Anna's questions were met with Hans's curt, deadpan answers. Within his stuffy office room, her questions multiplied into a nest of yet more questions.

"How on earth did you bring her here?"

The means for time travel were discovered by the US Government during an undisclosed time in the past. The mechanism is currently in its infancy and poses limited means for travel.

"Why did you bring her here?"

A debrief with the highest levels of Government has identified Queen Elsa as the priority target to expend limited resources on.

"Can I see it?"

The mechanism is currently classified SCI. Anna Sullivan's role within this project precludes her from viewing-

"What exactly is my role in this project?"

Anna Sullivan's role as an escort and cross-cultural bridge for Queen Elsa will aid her integration into modern-day society. The effects of time travel on the human brain are as of yet unknown. Anna's experiences working with shell-shocked Civilians in the aftermath of the Ukraine conflict will prove invaluable helping a disoriented mid-19th century monarch acclimatise towards 21st century life .

"Escort? I'm an Escort? That sounds vaguely sexual doesn't it? How about handler?"

No, Anna. I'm your handler.

"Babysitter?"

Queen Elsa is an adult. With all the intellectual faculties one can expect from running a country.

"Companion?"

Anna, you don't get to make up the names. You're her roommate for the rest of the year or until we say otherwise.

Anna threw up her hands one last time and huffed, fine. The exasperation met with yet more study material. Integration plans. The dos and do nots of gently bringing a Victorian-Era woman into the 21st century. No internet. Plenty of time in nature. Fresh food. Modern Clothing as soon as possible. 20th century literature from an NSA approved list. Classical music in a digital format, other genres of music in limited quantities. Conveniences of a modern household to be trickled in together with gradual socialisation.

How on earth do they even come up with this stuff? Anna flipped to the manual's bibliography. Amongst a list of Professors and Experts; a US Army cross-cultural manual, with her name in dark italicised font. Oh, right. Steal my work, will you.

Her legs ached from sitting and studying all day. She'd scarcely eaten. Dozens of unread messages and notifications on instagram. Serious business, Anna thought, reading a two page document about things Elsa absolutely should not be exposed to: unfettered access to the internet, shocking or obscene graphic material, music with vulgar lyrics, extremist political ideology. The list went on and on. Firearms and explosives (no shit). Drugs or narcotics. News about Norway or the present-day European Union. World War II, the Holocaust and Norway's occupation by Nazi Germany. Anna scratched her head when she came across the last line.

Scientific material relating to climate change or global warming.

The rest of the notes comprised a personality assessment by the esteemed Ruth Ginsburg. Consolidated from historical testimonies by Arendellian court officials and subjects.

Queen Elsa is a withdrawn and reclusive Monarch, careful of her demeanour in public eye. Private testimony indicates the Queen has sought to maintain the delicate balance between nobility and peasantry held in esteem by her father, King Agnarr. Her efforts and esteem by the country have staved off tides of revolution that afflicted most of mainland Europe in the 1800s. Though faced with increasing influence from major European powers, Queen Elsa has played a shrewd game of maintaining Arendellian autonomy while reaping benefits yielded by the early Industrial Revolution. Despite being gentle in nature, the Queen has been known to be quick to temper and blunt with her speech. She's been noted to raise her voice when confronted by officials about private familial matters or the nature of her rumoured sorcery. Of which accounts have proven to be scarce after the unexpected winter in Arendelle documented by London Meteorologists, following her coronation. Her persistent introversion and delicate disposition are well-known to the Royal Court, who have unsuccessfully petitioned her to pick a suitor during her short reign. A respectful distance kept from Queen Elsa will go a long way towards developing trust and rapport, greatly aiding her integration into modern society.

"She certainly behaves like a Queen," Anna rolled her eyes, "try lording over this house and we'll see who's the bigger Queen."

Her instagram chimed with a DM. Marie had commented on one of the sunrise photos she'd taken in the backyard. Rose-gold threads woven through cherry-pink clouds. Her breath was stolen by the sight and she had to snap a picture. Contrasting sharply on her IG grid next to a hung up Army Uniform and the caption "Bye Bitchezzzz"

Marie (11:22am) : The location tag says you're in Maryland.
Marie (11:23am) : We should meet up sometime.

Anna's finger hovered over the block button. Before changing her mind and getting ready for another round of Twenty Questions with the Supreme Court of Time Travel. As part of her homework, she'd been tasked to develop yet more plans together with a detailed schedule for Elsa's integration. The panel pored over each little detail with Hans in silent attendance. Elsa had started waking from her sedation. The NSA's austere concrete hallways lost their menacing fangs and time away from social media made Anna's brain feel lighter. More fresh. Like she'd been transported back to the 19th century herself. The impending date of Elsa's discharge put a buzz beneath Anna's skin. A final chance to prove she wasn't a fuck-up charity case weighed down by vestiges of her broken career. Until one last debrief by Hans stole all excitement from her veins.

"Do you know why we picked you?"

"Because I'm good at what I do?" Anna sneered, eyes wandering over NSA medical staff undoing a blood pressure cuff from Elsa's arm. Three NSA paramilitary officers stood in the hospital ward. Menacing, masked statures outfitted with body armour and automatic rifles.

Hans sighed, "We haven't exactly told you how we've taken Elsa back from the 19th Century."

She raised an eyebrow, but otherwise waited for him to continue.

"Temporal continuity is still poorly understood, at least in theory," Hans flexed his fingers, "Elsa was taken from her timeline because she was known to be definitively killed during the Napoleonic wars."

"And there's no more Elsa left in the original timeline?"

"Yes - but this comes at the burden of handling someone whose last memory was a raging battle," Hans looked directly at her, "I'm sure you know what we're dealing with."

An answer caught in her throat. She looked again at Elsa through the plexiglass window. Probably a one-way mirror on the other side. Her oxygen mask had been removed. Blue eyes cold like the harshest winter storm. Pale skin drawn ghastly white. She imagined what Elsa must be thinking. The sheer confusion of waking in a room like this. Far removed from the comforts of her palace where men and women bowed to her and called her Queen. Wondering where her loved ones were buried. She'd seen eyes like these countless times. Disoriented and plunged into despair. First and only words off their lips usually crying for a loved one. Elsa's probably thinking of her sister, Princess Anna of Arendelle.

Pity surfaced within her. Until Elsa's cold, dead eyes locked onto hers with bitter hatred.

And shoved it back beneath her soul's murky depths.