(This chapter has been revised on 9/30/2024)

Seeds of Suspicion

April 1836

"What's it like being a princess?"

That was a question Anna did not expect to hear while building a snowman with Elsa. Anna was in the middle of another visit with Elsa, playing with her magic in the Ice Palace foyer.

"Why do you want to know?" Anna questioned.

"I've always read about them in books. In every story I read, they are always beautiful girls who break spells or need rescuing. Since you're a princess, I want to know the real thing."

"Well, for one thing, I never broke any spells before. And second, I never once needed saving."

"I saved you from freezing to death," Elsa pointed out.

"...Okay, except for that. What else do you want to know?"

"What exactly is a princess?"

"A princess, or prince for boys, is a member of royalty closely related to the ruling monarchs."

"I think you mentioned that they were their children?"

"Usually, yes. Sometimes, they're a niece or nephew or maybe even a sibling. In my case, I'm their daughter. There's more to being a princess than just being related."

"What is it?"

"A princess, or prince, is also the next ones to rule when the current monarch can't anymore."

"What if there's more than one prince or princess?"

"Then it would go to the eldest unless something changes. But since I'm Arendelle's only princess…"

"You'll be queen one day?" Elsa concluded.

Anna nodded. "Most likely. Or if my parents rule long enough, it could go to my first child instead, and I become a regent of sorts."

"That can happen?"

"It has to some royals. Others aren't so lucky."

"Why?"

"There are two ways that I could become a queen. One is that my parents become too old to rule, so they abdicate their crown, and whoever's next in line takes their role."

"Abdicate?"

"Retirement for royals."

Elsa tilts her head. "What's the other way you could become queen?"

"They die." Anna put it bluntly.

"Oh…" Elsa did not expect that kind of answer.

"Yeah, those are royals who aren't as lucky…" Anna said with uneasy awkwardness, rubbing her neck nervously, wanting to change the topic. "Next question."

"What are your parents like?"

"As the king & queen?"

"As your mom & dad." Elsa paused. "It sounds like a stupid question, but I never had parents, so I don't know what it's like having them."

"It's not a stupid question at all. I think its understandable." Anna sat more comfortably while Elsa had her full attention. "I guess, for starters, they're good parents. I mean obviously, they are. I wouldn't call them that if they weren't, but anyway. Despite their roles, they always managed to have time for me whenever possible. Mama & Papa did everything to ensure I was well cared for & happy, and I'm grateful for that."

"They sound like good people."

"They are. We're not always a perfect family and it isn't always easy. We've made some mistakes and been through some hardships."

"What hardships?" Elsa inquired.

"My parents lost someone close to them many years ago."

"Who?"

"My sister…"

"You lost your sister?" Elsa breathed out with a shocked, sad tone. "That must've been terrible."

"It was years ago. I wasn't even born when it happened so I can't exactly understand what they went through. From what they told me, I can guess it was awful. Papa took the loss very hard and became very overprotective of me for a while afterward."

"I'm sorry your family went through that."

"It's alright. They're doing better now, and I help them however I can. That's all part of being in a family. We love, protect, and help each other no matter what. My parents sometimes made bad choices, but I know they always had the best intentions for me."

"Sounds like you and your parents truly care for each other."

"Family is important. Sometimes we're flawed, but I still love them, and they love me. In the end, that's what matters. There's no such thing as a perfect person."

Perfect...that was a word that Elsa had heard several times during her childhood, and not in the best way. Many times, her master told her that both she and he would make a perfect world one day. It was just another one of his lies that she foolishly believed.

"Elsa?" Anna called out.

"Sorry. I got lost in my thoughts." Elsa snapped out of it. "I never knew that parents can be so caring…"

Judging by the tone of Elsa's voice, Anna wondered about Elsa's parents- Assuming they weren't dead. Did Elsa's parents care for her the same way Anna's did? Did they even care for her at all? Or have they never cared? Before she could ask any questions, Elsa's somber look made her stop that and decided to lighten her mood.

"Hey, you know what turns that frown upside down?" Anna asked.

"What?" Elsa looks at her.

"SNOWBALL FIGHT!" Anna threw a snowball at Elsa, causing her to laugh. Soon, they were engaged in a snowball war, with Elsa's creations joining the fun.

Several hours later...

A yawn had escaped from Anna's mouth as she stretched her arms. Looking around, she realized she was in a corner of the Ice Palace foyer. Not too far from her was Elsa, who was sleeping against a sleeping Marshmallow, while Olaf and The Snowgies slept on the ground. They must've played so much that they dozed off.

As Anna rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she noticed the palace interior brighter. There was still darkness, but there was some light. It was odd to Anna since it should still be nighttime.

Unless…

Pulling out the pocket watch hastily, Anna closely glanced at the time. Her heart stopped once she realized the time. It was almost seven in the morning!

"OH SHIT!"

Her voice was just loud enough for everyone else to startle everyone awake.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?! WHY IS SHE YELLING?!" Olaf shouted.

"Calm down Olaf." Elsa looked over at Anna. "What's wrong, Anna?"

"I have to leave now! If I'm not back to the castle in an hour, my parents will freak out!"

Elsa understood what she had meant, and so did Marshmallow. Soon, Anna was in his grasp as he was running.

"I'll see you later!" Anna shouted back towards Elsa as Marshmallow ran.

Only a few would be on the outskirts of Arendelle when it was almost eight in the morning. Not unless one would be an early riser, like an iceman and his reindeer companion. Kristoff was walking alongside Sven. Behind the reindeer was a sleigh that had several large ice blocks. With Spring finally having arrived, it had become warmer. And when it got warmer, people wanted to get cooler, marking the beginning of the ice harvesting season.

Kristoff had been trekking back to Arendelle after several days of ice harvesting. He had his first batch of the season and wanted to return as quickly as possible. As much as Kristoff loved his profession, he was eager to return to the kingdom to see Anna again. As he kept walking, Kristoff heard Sven suddenly stop walking. He turned on his heels to see Sven moving his head around, and his ears twitched slightly.

"What's the matter, Sven? Did you hear something?"

Soft footsteps broke through the air. Although the steps sounded like they were going the pair's opposite direction, Kristoff got out his pickaxe just to be safe. Kristoff grew increasingly concerned. What would someone be doing out here at this time? Could it be a bandit intending to rob him? After thinking it over, Kristoff decided to investigate, confident he could fight off any potential robbers with his pickaxe. If not, then his strength.

Instructing Sven to keep quiet and stay put, Kristoff slowly walked into the treelines. Pickaxe gripped tight in his hand. As he kept getting closer, he could hear footsteps. They sounded rapid, as if they were running and getting closer. A loud rustle of a bush catches his ears, causing Kristoff to let out a quiet gasp as he takes cover behind a tree.

Peeking over enough to stay hidden but not be seen, Kristoff got a look at his mysterious companion. A lone figure is in his vision line, darting around in every direction. The figure had a dark-colored cloak on and a hood covering their face, so Kristoff couldn't figure out who they were. He could guess the figure was a woman since she wore a dress. The dress had a blue skirt with rose printing. Something about the dress looked familiar to Kristof, but the figure started running again before he could get a better look.

The ice harvester went in the direction the figure had gone. Kristoff could no longer hear her footsteps or anything else. Instead, the end of the Arendelle wall that ran throughout the land greets him. The person was nowhere to be seen. Footprints led toward the end of the wall, however. They were muddy since it had rained sometime during the night, and they were fresh.

"That was...weird," Kristoff muttered. "Where did she go?"

After looking around, he concluded that the woman was no longer around, so he returned to Sven.

"Did you find someone?"

"Yeah, but she vanished on me. What were they doing out here?"

"Taking a stroll?" Sven guessed.

"Maybe…" As likely as it sounds, Kristoff didn't believe it. That was not was not his primary concern right now. "Whatever they were doing, they're gone now. Let's get going."

The pair resumed their stroll back to Arendelle. The events that had transpired in those woods had never stopped itching Kristoff. What was the person doing out in those woods? Where did she vanish to? What did those footprints lead? Who was she?

Midday was around, and the town of Arendelle was bustling. It was the perfect time for Kristoff. He sold all his ice blocks quickly, earning enough money to last a good while. In his book, it was an excellent start to the season.

"Kristoff!"

A cheery voice interrupted him as he cleaned it up for the day. A small smile grew as he saw a familiar face when he turned around. "Anna, hey!" The princess got off her horse, ran straight towards Kristoff, and hugged him tightly. She almost knocked him down in the process. "A little too excited, aren't ya, feisty pants?"

"Sorry. I just missed you."

"I've only been gone for a few days."

"And things get boring around here when you're gone."

Kristoff laughed as he pulled away from the hug. Looking behind her, he saw that she had Kjekk with her.

"I'm guessing your dad lifted your horse-riding ban?"

"Yes! He's even allowed me to ride beyond the hill. Just as long I pay attention to my surroundings, tell someone where I'm going, and be back by curfew."

"You have a curfew now?"

"Yeah. Stupid, I know, but it's a reasonable time. I'm just happy Papa's finally lightened up and trusting me to handle myself. Maybe you and I can go for a ride together sometime."

"I would like that."

"I'm heading back to the castle. Me & Kjekk had been riding around all morning. Do you want to hang out? Lunch will be soon."

"I don't see why not."

"Sweet!"

The friends got on their respective steeds and rode back to the castle. They soon arrived and put Kjekk & Sven in the stables. After ensuring their animal companions were cared for, they headed inside. Kai had approached them no sooner than they walked into the Grand Hall.

"Hello, Princess Anna. And hello to you too, Kristoff," Kai greeted.

"Hi, Kai. You need something?" Anna asked.

"Your father requires your presence in his study. He said it would only take several minutes."

"Alright, I'll head over now. Could you take Kristoff to my room, please?"

"Of course, your highness."

"Thanks. I'll see you in a bit, Kristoff."

Anna parted away and went one direction of the staircase, while Kai and Kristoff went the opposite way. Not too long later, they arrived at Anna's bedroom. After assuring Kai that he didn't need anything else, the servant left the ice harvester alone in Anna's room.

Even though Kristoff had been a frequent visitor to the castle for several years due to his friendship with Anna, he sometimes felt a bit out of place here. He reminded himself that Anna was royalty and could one day become queen of the kingdom, and he was a simple ice harvester.

Despite his insecurities about his friendship, Anna and her family never let that bother them. They may be royals, but they were human. Sometimes, it can be easy to forget that. Kristoff often hears people in the streets gushing the royal family, making them out as grand deities of sorts. What Kristoff sees is the opposite. The royal family was just...a family. A family that loved each other very much and supported each other, just like any typical family. They don't let their titles interfere with doing the same things the average person would.

As Kristoff sat on Anna's bed waiting for her, he looked around her room. It was messy, but Kristoff knew it was in Anna's nature. Something out of the ordinary did catch his attention. He noticed a small wall section in the corner of the room that looked slightly sticking out. Now Kristoff knew it was wrong to snoop around his friend's bedroom. Yet...he couldn't help but be a little curious. Once he was sure that Anna or anyone was not nearby in the hallway, Kristoff examined the wall.

The part of the wall appeared out of place. It was sticking out much like a door. After feeling around it, Kristoff gripped it right and opened the section, revealing a secret passage. Kristoff was aware that there were several of these in the castle. Anna showed him the various secret passages and even explored some of them with her. They would even use them for mischief, like scaring the servants & guards into thinking the castle was haunted or stealing food from the kitchens.

Those fond memories vanished as Kristoff realized Anna never told him about this passage. He thought that she probably only recently discovered it. That was Kristoff's most logical explanation until the ice harvester realized that if she did, why not him like all the other passages? Then he noticed the map on the inner door. Kristoff looked at the map that showed the passage through the castle and into the wall. The same one where his mysterious companion from this morning disappeared nearby.

That had defiantly gotten Kristoff's attention. Was Anna the one who was in those woods this morning? He remembered the way the figure acted in those woods. They acted secretive as if they were ensuring someone was not following them.

Something then caught his eye from the corner of his eye. It was partially sticking out from underneath Anna's bed. Curiosity once again took over him, and he went to investigate. Lifting the cover on the side of the bed, he saw the contents. He recognized them as Anna's winter gear that looked used recently.

Why would Anna have her winter clothes out in the middle of April? Then it hit him. Dried mud coated her boots. The dress had the same colored skirt with the rose print as the figure, along with a dark-colored cloak.

Now Kristoff was sure that Anna was the one in those woods. If so, why? Why was she secretive about it? And why did she have winter clothes? Remembering something, Kristoff let go of the cover, went back through the passage, and looked at the map. Near what was supposed to be the wall was the mountain range—the only part of Arendelle where it snowed all year round.

Kristoff then also remembered something else from almost two months ago. Not long after returning from the woods, Anna asked him questions about the mountain range, such as the trails, what areas to avoid, and other things. At first, he thought she was asking him if she got lost again. Now, he was sure that there was something there that she kept going back to. But what?

"Kristoff?" Anna's voice came from the hall.

Kristoff quickly shut the passage door and sat back on the bed seconds before Anna entered.

"Hey Anna," Kristoff greeted, acting like nothing happened. "What did your dad need you for?"

"Some boring stuff. Nothing drastic. Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"

Kristoff only realized that his tone was offputting once it was too late. Anna stared back at him with a raised brow. All he could do was smile, hoping Anna didn't catch on. She shrugged it off seconds later.

"Right…Anyways, tell me about your ice harvesting."

Things went on as usual, much to Kristoff's relief, as his mind was cluttered with questions.

"Slow down, buddy! What's the hurry?"

Kristoff hastily guided Sven out of the castle and into town, searching for a place of privacy while earning bewildering glances from some bystanders. After that moment in Anna's room, things went as they typically do, and Anna never regained her suspicion. They hung out as usual and they both had lunch with her parents. As soon as Kristoff finished, he told Anna that he had to leave because of some business he had to attend to. When he returned to Sven, Kristoff dragged the reindeer the whole way.

Not too long after leaving, they both found an alleyway that wasn't crawling with people. Kristoff took that moment to catch his breath.

"Care to tell why you dragged me from the castle and halfway across town?" Sven pressed, irritated by being dragged

"I think Anna was the person I saw in the woods this morning," Kristoff blurted out.

Sven stared back at his friend with a blank expression. "Are you sure?"

Kristoff explained everything to get the reindeer to understand. He told Sven about the discovery of the secret passage in her bedroom, the dried mud on her boots, and how her winter clothes matched the ones he saw the figure in the woods wore. Along those lines, Kristoff told Sven his theory on how Anna might've been going to the mountain range.

"You think Anna has been going to the mountains?"

"I'm positive," Kristoff affirmed.

"But why?"

That was a good question. Lots of scenarios ran through Kristoff's head. None of which sound very pleasant to him. But he couldn't confirm any of them.

"I don't know."

"Are you going to tell someone?" Sven asked.

"No. Not until I'm certain." Kristoff knew the most foolish thing he could do was tell someone based on assumptions rather than facts. For all he knew, Anna could've just been going up there to enjoy the scenery or something. He certainly doesn't want to send her parents into unnecessary panic, especially after what happened two months ago. "And there's only one way to be certain."

"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking..."

The ice harvester looked upon the mountain range just north of the town. Questions ran through Kristoff's head. What kind of secret was Anna hiding in those mountains? What was in those mountains that Anna didn't want anyone to know? Could she be in any danger? He didn't know, and there was one way to learn.

"I just want to make sure she isn't going to get herself killed."

I forgot to mention this in the last chapter but I have put dates on all the previous chapters. Expect more of that from this point on.

Anyways not much happens here. Elsa gets a lesson about royalty and family from Anna. And it looks as if our favorite ice harvester is getting suspicious on our dear princess's activities (I think we can agree he's such a caring & concerned friend). What is he going do, though?

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