal' princess. I have little use for wasting my time with overly-polite nonsense. Maybe it's being isolated for two years- most of my life, in fact. I'm fine with etiquette, and I don't want to be rude, but most of the time I'd rather just get to the point."

With a frown, Dominic nodded, "Fine, then. You said I don't have to answer, right?"

She quickly sobered up, then replied quietly, "No, you do not. But I hope you do. It is... relevant."

With a sigh, he shook his head, "No, I'm not."

"You... have a lover? A wife?"

He shook his head again, "No, nothing... nothing like that. My father, once he found out about- about this mission, took me to see... a courtesan. He didn't want me, in his words, to 'go up to that backward, heathen country with all their passionate women and fall in love just because he didn't know his way around a bedroom'. The words 'no son of mine' might've been in there, too."

"Mm. So your father arranged for you to... be with someone?"

He nodded, unable to meet her gaze suddenly, even though there was no judgment or recrimination that he could see in her posture or tone.

"Anyone else? Before or since?"

"No. It was... just the one time. Well, three times, but... but one night."

She smiled again at his red face, but kept down what she clearly wanted to let out as a giggle. "I see. Well, that... that puts your experience at three more than my own. I am, you see."

He blinked, confused.

She clarified, leaning forward slightly to whisper, "I am a future queen. My chastity is, if not truly necessary in this modern age, a desirable thing for a future spouse. If you think about it..."

"No, I- I get it," he told her, now staring rather pointedly at the fire. This was not a conversation he had ever expected to be having with a royal. Any royal, much less an unwed, unbetrothed (so far as he knew) princess, heir to a not-insignificant country. One who was known, at least for two years, as being a total recluse. "I just... why are you telling me this?"

"So that you understand," Elsa replied quietly, "I have been... educated. I read. A lot. In terms of theoretical knowledge on... the subject, I would even consider myself something of an expert. But in practice... I know next to nothing. Which brings me to my problem."

"Er... just- just to be totally clear... what- what subject?"

He should have kept his mouth shut.

One of her eyebrows rose again, higher than he had seen it yet, "You are going to make me say it?"

"Say what?"

This time, her eyes drifted closed and she sighed slowly. "The- thing you saw me doing. I... I had some questions. About that."

Puzzle pieces that had been floating aimlessly around his head, unconnected and only vaguely similar so far as he'd seen, suddenly snapped into places, and a large part of what he'd been wondering made much more sense. "Oh."

"I was wondering a few things. For example... did you... do that, before? I know many people do. Before you were... with that woman. I assume it was a woman?"

His face heated again, and Dominic forced himself to look in the woman's direction as he growled, "Yes, it was a woman. I don't care what people get up to in the privacy of their own homes, but I've no personal interest in... being with another man."

The queen-to-be shrugged idly, as if unconcerned by his answer, but remained quiet, watching him.

Eventually, if only to fill the silence, he grunted, leaned back against the couch, then admitted, "Yes. I don't know if it was more or less than... others. But I did."

"And... now? After that? Is it still... satisfying?"

The question made him consider for a few seconds. Admitting it would not be that hard- it was strangely easy to admit it before. He would have suspected it was hard to admit that to anyone, but doing so was... not difficult. Strange, but not hard. Now that he knew it could be easy? Still, the answer itself was difficult. "I... still do, yes. Is it satisfying? Yes and no, I suppose."

"Mm. When was the last time? How frequently?"

He blinked in surprise as the princess had leaned forward again, eyes wide in eager anticipation of his answer. "I... w- well, last night, in fact. Or the morning, if you prefer. And, uh... it changes. Sometimes I'll go a week without. Sometimes a- a few times a day. Mostly about once a day, I guess. I don't really... keep track."

Elsa looked toward her bedroom door for a moment, then murmured, "No, that... that would be s-strange, wouldn't it. So... is it satisfying? You said both yes and no. Would you like to elaborate?"

The strange surreality of the situation, explaining how often he masturbated, and whether or not he enjoyed it to an actual princess, while alone in her quarters late at night, was... it was beyond belief. Staggering. The why of it all threatened to overwhelm his senses, so Dominic pushed those away and replied with only the most basic of truths that he could muster. "I- I mean, I... finish. So yes, it's satisfying. It feels good. It- it never lasts, though. The want always comes back, sooner or later. Often- if it was a good one, it comes back faster."

The white hair glimmered in the moonlight as Elsa reached up with both hands to pull it around to her chest and run her hands down the tight, broad plait. "I... I suppose in some ways that makes sense. If it- if it is enjoyable, one would seek out that enjoyment with more... passion, would they not?"

With a frown, Dominic nodded, "I suppose so, yes. I'd never considered it that way."

"Concurrently, if the experience is... less than fully satisfying?"

"I don't know," he had to admit after a few seconds of thought, "Because I've never... well, not often, been unable to- to finish. And it's always at least a little satisfying. It feels good, anyway."

"Hmm, yes, I see what you mean, I think. So... as you- as you saw, I am familiar with... the process. Theoretically."

He nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, he could see that the princess was not blushing, which helped keep his own under control as memories crept back in again.

"I am even, again in theory, familiar with the process of- more. Again, I read, and not all of what I read is educational... in the traditional sense."

A slow grin spread over his features. "You like to read romance?"

She surprised him again with a little shrug as her hands continued to slowly play up and down her long hair, "I occasionally do, but I could really care little less for it. I am intrigued by the idea of love, of course, and I love my family, my people, my country, but I have never... experienced romantic love. I do not think I ever will, so it remains an abstract concept in my mind. But... pleasure? That I understand, even if I have precious little of it sometimes. I understand that- that intercourse is quite pleasant, and I find myself, on occasion, having... dreams of an erotic nature."

Dominic swallowed. "E- Erotic?"

She nodded, "Yes. Dreams where I am engaged in intercourse, if you must know, or... other things of which I have read."

His eyes widened in disbelief, but again there was no hint of deception. Either the princess was an exceptional liar, or she utterly believed what she said. And... why would she lie about... that? What possible motive could there be? If anything, wouldn't someone lie to hide that sort of thing? "I... occasionally have dreams like that, too."

"I understand it is fairly common."

"Yes, I- I think it is."

"Well then, I suppose that brings me to my next question. When you were with your courtesan- assuming you have no other intimate experience with a woman- did she... finish?"

"F- finish, Your Highness?" He dreaded hearing the explanation, for Dominic was certain he knew what the princess had meant. But he hoped against hope she wasn't really asking that.

"Did she... achieve climax? Was her experience... satisfactory?"

He swallowed nervously, and found himself staring at the curtained windows this time. "I... I don't think so. Not the first time, at least. She... I... we..."

"Tell me about it," Elsa suggested, "You said there were three times that night. What were they like? You can be brief, I'll ask questions if I need more information."

He sighed, and actually put his face in his hands for a moment, rubbing his eyes in a desperate attempt to clear the scene around him from his clearly nightmare-ridden mind. "I... the first time, she, uh, u- used her mouth on me. My father requested that specifically, so that I'd... last longer, later."

"Did you enjoy it?"

He nodded. "It... it was nice. I... didn't last very long, then."

He found himself watching Elsa's reaction as he answered, expecting disgust, or horror, or... something. Instead, she only nodded as if confirming something she had already suspected. "Did it help you last longer?"

"I... yeah. It takes a bit to recover, and even if it's more sensitive, you can... well, a man, can, uh, go longer the second round. Even when you're young."

"And you are young," she reminded him.

"W- Well, y-yes."

"The second time?"

Her prompt was met with a little less embarrassment on his end this time as he remembered being asked to 'return the favor' by the courtesan, a woman a decade or so older than himself but vastly more experienced than he. "I... I used my mouth on her. And she, uh... she told me how to do it. R- right, I suppose. She said she... enjoyed it. I don't actually know if she did."

"Did you?"

Unbeknownst to himself, Elsa watched as a sort of goofy grin stole over his face. "I... I was terrified, at first, that I'd... do something wrong, hurt her, or... something. And she was so... mysterious, so knowledgeable, so worldly... so experienced. But when she opened her legs, and I saw her... her petals, I... I couldn't stop myself. I... I liked it a lot. She, uh..."

"How did she taste?"

The question was as smooth and regulated as anything else Elsa had asked, but it made Dominic pause for a moment as he tried to remember. "I... faintly of salt, and... and almost fish but with a bit of lemon and pepper? It was good, but tangy. I... I liked hearing her moans, though."

The eyebrow came up again. "Moans?"

An almost excited nod accompanied his explanation, "Yes, Your Highness. After she'd told me how to best... do it, I... well, she started moaning a lot, and pretty soon my chin was wet. Right after that she told me to stop, and that I'd done a good job."

Only when Elsa suddenly leaned back and uncrossed her legs, unconsciously letting a hand drift down from her plait to rest on her abdomen did he realize once again that they were both talking about sex of all things, and she was... was clearly getting excited, if the flush on her collar and slightly parted lips told him anything.

Elsa caught herself a moment later, though, and returned to her braid, though he noticed she did not cross her legs again. "Was that the end of the second time?"

He shook his head, "N- no. I... I was ready again before she finished, and she, uh, told me to put it in. So I did."

"And? Satisfying?"

He shrugged helplessly, "I... it felt great. All warm and silky and wet, and... different than my hand. I, uh, pumped a few times, but it was... strange. Awkward. So she told me to get off, used her mouth a bit more, then, well, she climbed on top. That was... better."

"Ah. So you, er, prefer the woman on top?"

He shook his head, "No, I... well, I like it like that, I suppose, but... after that time, she used her mouth again until I was- was ready again. It took a few minutes, but the next time she, uh... told me how to move to be better at being on top. It wasn't as bad then. Once I figured out how to move, anyway."

"Did you... enjoy being on top?"

"It... was about the same?"

"Satisfying, then?"

He chuckled at the use of the same word again, but shook his head, "No. It was better, but we, uh, moved again. She said her favorite position was, um, on- on all fours. So, from... from the b-"

"From the back? Like... like an animal?"

Slightly uncomfortable with the princess' frank description of the pose, he nodded.

"And that was satisfying?"

This time, he could frankly and honestly say, "Very. I... I didn't know there was more than one way to do it until that night. But I've, uh... learned a little more since then. In theory."

This time, Elsa's grin was confident, knowing. "I think I understand. Some of the things I have read are very educational in that way, as I said. Thank you for answering my questions. I have some more, if you don't mind."

A glance at the clock showed Dominic that it was getting closer to midnight now, but he was used to being awake all night, and the princess showed no signs of fatigue. "I suppose I don't mind. I... I think it's strange to be talking about this, but I don't mind talking to you at all."

For a long minute, Elsa was quiet, but she replied, "It's strange to me that I don't mind talking to you at all. I have... not had much conversation lately."

It would help if you'd open your door and come out once in a while, he thought privately, but nodded. "It... I don't fully understand why you shut yourself away, but I think I understand part of it."

Elsa nodded once herself. "So... you haven't been with anyone else. Have you... dreamed of others? Or just the courtesan?"

He blinked. "I... I actually haven't dreamed of her, I don't think. She... was beautiful, I suppose, but... I don't know."

"I would think it was normal for a man to dream of the woman he first had intimate contact with?"

Dominic could only shrug again, "I'd have thought so too, but... there wasn't... anything there I suppose. I enjoyed it, I felt really good after and during, and I learned a lot, but... I don't dream of her. There was no... connection. I don't even know her name."

Seemingly quite surprised, the princess leaned back in her couch more naturally, and crossed her legs again, "So who do you dream of, if you don't mind me asking?"

"O- Oh. Well... some people I've met," he demurred, glancing about the room to hide his sudden nerves, "some of the more pretty girls here and there... most people aren't even real. Dream-people."

"I see. It is the same with me," she admitted. "I have one other question, then."

"It's a little late to back out now," he chuckled, "So I guess I'll answer, Your Highness."

"Thank you. Would- would you show me how to... finish?"

The sudden roaring of his pulse in his ears, accompanied by the tingling fire in his cheeks told Dominic that he was drugged, hallucinating, mad, or perhaps dying. At the very least, dreaming.

There was no way, in reality, she had asked... that.

"I... what?"

The princess sighed, looking away herself, "I... I do not believe I have ever been... satisfied. From what I have read, orgasm is... intense. Powerful. I have... enjoyed myself, but I have not experienced anything like what I have read describes."

Is... is that why she wasn't all that upset the other night? Because I didn't so much keep her from climax as... just stop what she was doing? Like a normal interruption? "I... I don't know what to say," he admitted, "I... I never thought I'd be asked that. By anyone. Much less..."

"By a princess?"

He didn't need to agree, she read it in his face plainly. "I said before that I don't think I am a 'normal' princess. I have not had significant human contact in two years. While I miss it, I... I am used to it. But it also means that, again as I mentioned before, I have little time or desire to waste my time with what some would call the limitations of polite society. I will try not to offend, I don't wish to hurt anyone. But I see no point in being embarrassed about feeling or thinking a certain way. Opinions and thoughts are the right of the person holding them, and no one else's. So if I bother you with a question or statement, feel free to voice your thoughts on the matter. I will try to keep an open mind."

"I understand," he murmured, "and I appreciate that, but... this... I mean, why me?"

"As I said before. I can trust you. You have demonstrated it, and I feel it in my gut. You... have, I think, sufficient knowledge to at least figure out the problem, knowledge which I lack. You have also shown great restraint in keeping things to yourself. I feel as if I can confide in you things I can confide in no one else."

Dominic swallowed. That was... that was powerful, coming from a sitting Regent and princess. Politically, yes, but also on a personal level. He knew from quite reliable sources that the people royalty trusted often numbered in the single digits, and almost as frequently could be counted on a single hand- even one missing a finger or two. "I... I suppose what I really mean is, why do you trust me? I know what you said, it's just... I don't think I could trust anyone else like... like that. At least, not that quickly."

"I do not see a line of people outside my door waiting to gain my trust," Elsa pointed out, "and if there were, I would have one less reason to trust any of them. You earned it without trying. So I ask you again, Mr. Alders: Will you show me how to orgasm?"

He had to admit to himself that it was very tempting, on a personal level. He would... at least seriously injure, perhaps maim, to see her again. If he was to teach her how to do it, how to climax... likely, that would require- or at least he could possibly convince her that it would help- her to be less clothed than even before. But the ramifications...

"No one can know," he told her, "no one but us can find out. If people found out, they would naturally assume there was something else going on. The rumors would be... bad."

"Oh, gods above, no, no one else can know a thing about it," the princess exhaled loudly, "not ever."

"Then... then I agree. When- when would you like to...?"

"Not tonight," Elsa said a bit sadly, "While the talk has, um, gotten me a little excited, it is rather late and I have a report I need to listen to early in the morning from Captain Farthson. So I'll bid you good night, Mr. Alders."

"O-Oh. Um, good night then, Your Highness."

She was standing at her own door, politely waiting for him to leave first, and his hand was on the door when she spoke again, "Actually, Mr. Alders, there is one more thing..."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"When it is just us, when- when we are alone, I would prefer to drop the formality. You may call me Elsa."

He gulped and turned toward her in shock, leaving him barely able to stammer out his own first name (which she undoubtedly knew), and asked her to call him that, as well.

After another round of wishes good-night, Dominic found himself standing at his post once more, unable to process that entire conversation.

All he could really focus on were the princess' two requests. What she had asked him to teach her, and then to refer to her familiarly, as if... as if they were friends.

Are... are we friends?

For another week and a day, fear of being arrested or exiled back to his homeland receded into the back of his mind. It did not quite fade, but Dominic had been sufficiently reassured by the princess' final few words that he felt she was not likely to do either. What replaced it was a slightly more low-key anxiety: being found out.

True, they hadn't done anything yet, and the princess' routine had not changed at all that he could see, but a part of him worried that a patrolling guard would notice he was not at his assigned post while he was 'teaching', and interrupt them. Or that someone would hear, or perhaps that the stern Mrs. Gittasdottir, the head maid, the butler's sister? Would she be able to divine, somehow, his thoughts on the matter, or see it in the cards she occasionally entertained the other maids with?

Of course none of that happened. The only thing supernatural that he knew of in the castle after two years was the princess he was so concerned with herself, and while her room continued to spout frost from time to time, the duration of both incidents he was aware of were shorter than normal, less intense.

He was almost beginning to think the princess had forgotten her request when he was startled from a late-night reverie by a tousle-haired blonde girl about half a year older than he was, dressed in a shimmering, pale blue nightshirt with a robe thrown over it of plain white. "Psst. Hey, M- Dominc!"

The young lieutenant blinked and started, he hadn't heard the door open. But there stood the princess, almost fully into the hall, and gesturing in his direction for him to approach. She looked as if she'd been asleep for at least a few hours, for her normally neat hair was in need of a brush, and she was entirely without makeup. Taking up his glaive cautiously, Dominic approached. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

Without a word, only glancing back up and down the hall, she nodded toward her chambers, then stepped inside before him, holding the door while he passed. Once he had, she let the door shut, then turned a key he knew was not normally ever used. Smart. Only old Handel and Captain Farthson have keys besides herself, so we'd have time to get decent. Unless they break the door down.

That train of thought lead Dominic to gulp with sudden nerves. Elsa still faced the door, but she looked over her shoulder, "You... I have your word you will not tell a soul about... this?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, of course," he murmured solemnly. Was this it? Was it time? A sudden rush of blood headed south, making him almost dizzy at the implications.

"Not even your king?"

He didn't hesitate at all, though to his surprise, the guard and spy actually meant what he said next, "No, Elsa. I won't tell even him."

"Good," she whispered, then turned. "I... woke up... needy. I tried again, but... nothing. I don't know what I'm missing."

Dominic swallowed. It seemed it was indeed 'that time'. "W- Well... To be honest, Your Majesty, I don't know." He pushed past the sudden look of disappointment to add, "Because I- well, I wasn't exactly watching a long time, before. I... don't know your process, you know?"

'Ah... of course," she said, voice low and husky, just above a whisper. "Well, I- I normally touch myself on my chest first. It's more mild, but it helps to get me in a better mood for it. Then I move down, and... and this is really strange to be talking about, isn't it?"

He smiled, unable to help himself, but leaned the glaive against the coat rack next to the door and stepped further into the room, "Perhaps it'd be better if we sat down? And yes, it's strange but, well... before we go too far, are we friends, Elsa?"

He heard her steps behind him pause for a moment. After a few seconds, she started walking again, and answered, "I don't know, Dominic. I would like to think so, but this is all rather new."

"Well, if you will have me," he said with a grand gesture and a probably ungraceful bow with his arm in front of his waist, "I would be honored to be your friend, and call you mine."

If his bad attempt at a courtly bow offended her, he could not tell. Instead, Elsa's face broke into a wide smile, the largest he'd yet seen on her, and she nodded once. "Hm. Yes, I think I will like that. Friends."

She dropped onto the couch in her normal place a few seconds later, sitting casually as before, but this time with her legs crossed at the ankles.

"Alright, Elsa, then yes, this might be new and strange, but if we're friends, we can trust each other- and we can have strange conversations without being offended. That's just something friends do. I think, anyway. We don't... judge each other. We just take each other as we are, and accept what might be differences. If something's wrong, we try to help, and maybe teach a better or different way, but we don't judge what we disagree with. Right?"

The princess nodded, a thoughtful frown on her face. "I... suppose so. That does sound like some of the better friendships I have read of. Even when the friends disagree, even fight, they still resolve their differences eventually."

"You would still like that with me?"

"Oh, gods yes," Elsa nodded firmly, "I... I haven't had a friend since... well..."

He filled in the gap of her trailed off sentence with a quiet, "Your sister."

She nodded, but said nothing, only turned to frown in the direction of the fire, which was banked low for the night once more, and barely lit the room. The moon was almost gone now, so the curtains were wide to let in at least a little starlight.

"I know something happened when you were younger, and I'm not going to pry," he continued quietly, earnestly, "but when you're ready to talk about it, I'm here to listen. To help, if I can."

Elsa didn't say anything again, but this time her nod was slower, deeper, as if to convey more meaning. "A- Anyway," she eventually said, shaking her head and smiling briefly in his direction again, "When I'm more ready for it, I put a finger or my hand between my legs and move it around. It feels good, and after a while it feels even better, but it's... not enough. Even after an hour or two it's just... frustrating. Sometimes I've even done it enough to chafe, and it's never enough."

Surprised by the topic shift, Dominic took a second to parse what she'd said, and then grinned awkwardly, his face heating again as he imagined it all playing out. He was shaken from his musing by her prod, "Well? What am I doing wrong?"

He swallowed. "I... there's a few things, maybe. Not wrong, just... more. Have- gods, I can't believe I'm about to tell this to a princess- have- have you tried putting a finger or two, um, i-i-inside?"

This time, it was Elsa who blushed furiously. She shook her head rapidly after a few seconds, and turned to stare behind her at the window, hiking her feet onto the couch again as she did so, uncaring that it let the hem of her nightshirt fall dangerously high up her thighs. "I... my chastity..."

Oh. Oh, gods. She doesn't know her own... okay. That's gotta change. "Alright... spotted one problem for sure. We'll have to get to that. The other... you know your little... nub?"

It took a few seconds for her to nod, "Yes. It hurts when I touch that, usually."

"Don't touch it directly," he told her, "It's probably too sensitive unless you're really worked up. Most women don't like it directly anyway, I think. Touch around it, the hood, or... or things near it, but that's a big bundle of nerves, and you can usually, uh... do it there. I hear, anyway. That's what the courtesan, um, asked me to lick the most."

"I see," Elsa murmured thoughtfully, then nibbled on her lower lip, bringing it into her mouth. "Hmm... What about the, uh... fingers, though? I should protect my chastity."

Things I didn't think I'd ever hear royalty tell me, Dominic chuckled inwardly, "Well, you can go in part-way. A knuckle should be fine, you know? I don't think the, uh, the barrier is right at the end, is it?"

Elsa shrugged, "I don't know, I've never checked. My mother always told me to not put anything in there until after my husband did on our wedding night."

"Well, you can damage it, sure," Dominic pointed out, "but it's flesh. Unless you tear it completely you should be okay. Just be careful, I suppose. Maybe feel to see how deep it is, then stop, and don't go that far again?"

"That sounds... reasonable," Elsa acknowledged, "Then... okay. I think I can try this. Thank you, Dominic."

"Er... wait," he interrupted as she made to stand, "I..." Oh gods, I'm going to be murdered for this! Shut up, shut up, shut up! "Maybe I can help more if I can see what you're doing?" Oh gods, oh gods, I'm so dead!

Elsa's head cocked to the side. "That... well, I suppose most of the harm is done already... and if no one knows... Very well. I will get back in my bed. You will stay in the doorway, as you were the other night."

Dominic's brain froze. Did... did she just agree?

By the time he heard her calling from the other room, he was barely able to jump to his feet and move toward the door. On the way, he took the opportunity of being out of sight to adjust himself in his uniform. He obediently stopped in the doorway to find Elsa almost exactly where she'd been a few weeks before, only this time her overcoat was draped over the back of a vanity chair and her nightshirt was completely up, over her breasts. She was not wearing underthings, but one hand still covered her groin and the faint thatch of equally silver-white hair there, while the other slowly rolled one nipple between her thumb and forefinger. The final breast was bare, capped by a light-pink areolae and nipple that was, by his best guess, half-erect.

Oh gods, he repeated, I'm looking at a mostly-naked princess who'll soon be queen, and- and she knows it, and she isn't killing me!

Instead, Elsa was watching him carefully, her head propped up by two of her pillows, while she slowly moved herself. "This... this is how I normally do it," she said with a bit of hesitation, her voice slightly shaking. "Even if I move faster, it isn't really... better. More intense maybe, but it feels about the same."

Only when he focused could the man see the hand between her legs moving in small, tight circles as it cupped her entire mound. His cock started straining in earnest, but Dominic didn't dare adjust himself any further, or worse pull it out to relieve the tension. "I... that seems alright for a start. If- if you're ready, why don't you try, um... feeling around your, uh, folds for a bit? I think different parts are more or less sensitive."

"Ah, I see," Elsa said quietly, then slowly parted herself, using each of her fingers to move up and down the separate petals, eventually pulling herself open for him.

Gods, if I wasn't so far away I could see everything...

"That... that does feel nice," she admitted softly, and gave her breast a tighter pinch, "but it's still not going to be enough, I think."

"Keep doing it a bit," he prompted her, "This is a process. It- it can take a little time."

If he were honest with himself, while he did genuinely want to help, he was enjoying watching his private little royal peepshow too much to encourage her to end it quickly. Besides, he reasoned with what little actually brain power he had left, if I can teach her to enjoy herself over an extended period, maybe she'll just come to enjoy it all so much... and maybe she'll start to enjoy being watched.

That, it seemed, would not be hard, as Elsa's next words proved. "It is... different, with someone watching. I... like it. It feels... more sensual? Erotic? As if... as if I am an actor, but also in the moment."

"It..." he swallowed, "I have to admit I am enjoying this too."

Elsa surprised him again by smiling, "Thank you. I have been told I am appealing to look upon, but... hearing it from a handsome man is nice."

He gulped, and her face reddened once more, but only a little. When he met her eyes, she seemed both a bit aroused still, but also strangely defiant, as if to dare him to question her judgment. "T- Thank you, princess. You- you are truly beautiful."

The blush deepened, but she shuddered a moment later. "Interesting... hearing that, a compliment... it suddenly made things, made me, feel better. Not a lot, but... some."

Oh... that's interesting indeed. "I see. Well, maybe you're ready to do a bit more. Uh... try a fingertip, just a tip, i-in you?"

He watched her swallow hard, visible even from the door, but the blonde woman nodded against her pillow. "I... alright, if you're sure."

"If you don't push past where it hurts a bit, you should be fine," he assured her.

Elsa nodded once more, then adjusted so that her middle finger rested at her entrance, then curled it ever so slowly. He watched as her eyes fluttered shut slowly, as if she was fighting to stay awake, and tried to discipline himself to keep from touching his erection through his pants. The sight was erotic beyond belief, so arousing he could barely stand, much less stand still.

Then she sighed as it finally evened out along her channel. "O- Oh... oh, I think I see... yes, that... that is very different. I..."

"Move it in and out slowly," he prompted quietly.

He watched raptly as the royal scion's finger started pumping in and out, both of their breathing growing more rapid. Eventually, without him suggesting it, Elsa pushed the same finger in a bit more, up to the second knuckle, then yanked it out completely with a whimper and a grimace. "That... that was too far."

He gulped and swallowed. Had he gone too far?

Elsa only looked at her finger, which glistened faintly from moisture visible by the candle she kept lit on her bedside table, "No blood." Then she pushed it back in, moving it faster but staying shallow. "Yes... yes, this is much better... thank you, Dominic... it feels very good like this."

"Y-You're welcome, Elsa. I'm glad you feel good."

So he watched, for more than an hour as his own member raged unattended, while Elsa continued to play with herself, responding quickly to his small prompts and guidance. She continued to tell him it was better, good, but eventually with a frustrated moan, grunted and pulled her hands away. "It's still not enough. I feel as if I'm closer, but... I don't think it will happen tonight. I'm sorry for wasting your time."

While she frowned and sat up to pull her nightshirt back down over her now sweat-moistened body, Dominic could only protest, "I don't feel as if it was a waste of time. You are closer, right? You learned things. Maybe next time we'll figure it out."

One of Elsa's eyebrows rose even in her exhaustion. "Next time? Aren't you presuming a little bit there, Mr. Alders?"

Oh, crap... "U-Uh... I'm sorry, you have my apology Y-Your Majesty."

She giggled suddenly, shaking her head and stifling a yawn. "I am joking. Yes... yes, I think we will do this again, as long as you don't mind."

"Mind? Why would I mind?"

Elsa flopped downward, then grunted as she sat up again to reach for the blankets past her feet and pulled them up with her on the next flop. "I strongly suspect- correct me if I am wrong, please- that you are feeling a little frustrated yourself, now."

He followed her gaze, and found it latched uncomfortably at the top of his trousers. "E- Er... y-yes... Sorry about that, Y- Elsa. I..."

"Don't apologize," she shook her head, then yawned again and rolled over to face him, propping her head up on a hand, "You've done me a service, and I have done little to repay you. I'll try to think of something. I... to be honest, I found the thought of your excitement at watching me... arousing. It did help."

"A- Ah... I s-see..."

"Good night, Dominic," she murmured, then closed her eyes. "Don't forget to shut both doors, please."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Good night, Elsa."

She frowned at the first address, but smiled at the second, never opening her eyes. Frustrated or not, he suspected she was at least mostly asleep before he left the suite less than a minute later. Out in the hall, a quick stroll down to the old grandfather clock at the end of the wing told him it was nearly four-thirty. No wonder she gave up. I stood there watching her for a little over two hours... and it was the best two hours of my life. Even better than actually having sex! Gods, she's beautiful...

The remainder of Dominic's shift, though it was a mere hour and a half, passed agonizingly slowly. What made it difficult was a combination of three related things: His erection, which sprang back to life every time it started to fade, often returning more painful than before; his desire for the shift to end quickly so that he could go relieve himself (his testicles were heavy and aching with pent-up need when he'd walked out of the princess' chambers, and far worse when he was finally relieved a few minutes after the roosters had begun to crow); and the memories that would not leave his head of what he'd watched the royal young woman doing.

Not that he was complaining about the last, he had enjoyed it very much, but it had directly lead to his current state. When Kelvin, who was replacing him, stumbled up the hallway with a yawn, Dominic was already hurrying past. "In a hurry, Dom?"

He barely grunted at his replacement's question, "Loo."

"Don't be drinkin' so much on your shift, then," the older guard chuckled as he took up his bleary post.

While Dominic hurried across the castle to his own quarters on the opposite end of the wing and a floor down, he mused idly that Kelvin Trask, ten years older than he and still a sergeant, might need a reassignment if he was ten minutes late for his shift, still half-asleep. It's hard to protect someone when you can't react with speed. I'll have to talk to Carrie.

As a Lieutenant, he was given his own private room with attached toilet including a bathtub of his own, but Dominic didn't even bother going into the smaller side room before locking his door and pulling off his baldric and the various pieces of his uniform. In fact, he was so set on getting his relief finally that he failed to notice the person sitting at his desk chair until the soft cough made him jump wit his hands about to undo the last button of his undershirt.

"Not that I don't appreciate the show," she said with amusement as he froze facing the Lieutenant he'd just been thinking about talking to, his counterpart for the day shift, Carrie Polgretta, "but maybe you ought to wait just a bit. I might get the wrong idea, you know."

"L- Lieutenant," he muttered, then began doing up his buttons again while trying to stifle a groan of frustration.

The slightly older woman waved him off, "Don't worry about that, I won't be long, Dominic. Sorry for barging in, but there's something I need to discuss with you away from prying eyes."

His eyebrows raises as his hands fell still. "What do you mean?" Did she know...? Already? How had she found out?

But the petite, curvy woman, who stood less than his shoulder but had the chest and waist of a woman a foot taller yet still moved like a dancer or athlete with a weapon in her hands, grinned almost predatorily, "Well, maybe a few things, actually. What I first came for was a possible restructure. The Captain mentioned it to me the other day, but I thought I'd get your input before I tell him mine."

"So, work," he groaned, "I've just had a long shift. Go on. What's he planning?"

"Nothing too big," she waved off, "but he's thinking of putting five more men from days onto nights, so it's not just ten of you on-shift at that time. You'd have more responsibility of course, but to be honest, we aren't sure where we'd get those men. Recruitment is pretty low these days. He can pull it off the day if he needs to I think, but it'll be tight. I can only afford to lose one or two from my end."

Dominic nodded. His own shift was painfully tight on men, and adding five more would definitely help, but he knew the staffing across the board at the castle was in the same shape. Even the royal guard, the most elite of Arendelle's small military was slowly vanishing. So much for the prestige of such a good post. "Is there anything in the budget for bonuses or pay increase? That would probably help."

"Not that I'm aware of," Carrie admitted with a thoughtful frown, "Roderick's been using that for a couple years now, but it's had limited success. People are just too nervous to take the post, mostly. We still get some recruits, but it's not enough to keep up with those leaving for civilian life over time."

"Something else, then," he murmured, "I'll think about it. I do appreciate that he wants to give me a few more men, that would help a lot. I'm not sure how we can entice them yet, but I'll see what I can do. There might be a few things cooking already, but I'm not sure they'll pan out."

"Good man," Carrie said with a smile and hopped up like a girl his own age, bouncing on the balls of her feet to make her chest waggle.

It didn't help his erection any, even if the female officer was a bit too by-the-book for his tastes. She was definitely what he would call attractive, with long black hair kept straight and neat to the small of her back, a sunny disposition, and a wide smile, all curves and fitness aside.

"Alright, just one more thing, then." As she walked past him toward the door, the other guard paused and lifted a hand to his chest. It stopped a moment before touching him as she looked up at his eyes for any negative sign, then closed the gap over the still-open shirt to rest mostly against his bare chest. "Next time, you should ask me if you want to strip for me... I won't turn you down."

He turned bright red, then she was gone, closing the door behind her.

Frustrated, Dominic locked it with his own key, then finished undressing. Vixen! Now I'm even worse!

It was true that he would absolutely have had a relationship with Carrie, if it wasn't against the Guard's rules to fraternize between officers. She was very much 'his type', if he had one, but they had precious few interactions besides the rare meetings of all the officers in the Guard, and he barely knew her. She, though, seemed to feel the same way given how she had reacted to him being only a little undressed.

Shaking his head of what he had to call unnecessary thoughts, Dominic finished undressing down to his shorts, draping the rest of his uniform over the chair Carrie had just vacated, then pushed those to his ankles and stepped out of them before flopping onto the bed and curling one hand around his aching, engorged member. Princess, his mind narrated what he had seen mixed with images of what he imagined her doing next as he began to stroke. Princess, yes... keep rubbing yourself... now- now use your tongue right here... yes...

He did not last long.

As he cleaned up, though, for the first time in his life, Dominic found the process of self-pleasure unsatisfying. It had felt very good indeed, one of the most intense orgasms of his life, and he resolved to give in to imagining his royal charge in that scenario again regardless of the guilt, but he hadn't even cleaned up the mess when he was hard again. Well... tomorrow is my day off... Ah, gods above, that feels so good right after doing it once...

Even that had not been enough, for he'd done it a third time before finally drifting off, still naked and just barely under the blankets. At least he slept well, better than he had in months, though he continued to dream of his princess naked before him, standing with a hand between her legs, or kneeling to use her mouth on him, or even more. But this time he had resolved to let it happen, and did not war with himself.

In fact, the sheets needed changing again- more than once by the smell of it- by the time he woke up at nearly four in the afternoon. Damn... four or five times last night? She got me more riled up than I thought. And I feel like I could do another right now. At least I don't have to. I need to get into town before all the shops start closing.

He had some time, in the late summer the businesses tended to open early and stay that way until just after sundown, as many shoppers or shop owners who didn't live above their business took advantage of the sun's warmth to keep from freezing on their way home during the cold nights. Even in the summer, after all, Arendelle was far enough north that nights were chilly, as low as forty degrees. Sometimes, rarely, he was told it even snowed at midsummer. Still, Dominic dressed quickly, made sure his uniform, clothes, and sheets were all in the dirty clothes hamper for the maid staff to clean (with a mental apology for the smell, which he was sure at least a few of the few maids left would gossip over), and strapped on his side-arm, a delicate-looking saber that had been his one heirloom gift from his grandfather at his passing. Delicate or not, it was many generations old, and had served in three wars. Only once had it required any sort of repair, and that to the hand-guard from a blow that should have, according to his grandfather, taken off his arm and killed him too. I never thought to consider it, as he glanced down at the hilt while striding toward the castle gates, that old... is the sword's spirit that awake? Is it magical, then? Or has the princess' confirmation of her powers just made me think everything unusual is?

While the weapon was ornate enough, it certainly did not have the look of a weapon built for battle. Effective enough in a skirmish, yes, the blade was long and thin for piercing the gaps in an enemy's lighter armor, but it would do next to nothing against a man in full battle-plate. But if his grandfather's stories were true, it had stopped a full-on halberd blow with nothing more than a significant dent in the guard. Maybe it is magic. I doubt I'll ever find out, though. How would I even test it?

He nodded to the guards on either side of the gates as he passed, "Gentlemen, lady," and waved off their calls of, "Lieutenant!" He would usually engage in small-talk for a bit, but he was in a hurry tonight. Maybe on his way back, he should be able to return before the shifts changed over again. With long strides, he made his way across the long causeway approach to the castle, passed the docks on his right, and headed into the center of the city, where the small shopping district was. Arendelle City was relatively small, kept that way by the defenses that surrounded it: Water on the north-western fjord side, mountains to the south and west reinforced by Fort Calibaern high atop the cliffs at the end of the fjord, the even higher, steeper peaks to the north across the water that made up the Aurora Range, and the steep-walled, heavily forested and farmed Skov Valley, which lead to the highlands around them.

People continued to bustle about their days as he moved through the town on foot, many giving him a nod of respect. He wasn't a common visitor in the city by any means, but at least people recognized the uniform and the rank insignia he was obliged to wear in public even on his days off. There were a few that greeted him by name, though. Off-duty soldiers, retired guards, maids and servants that had left the castle since he was hired who remembered him, and some of the very few civilians he'd come to know in the two years he had lived in Arendelle.

As always he was surprised by the good cheer and hardiness of the people there. He was a fan of the climate and weather, but knew that the vast majority of his countrymen would despise living in such a harsh place, especially one so cold all the time. He reveled in it, but knew that his entire family had essentially volunteered him because they didn't want to deal with the weather during the mission he'd been given. Their loss, he thought with a secret smile as he recalled the last few weeks. The weather might be pleasant brisk, but some parts of Arendelle are pretty steamy.

Dominic's first stop was his favorite of the town's tonsors, where he purchased a new strop and two straight razors to replace his dulling blades and leather, along with a fresh supply of shaving cream. A new coat for winter, having decided that his first purchase was becoming too worn, too small, and certainly not protective enough.

Then the stationers, where he purchased a half-ream of cheap paper, a few dozen higher quality ones, and pair of pens, more ink, and even a few charcoal pencils and a gum eraser that was probably shipped from his own home town originally.

The last stop, on a whim as the sun was starting to sink below the horizon, was the town's only book-seller. It did, he thought, quite a good business as some would describe Arendelle's winters as a time to do nothing but repair and recuperate from the powerful storms, and read. The owner, a window of some age named Demelza Stamp, he thought, certainly dressed in a style that some would consider affluent, in fine coats and dresses, while a pair of handsome younger men either traveled with her around the town or helped with housework, or both. It was Mrs. Stamp in the store itself that day, and Dominic nodded in her direction. "Lady Stamp, a pleasure."

"Oh, the pleasure's mine, dear," the old woman smiled in his direction too over a ledger she had been poring over, "Might want to hurry. I've got to lock up soon, it takes a bit to get home at my age."

"Ah, yes, I'll hurry. Um... perhaps you can direct me?"

"Certainly. What are you looking for?"

Here, Dominic blanched. One book would be easy enough- he could claim it away as a gift for a friend. The other... well... that would be less believable. Still, he barely knew the older woman, but he did know she didn't socialize much. Gossip would likely not be in the cards, and a quick glance told him there were no other customers. "I'm looking for two books. The first is a gift for a friend, and any well-written romance will do."

"Ah. Well... it's not really my thing," she said with an easy smile and a shrug, "You'll find all that sort of book just there. Personally, I find romance rather boring. If you're looking for something a little more exciting, try the smaller section to the right of it."

"I'm not much for reading about battles, actually," he told her.

She only laughed, "Not that kind of excitement, young man. I'm sorry I've forgotten your name..?"

"Dominic. Dominic Alders, Mrs. Stamp."

"Ah, yes... the young man from... was it Corona?"

"Lansington, Ma'am, but yes. This section?"

She nodded at his pointed finger, and he took the last few steps toward it. He browsed quickly. Very few of the thin books even had titles on the spines, though he knew that was becoming more popular. Still, he pulled one out almost at random, glanced at the leather-embossed title, The Stallion of Rhoan, and pushed it under his arm. He had no idea if it would be any good, but he also didn't dare ask the widow's opinion. He was about to pass by the next section on his way back to ask Mrs. Stamp about his final selection when he spotted one title that caught his eye there. Adam in the Forest of Desire.

A childish title, perhaps, but it got Dominic looking over the other titles nearby. All of them were similar, and he glanced back to find Mrs. Stamp reading her ledger intently again, no doubt doing figures for her shop. He sank down, hopefully out of sight, and started reading through the section, which had titles on every end. Each book looked newer, too. Some, as he carefully pulled them out and glanced inside, weren't even hand-written, but printed on the press that had been invented in Salagorn about a decade back and was quickly making its way around the world. Even Arendelle was getting one soon, he had heard: the castle itself was buying one, and rumor had it one of the country's three successful authors were purchasing one as well to publish their work more easily and to a broader audience.

It does make reading easier, he realized quickly, then blushed as he realized what he had been reading: a man, Adam presumably, was currently surrounded by not one but three nubile yet voluptuous dryads, who were each trying to woo him, becoming increasingly handsy as they did so. Lucky bastard, he chuckled, before remembering that in most countries, dryads were considered exceptionally dangerous. Arendelle's people were not usually that suspicious in general, but he also knew that there were many stories even in this more enlightened age of fey creatures and worse that inhabited the deep woods.

He couldn't discount them, either. Not if Elsa herself is capable of using magic, whatever the reason.

Eventually, he put that book back and reached for another at random, adding it under his arm before going back to Ms. Stamp. "Um, my other question, and I'm almost done, I promise. I, uh... I'm looking for an, um, educational book."

"That sort of thing is on the left wall," she pointed with her quill.

"Not, like, maths or anything," he added quietly, "Like... more, uh, personal."

The old woman looked up then, a slow, almost cunning grin cracking her weathered face. "Would you say you are looking for an education in sex, young man?"

He blushed again and looked away, but nodded. "It's- it's not so much for me, but it kind of is. A- a friend of mine, the same friend actually, is... well, she's asked me to, uh, t- teach her. And I know some things, but..."

"But you don't want to disappoint," she concluded, "And are thus seeking to further your knowledge."

He nodded once more, faintly, feeling strangely nervous around the old woman.

She cackled, which then turned into a genuine mirthful laugh, "Don't worry, son. There's plenty of young men- and women, I'll tell you- who want to learn more without others knowing about it. I don't keep them out there, but I have two books here."

She reached below and to her right, pulling out first a thin, small, almost pamphlet-sized book. "This is Folson's Pleasure Guide. It's useful, accurate enough, but not very in-depth. I'd recommend it for beginners, as it's only a silver piece. Printed, you know. Personally, I feel it takes the soul out of a book, but there you are. This one..."

She grunted as she lifted the next tome onto the counter. It hit with a large thud, and was nearly eighteen inches tall, perhaps twelve across, and two inches thick. "This is a recent re-creation and translation of an ancient text from the far southeast, called Kamana Suteris. It's apparently translated as 'the languages of sex'. Personally, I found it much more educational- even I learned a thing or two, though gods rest my husband, I never got to teach him anything from it."

"And- and the price?"

He was already stretching his budget, he knew, with two books. Would he have to put one back?

"Hmm... what've you got there?"

He showed her the previous titles, The Stallion of Rhoan and Adam in the Sea Spirit's Lair, and groaned. Would this be in the same vain as the dryads?

Ms. Stamp snorted in a most un-ladylike fashion, but looked up at him with a smile. "For a friend, you say?"

He nodded resolutely.

"Well... the first is two gold Crowns, the second a single Crown. But I'll let you have both for two Crowns and a silver Queen. Do the others interest you...?"

He glanced at Folson's guide, but doubted, as she had said, he would learn much from it. He was hardly what he would call 'experienced', but Dominic had at least some experience, and was what he would call smart enough to learn from reading. "Yes, the- what was the, the Kamana Sutris?"

"Kamana Suteris," she corrected, "if you were to purchase that, would cost you twelve Crowns, or a Sovereign and two Crowns. Ah... a bit beyond your budget?"

He nodded. "I can afford it, but it would wipe out my savings, so..."

"Ah. Say no more. I would rent it to you, if you wish, for one crown per month. Alternatively, for a deposit of five Crowns, I will allow you to make one payment per month until the debt is paid off- a non-refundable deposit, mind. I will essentially be keeping that as interest."

"You- you do that?"

"Not often," Ms. Stamp told him with a shrug, "but the more expensive volumes are beyond the easy means of most of the townsfolk. Beyond my means, sometimes, and I do alright. I am aware, having two sons who joined the Guard themselves, that your pay is not exorbitant. In the interests of spreading a little more joy in the world, yes, I will do this for you if you wish."

Dominic smiled even as he blushed at what the old woman probably meant by 'more joy in the world', but nodded. He didn't know any of the Royal Guard with her name, so they likely had left before he started, but she had been right about the wages. They had been stagnant ever since the previous king and queen had died. "I'll do that, then, thank you."

"Very well. I'll put in another bulk discount on the other books as well. With the first payment and deposit, that will be ten Crowns for the tome, and let's just say two crowns for the rest."

"Thank you again," he murmured while counting out the vast majority of the coins in his small pouch. At least most of my expenses for the month are taken care of, and I don't have to pay for food or lodging.

"When your lady friend notices your jump in skill," Mrs. Stamp added as he headed for the door, "come back and thank me, won't you?"

He blushed as she laughed again, but didn't reply.

After returning across the city to his quarters, he unburdened himself and put his things away, setting all three books on his desk before sighing. It was already evening, and his breakfast/dinner would be coming by soon. Normally, he would be on-shift in about an hour. But as it was his day off, he had little to do. With a groan, Dominic set about tidying up his already-orderly room, finishing by setting his toiletries on the shelf in his small loo and washroom, then putting the books on the half-empty bookshelf in his room. He'd once owned a decent collection of texts himself, mostly of the science and military bent, but the cost of shipping them all north with him when he had moved to Arendelle had been prohibitive, so they were left behind, and likely all sold by his family.

Once done, he removed his uniform and re-dressed in more casual clothing, thanked the young maid, Dana he thought, for his dinner, and pulled out the romance book while he ate.

This is utter trash, he concluded, though I suppose a woman might find it interesting. The writing is... just not very good. There's no plot that I can see, only a horse-lord trying to woo a young shield-maiden. Boring. An hour later, he was even more bored, and eventually the book clapped shut after he'd leafed through it to nearly the end. And it doesn't even get good. The sex is boring, whitewashed. Oh, but her bosom heaves with desire! Psh.

His eyes moved almost unbidden to the smaller book half-hidden behind the larger tome against the end of the bookshelf across the room. Is that one any better? It looked like the dryads, at least, were well-described and the action was, too. I wonder if it's a series?

He had just gotten up to put the romance back and reached for the more erotic fiction when a knock sounded at the door. "Yes?"

"A message for you, sir," one of the servants announced.

He sighed and crossed over, opening the barrier to find one of the royal messengers, livery and all, standing outside his door with a sealed envelope. He bowed and held out the letter, maintaining the bow until, with a frown, Dominic took it. "Uh, thanks."

"Sir," the messenger said, then turned on his heel and began striding away.

Dominic turned the envelope over in his hands. Neat, flowing script on one side had his full name, all that was on it, without a single spilled droplet of ink that he could see. The other held the royal seal of Arendelle. Official... communication? What's going on? Is this- my termination?

He stepped back into his room and shut the door before taking a deep breath, then sliding his hand beneath the seal. It lifted quickly, as if it was not quite set up. That made sense, if it came from within the castle itself. A man could walk from corner to corner in under ten minutes if they weren't interrupted. Inside, a single piece of paper, of equal quality, held writing just like his name on the envelope.

---

Dominic,

Please come to my chambers after you finish dinner. I have a... a need for some advice. Thank you in advance,

Her Highness, Regent Elsa Arendelle.

---

With a thoughtful frown, he put the paper back into the envelope, threw on his casual over-shirt, a deep blue affair that had cost his entire first month's salary after arriving at Arendelle, and gathered up the smaller books as well, stowing those into his satchel, and slipping his baldric over his shoulder. Off-duty or not, he would not be near the princess unarmed, just in case.

As Dominic made his way through the castle, which was still as lively as it ever was these days with shifts changing and people finishing their day's work, he was almost run over by an attractive young lady riding, of all things, a large-wheeled bicycle through the halls of the second floor, laughing as she veered around an expensive vase, himself, then a statue before wheeling around a corner at speed to the accompaniment of a shriek of alarm and the sound of falling items. "Sorry, Brigget," the younger princess called at a distance, "I'll help you pick those up!"

If you were sorry, you wouldn't still be doing it, he laughed internally. He'd barely interacted with her, only filling in occasionally for the younger sister when one of her guards was out sick on his day off, but he, like most of the staff, genuinely liked the cheerful, energetic girl. Still, she was not known for thinking things through, and was known for doing rather dangerous things on a whim, like riding around a bicycle inside.

Shaking his head, Dominic continued on his way, eventually turning past the clock hall and into Elsa's own. Corporal Davies was at the post, looking nervously around as he turned the corner. "S- Sir! Nothing to report!"

Dominic shook his head with a gentle smile at the recently-promoted young soldier, "I'm off-duty, Davies. Report to your Sergeant or something, not me. I'm actually here to speak to Her Highness."

"S- Sir!" Davies, no older than seventeen and just old enough to join really, had a good head on his soldiers for tactics, which was why he'd been promoted to quickly (that and desperation to fill the post), but had no battle experience and nerves that showed it. "I need to see inside your bag, sir."

"No you don't," he chuckled, "I'm not smuggling anything in, it's a pair of books. Books her highness wants to read. Also, I have her official writ."

He flashed the seal, but didn't bother opening the bag. Technically, he knew full well that he was supposed to let the duty guard search him if they felt it necessary, but sometimes rank had its privileges. "Sorry, I know you're just trying to do your job, but the books aren't for you. If anything, you should be asking for my saber, or my boot-knife."

Davies gulped, then protested, "Sir, if something were to happen-"

"Don't worry," Dominic held up his hand and smiled, hopefully disarmingly, "I'm not going to give up either. Well, you can keep my knife I suppose, but I'm keeping the sword just in case. Also, point of advice?"

"Sir?"

"Relax. Spending all your time on-edge waiting for the worst possible thing dulls your senses, makes you tired. It's a waste of energy. Be alert, yes, but you don't need to constantly be on the watch as if threats are just around the corner. Just be watchful and mindful. Also, Her Highness can take care of herself if it comes down to it. That should give you enough time to sound an alarm and then get in there. Okay?"

"Y- Yes, s-sir," his subordinate stammered, "Sorry, sir."

"Don't be. I was nervous as hell my first few weeks as a guard, a corporal, and a sergeant too. I started to relax with the lieutenant posting, but it's natural. Anyway, I'm going in. Don't know how long I'll be. To be honest, I'm kind of surprised she even called for me."

"Yes, sir!"

After the younger guard's salute, which was as crisp as any he'd seen, Dominic returned it slightly more casually, then took the few more steps to the increasingly-familiar white door, then raised his knuckles to knock twice. "Your Highness? It's Lieutenant Alders. You called for me?"

"Ah, yes. Thank you for being prompt, please come in."

"Yes, Your Highness."

He stepped into the room after giving Davies another nod, then shut the door before turning to find the princess dressed in an overcoat similar to his own almost-military one, with riding breeches in the same dark blue as before, though her feet were clad in her normal slippers instead. She was sitting at her own rather large desk, her diadem crooked on her crown, looking haggard. "Thank you for coming, Dominic," Elsa said as she looked his way, then gestured across the spread of papers on her desk, framed by stacks of large books he suspected were legal tomes. "I've... got a problem."

"What is it?"

She motioned to a chair that sat next to the desk, one that was not normally there, "Have a seat, if you don't mind. I'm sorry for calling on you when you should be relaxing, by the way. I just didn't know who else I could ask."

"It's fine," he waved off her concern, "I don't mind helping, Your Highness. What can I do?"

She shot him a quick frown, then held up one of the papers near the top, "This is an affidavit from a Mr. Jhokka, who farms at the west end of the valley. He claims that his neighbor, Mr. Brahms, has been illegally taking his land and water for three years. This is from Mr. Brahms, who claims that Mr. Jhokka is, and I quote, 'a buffoon who wouldn't know how to farm if the summer queen herself kissed the knowledge into his head', and who further claims that the land in question- it's always about land- has been in his family's provenance for six generations."

"Okay. So what's the problem? Farmers fighting over land doesn't seem like that big of a deal."

"The problem is that both of them are right, technically. At least, as far as I can tell." Elsa gestured at the rest of the papers, "Both of them have title to 'land abutting the Aren River between Kjalborn Hill and Stettson Rise on the north side of the flow, including the promontory at Deadfall Drop."

"What's Deadfall Drop?" His question was followed by a chuckle at the dark name.

Elsa shot him an annoyed frown which shut him up, but answered, "It's a clifftop over a waterfall, I think. I hear people talk about it a lot, apparently many people have fallen from the cliff and died, and some have suicided. The promontory is visible from my window- there's a looking glass there if you wish- but it's not enough detail to see much. Apparently there's a bit of land atop the cliff itself both have claim to."

"I see. So they've asked you to resolve the dispute?"

She nodded, "The council, such as it is, believes they haven't the authority. And they're right. As Queen I could delegate it, but legally I should do it myself. Both are fairly productive farmers, both pay their taxes, there's never been any bad blood between the two or the Crown... I've no reason to decide one way or the other, except that both want me to."

"Compromise?"

"I could split the land," she agreed thoughtfully, "but that would probably upset both and continue the dispute in the long run. I've even entertained the idea of taking it away from both of them, saying it's 'unsafe to farm so close to the falls'. But the land's been stable for generations, it's just people getting too close that fall."

He frowned. "Is... well, is there available land elsewhere? Could you keep their total land the same, but have one of them move their plot a bit? Or both?"

Elsa blinked, then slowly began to grin. "Oh... that's a good idea. I'll have to look into it, but they're pretty high up the valley, there aren't a lot of other farmers up there. Besides beets and turnips, not much grows that high. I could just expand their plots, yes, if there's nothing else getting in the way... in fact, I can probably give them more land, even if I take away the promontory- as you said, it's not safe, right? They'll have to clear a bit more land, but they could make it work over time..."

"And this way," he added, "You can punish them for bothering you with something stupid, but make them love you for it."

Elsa giggled, then leaned back in her chair and exhaled loudly, "Yes... yes, I think that'll work. Again I will need to check for other property, but I believe they're fairly far on the outskirts. It should be alright. Thank you, Dominic."

"It's no problem, Your Highness."

"Elsa."

"I'm- what?"

"We are alone," she reminded him, "and I asked for your advice as a friend, not as the Regent. Even if it was official business."

"O- Oh. My apologies, y- Elsa."

She smiled, waving off his concern, "Obviously, this will take some adjustment for both of us. I'm not worried about it. So, if you don't mind me asking, what are you carrying?"

"Books," he told her, smiling himself, "I wasn't sure what you'd be interested in, but I grabbed a- a couple you might be..."

"I do like to read," she admitted, not that it surprised him, "what kind of books?"

"Well..." he suddenly felt a bit sheepish, and debated the wisdom of providing cheesy romance books or actual erotica to a princess, one he was responsible for, "I'm... not sure I should actually give them to you. They're... well..."

Elsa only held out one hand expectantly and continued looking at him.

Growing increasingly uncomfortable, he eventually sighed, then reached down to the satchel leaning against his chair and pulled out the larger of the two. "I don't know much about it- I read most of it, but it was kind of boring to me. The bookseller, Mrs. Stamp, didn't have much to say about it either. I can probably return it if..."

"It's alright," Elsa said with a sort of confused smile, "I'll give it a read. What's the other? You said you had more than one?"

He nodded, but hesitated again. "This one is... well... that's 'romance', but this one is, uh... a bit more... extreme."

The princess' head cocked slightly to the side, "How so?"

"It's... well.. more explicit, for one thing."

Her face pinked, but she grinned anyway and held out her other hand quickly, "Give it here, then!"

He sighed, dropping the smaller book into her hand. "Hmm..."

Dominic watched as the princess leafed through the pages fairly quickly, pausing here and there to scan a line or paragraph. Her blush didn't fade, but nor did it significantly increase. Once she'd leafed to the end, she snapped it shut, "Thank you for the gifts, Dominic. I'll read them both soon. Would- would you like to read them as well? You- you can finish the Stallion if you wish, while I read the other?"

"Er, no, I think I'm okay without finishing that one," he told her, "It wasn't really my style. Um..."

"Oh?" Her eyebrow rose again as she looked sideways at him, "But you do want to read this one, don't you?"

His blush told her everything she needed to know, and Elsa giggled again, "Well... after I'm finished with it, then. Maybe I'll start tonight... if I don't get too distracted, I could be done tomorrow. You still have tomorrow off?"

He shook his head, "No, I've training tomorrow."
"Ah... twice a month, correct?"

He nodded.

"Well, then after your training, stop by. I'll either be done or not, but I'd still like to, um... to talk."

Her glance down his chest made Dominic wonder if 'talking' was really what she'd meant, but a moment later, the princess had dismissed him and started gathering up her papers, no doubt to make room to write down her decision. After bidding her a good evening, he returned to his room and, without a book to read, settled in for one more round of self-satisfaction before bundling up for the cold nights and heading out for a late-night walk through the city.