Elsa Comes Out: Duty of the Common Man

        Beneath his feet the slightly moldy, somewhat splintering wood rolled and bucked. Kristoff stumbled as he attempted to walk across the deck. He was not used to boats. He was not a boat person. So why had he decided to come aboard?

        Well, at court a ship captain had arrived with news of a large ice pack heading south for Arendelle. If it came to close it had the chance of the currents bringing it into the harbor, blocking off any trade they might get, not to mention fishing and whaling vessels. Arendelle could be strangled for the winter. Kristoff decided he’d take a few men out in boats, and see the ice pack for himself. If it was so bad they could start slicing it up, make the chucks small enough for boats to push aside or break through if need be.

        Elsa had asked him not to go, but frankly, Kristoff was glad to be out of the castle. It was maddening in there some times with nothing to do but sit around. The old King of Corona had been right, sometimes you just needed to get out of the lap of luxury and get your hands dirty.

        Not that it was all bad, Kristoff thought as he finally made it to the gunwale and leaned on it. He smiled. Since the winter feast things had become far simpler with Elsa. She still insisted on not having anyone know about the two of them, but that just made the shared glances and looks all the better. And when they were finally alone? Elsa seemed to be nearly insatiable. Kristoff had quickly learned that there was hardly anything he could do that she wouldn’t enjoy. Just had found before she simply loved being touched. One time while she was practically asleep she’d even said that she wanted him to love her ‘in any way they could’ Sometime she’d let him take charge, and other times, others she’s take his hands and please herself with them. Kristoff never much minded. He did love seeing her happy

        He knew it wouldn’t last, not when Anna came back. He’d have to tell her, and he honestly didn’t know how she’d react. When he’d told her the first time, all those months ago, she was far happier than he had ever expected, and with locking them together, he didn’t know what to think. But would she still feel the same way? He shook his head. He really did love both of the girls, and whenever he wasn’t with one of them he felt terrible about the whole thing. He needed to do work; the ice pack was only a few days away by boat.

 

        “So, did anyone inherit Weselton?” 

        “No.”

        “Anyone claim it yet?”

        “No.”

        “A new Duke been decided?” 

        “No.”

        “What do you all do in there all day then?”

        “We argue!” Anna finally snapped back at the look out. Oliver backed away.

        “Alright alright, Princess.” She said smiling. Anna had been nearly exhausted as of late, Oliver had found. The princess seeming to be more and more depressed as the talks about the future of Weselton dragged on.

        “I’m sorry,” Anna said, “It’s just, this stupid man from Germany! He keeps going on and on about how Weselton belongs to them and-and. Aargh!”

        Did all royalty speak so candidly? Oliver had seen the Queen on the dock when they’d left the harbor, she’d seen composed and elegant, she couldn’t imagine her ranting over some dignitary like this.

        “I’m sure you’ve made some leeway, yeah?”      

The princess sighed, pushing her braids behind her back, “Well… today we finally got him to stop saying that Prussia is owed the duchy.” 

        “Well that’s good”

        “Now he’s saying he’s the perfect candidate for installation as the next duke.”

        “Ahh.”

Oliver watched as Anna let her face fall flat onto the table, “This is going to take forever.”

        The lookout glanced out the window. Anna had insisted that they share a room; she was after all the princesses’ chaperone and guard. Lights twinkled in the town like little stars as the real ones shined up above. Oliver noticed one building full of light and life; she could almost hear the laughter.  She gave the princesses arm a friendly slap, “Come on, you need some cheering up.”

        “Huh?”

        “We’re going out.”

 

        Oliver pulled her charge through the streets and to the tavern. Even from outside you could make out the words of songs being sung, and cheers and toasts. Ahh, Oliver thought, this was her kind of place. They opened the door; it swung easily on well oiled hinges, not even making a sound. Oliver closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She smelled orange, a muddy orange, brown, with hints of red and greens, but definitely brown. Ahh this was one of the good ones.

        The place was filled with the warmth that humid deep in your core happy warmth that only large groups of people can make. They roused another song from the shanty man, waving mugs and bottles in the air. Women sat on men’s laps. Women lean with men against the walls. Men gambled their hard earned wages away, and women pulled away those hard earned winnings with more ale and beer.

        “Oh wow” Anna said. Oliver figured she must have never been in a tavern before.

        “Oh you’ll love this,” the swarthy deckhand said with a grin before walking to the bar and ordering two drinks. Anna walked to the nearest table and watched four men playing at cards. She didn’t know the game, but it seemed to involve match up cards with the other players. There was a points system involved.

        “Here” Oliver said, handing the younger girl a mug, “Drink this”

        “What is it?” Anna said. Without waiting for an answer she took a sip.

        “A drink for men,” Oliver laughed as Anna coughed.

        “This is awful” Anna said.

        “Only the first time, come on,” Oliver led the princess over to an empty table. Anna took another drink this time. A longer one. She coughed less after it.

        “Do you always drink this?” Anna asked.

        “Only when we’re in port,” Oliver replied, taking a swig.

Anna took another drink, and then another. Before long she had an empty mug, “This is supposed to make me feel better?”

        “Generally, yes.”  

        “Isst’s not working,” she said. Against her better judgment, Oliver got the princess another mug when she’d started to make a scene. The two drank their beers as the tavern jovially roared around them.

        “Elssa shouldn’t have picked me,” Anna said after a while, staring at her drink.

        “Hmm?”

        “I’m no good at this,” she said again, “I almost started a war, you know?”

        “I doubt it was that bad, princess.”

        “I could start a war if I wanted.”

        “What?”

The blond slid back into silence, taking another drink.

        “This whole thing not working out how you thought it would?”

        “I… I just thought it would be all parties. And. And. And. Parties,” Anna said, “Not stubborn old men yelling all the time.”

        “I guess it’s like sailing…” Oliver trailed off.

        “Hmm?”

        “Oh you know, in stories it’s all about adventure, seeing new lands, but then you do it and it’s just work and work and getting no sleep.”

        “Why’re you onna boat, Oz?”

        “Er…” well what harm could it do? “I’m… following someone.”

        “Ohh! Like. Like your husband?”

        “N-no. Not really..”

        “I used to have a husbad.”

        “What?”

        “No. wait. What? No. I still do, but we’re not married yet.” She drained the last of her mug and asked for more. When Oliver came back Anna had laid her head on her arms, she nudged her with the mug.

        “Hmm… are you buying better drinks? They taste better.”

Oliver smirked, “I must be.”

        Anna took the mug and took another sip and the two sat in silence again. Another song came up from the shanty man.

        “I think my sister is sleeping with my boyfriend.” Anna said abruptly.

Oliver’s mug stopped halfway to her lips, “What?”

        “Well no. Not. Not think. I know. I kind of told them to.”

        “I uh... I shouldn’t be hearing-“

        “It’s just. She wash so sad. Right? Right.” Anna said, talking to the wall, “I just. Just. I wanted to see her happy and she shaid she liked him-m.”

        Anna turned and faced the sailor, “But see, the strange thing? Right? I mind, but I don’t,” she pointed an accusing finger, “Oh my God their kids would look so cute. Can you imagine their hair?”

        Oliver didn’t even know the Princess what engaged to anyone. Being as sea kept you out of the loop, “Oh yeah. Yeah. Of courses”

        “Do you think it would glow?”

        “What?”

        “Hmm?”

Anna took another drink, “But I want him too,” she said, almost wistfully, “I saw him first. Hesh mine. I want my own bike. Right?” she asked.

        “Well… maybe you could-“

        “I know this song!” Anna yelled as she stood up.

Oliver watched in a mixture of horror and amusement as Anna slurred along with the other singers to The Worst Old Ship. An hour later she slowly carried the princess back to the apartments they stayed in. Anna sang to herself, mumbling the words of three different songs together and talking of Kristoff and Elsa and sharing bicycles.

 

        Kai wouldn’t say he stalked the halls of the castle; he didn’t have the right build for it, for one thing. But everyone always said he seemed to be far too quiet for a man his size. Still whatever was the cause for this talent, in the end it served him well. More than once he’d caught maids not doing their jobs, of house guests trying to abscond with what little ornamentation the castle had. The loss of those candlesticks was still a black mark on his record.

        He heard the soft laugh of his queen, and watched as she walked down the hall, her Ice Master ever in tow. He must have said something to her. It did Kais’ heart good to see his queen as happy as she was, for the past few weeks she’s been rather melancholic. Kai smiled to himself as his queen continued on past him, both her and the lowborn courtier nodding a hello as they passed. It was obvious what the cause of their lady’s recent happiness was. You’d be blind not to see it.

        The fit of sadness had only started when the Ice Master had to leave for his duties. Kai had told him that he no longer had to even leave the castle if he wished but the man refused him saying that he wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he wasn’t out on the ice. And once he comes back to the castle? The queen is once again far more vivacious than before, laughing, making jests at others.

        It was actually rather cute, Kai thought, the way she tried to hide the affair. Like a little girl not wanting to share her new toy. He had gone around to the maids, butlers, bailiffs, steward, door wards and all other manner of servants in the castle that anyone found out to be speaking of any of it outside of the castle would be jailed for high treason, he’d see to it personally. He was Crown Regent for three years before his queen came into her own, and a proud steward of the house of Aren he would not see salacious rumors fret about this second family of his.

        Still there was some cause for concern. What would happen when the queen’s sister returned? The Ice Master was all but her betrothed at this point. Kai had read of kingdoms being brought low by far less than a pair of squabbling siblings. And if it did come to that, he wondered, who would he support? In truth it wouldn’t look good for the queen. The Freezing was still fresh in people’s minds and every now and then you’d hear rumors. The queen was a witch, a monster that’s why she hadn’t married yet. Her skin was so cold you would burn yourself if you touched her. It was all poppycock, but it would mean the world if the worst should happen. The entire kingdom might call for the queen to step down if it did.

        Kai sighed and continued down the hall. He should put a stop to it, he knew. But Queen Elsa just seemed to be so happy. He hoped his queen knew what she was doing, and more importantly, he hoped the Ice Master was at least as honorable a man as he appeared. Kai walked down the same hallway as his queen had just passed through, there weren’t many people staying in this wing of the castle. It was mostly the older apartments and the library. When she was younger Elsa would spend her time there if she wasn’t locked away in her room. As he walked past the seldom used rooms Kai couldn’t help but hear the faint sound of whispers.

        ‘- are you- mmm‘

        There was a pause.

        ‘Mmm. I missed you.’

        ‘It was only two nights.’

        ‘Mmhm’

Kai had half a mind to barge in on them but he remembered his and Gerda’s little trysts throughout the halls. There was one particularly pleasant memory of an attic in the west tower…

        ‘There’s not even a-’

        ‘That’s never stopped us.’

        There was another pause and a rustling of sorts.

        ‘Ahn!’

        And a thud against the wall.

        ‘Ohhh, ahn. Ah-hmmm mm’

Kai shook his head. Things never seem to change much no matter how long time marched on.

        ‘- look. In the mirror.’

        ‘ohh, wait let me-ah!’

        ‘heh’

        ‘Oh God, look at us.’

        ‘Look at you’

        ‘Ahn! K-Kris!’

Kai began to walk off. He’d tell the staff not to worry about the eastern wing of the castle for the day.