Elsanna week - Day 3 - Romantic movie AU





The Royal Chancellor walked quickly down the hall, pursued by the young woman, who was still talking.

“Look, if you’ll just listen to me for a second, you’ll see why preservation of the herring stocks is important. If the herring collapse it will be a disaster, the sort of disaster which Arendelle hasn’t seen since –“ She stuttered trying to think and catch up to the minister – Since the great siege of 1737.”

The Chancellor ducked into the council room, hoping to lose her, but the young woman was right on his heels. Still talking.

"I realize that there is some pain now, but in the end the gain …”

“Excuse me, Miss …”, the councilor broke in to her monologue.

“Anna. Errr, Wade. Ms. Anna Ellen Wade. Anyhooo the herring –”

“Miss Wayde. The council is not in session. Not yet. We do not discuss matters unless the Queen is present. I’m going to have to ask you to come back …”

“Oh yeah, the Queen – right.” Anna scoffed. She had been trying to see the queen for months. Not that she thought it would make any difference. The queen was … well young, for one … OK, not quite as young as Anna but she had grown up in the real world, not sheltered in this castle. And Anna did things, and went places, had a life, something that the queen didn’t seem to have. “Do you really discuss this sort of stuff with her? Would she even be interested? I mean it’s not like a banquet or a ball.” Anna turned to the Minister of the Interior, a person she had also been trying to get in to see for a while now. “All of Arendelle knows that it’s you on the council who matter.” She smiled in what she hoped was her most winning manner as she stroked their egos. “You’re the ones who make the decisions. I mean we hardly even saw her until recently, and even now … well, it’s not like she’s a dynamic force in Arendelle politics.”

“Oh really,” came the rather cool voice from the doorway just behind Anna. “Is that what ALL of Arendelle knows?” The temperature in the room dropped to match the frost in the voice.

Anna wheeled in place, noticing only as she was turning that everyone in the room was bowing. At the queen. Bowing at the queen who was standing in the doorway. With her arms crossed. Frowning.

“Oh hi … you’re Elsa … I mean Queen El, I mean Your Majesty. Ummmm, good to see you.” Anna curtsied, wavering just enough that the Minister of the Interior held out his arm to right her. Then, as the queen stalked forward, he discreetly backed away.

“So, Miss …. I didn’t catch your name?”

“Wade. Anna Wade.”

"Miss Wade. What exactly are you proposing to my Council that I wouldn’t be interested in?”

“It’s the herring, Your Majesty. They are being over fished. I think they’re in danger.”

“Really?” Elsa tone suggested her concern over the welfare of the herring was somewhat less than Anna’s.

“Really. Already some fisherman have had to spend longer to catch fewer fish, and if this keeps up …”

“Does the Arendelle Royal Fishing Agency agree with your assessment.”

“Well, not really … but that’s just because …”

“Miss Wade –”

“Anna? You can call me Anna everyone does.”

“Miss Wade,” The queen’s smile tightened. “Why don’t you come with me, and we can talk about this someplace more relaxed. Less intimidating.”

“Oh, oh yeah! Sure.” Anna nodded eagerly.



Queen Elsa nodded at a footman and led Anna through a door into a small passageway. Anna guessed it was a private entrance. She wondered where they were going. Maybe to a private suite not, of course, to the queen’s quarters but an office or maybe a library. Yes, a library with a cozy fire. Yes, someplace casual would be a wonderful place to educate the queen on the herring.

“Just through here –” Elsa knocked on the door and another footman opened it. And they walked into a large room. There were chandeliers everywhere, and sconces, and a large flag draped across the back, or rather the front it seemed they had come in through a private door in the back behind the –

“Oh wow,” Anna said, her jaw hanging open. “This is the throne room, isn’t it.”

“Yes it is.” Elsa smiled and then walked the few steps and sat down on her throne and arranged her hands demurely in her lap. “Now you were saying.”

Anna had followed the Queen and was now in the front of the throne. She wondered if she was supposed to kneel in an obeisance. It felt odd, but since the throne was on a dais she was eye level with the queen. She fidgeted and brushed a lock of hair back, not knowing what else to do with her hands. She took a deep breath and decided to take the bull by the horns, or the herring by the fins, or … something.

“Look. I’m really sorry. That was rude. A lot of the things I said back there were rude, and probably uncalled for, and – and definitely not true. I mean it’s true that you aren’t the most public person, but no one really thinks you don’t care about anything but banquets and balls, I kinda made that part up. You know so that your ministers might listen to me. And I’m sorry.” Anna bowed her head to Elsa.

“I assure you that my ego is not so small as to be so easily bruised,” the queen answered. “But your apology is accepted. Miss Wade. Now if you would –”

The queen cut herself off when she noticed a rather large gentleman dressed all in green letting himself in on the opposite side of the room.

“What is it, Kai?”

“It’s about dinner and the ball tonight, Your Majesty. Countess Markum sent a messenger. She is ill and will be unable to attend.”

“Fine,” Elsa nodded. Then when Kai didn’t move she inquired, “Is there more?”

“Well, I just wanted to remind you that the Prince from the Southern Isles. –”

“Oh god, Hans –” Elsa stuck her tongue out in distaste, then quickly pulled it back in when she realized Anna was still in the room.

Kai continued, “Will also be in attendance. We had him escorting the Countess.”

“And,” Elsa sighed, “I am the only remaining single woman, so he would end up –”

“Precisely, Madam.”

Kai waited with stolid dignity while Elsa thought furiously. She had the unkind thought that Hans had arranged for the Countess to become ‘ill’, in a clumsy attempt to make himself the Queen’s partner for the dinner and ball. She wouldn’t put it past him; he had a reputation for cleverness.

“That’s not happening. I’m not giving him any ideas, not an iota of hope. I would rather marry,” she looked at Anna, “her herring than that man.”

“Herring would make terrible mates –” Anna helpfully interjected. “Although during mating season their genitals can comprise more than one fifth of their body weight.”

“Yes.” Elsa’s eyes lit up. “That’s it. You will come to dinner tonight.”

“Well … wait, what?” Anna gaped like a herring at the Queen’s pronouncement.

“You’re coming to dinner tonight. If you want me to hear you out on this herring thing, then you’re coming to dinner. Prince Hans can escort you.”

“Me, really? Dinner at the palace?”

“Well that is where I generally eat it.”

“Oh, OK. So … ” Anna looked around frantically. “I need to change. I need something to wear. I need –”

“Dinner’s not until eight, so you have plenty of time, and Kai will help you with anything you need,” Elsa indicated the man at the other end of the room.

“OK. Eight. Eight. I’ll be here right on time. Eight o'clock sharp. That’s me on time Anna. Wow, that kinda has a ring to it, anyway … eight o'clock.”

“Seven-thirty is usually when guests arrive,” Kai added, his voice perfectly matching his still posture.

“Oh, seven-thirty, right.”

Anna practically bounded from the room. Once she had gone, Kai came to the queen, eyebrow raised.

“Is that really the best idea? I thought you had no interest in this "Save the Herring” campaign.“

"I don’t, but she can talk to Hans. In fact if she tells Hans half of the fascinating facts about herring she’s revealed so far to me, I can almost guarantee that he’ll take the first boat back to the Southern Isles.”

“Quite clever, Your Majesty. Quite clever.”

“I thought so. I can put off this woman, at least give lip service to this herring thing, and quite possibly solve my suitor problem all at the same time.”

=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=

When Kai went out into the hallway from the throne room he found Anna walking around in a circle trying to decide what to do next and muttering to herself. It sounded like she was saying, “You were born ready!”

“Miss?” he asked. She skidded to a halt.

“If you would follow me, I will escort you to a room where one of the maidservants will dress you and prepare you appropriately for the dinner.” His face was a mask of indifference, but inside he was gleefully anticipating the dismay on Prince Hans’ face when he realized who his dinner partner would be tonight.

“Oh, sure, thanks, that would be great. I’ve never had anyone dress me before I usually manage to dress myself, well most of the time – eep!” She squawked as Kai took her hand to lead her to the guest wing.

He escorted her into a room and said, “Please wait here, Miss Wade, and Gerda will be with you shortly.” He left, closing the door behind him.

Anna hadn’t had much time to be overwhelmed by the room which was by far the most luxurious and well-appointed bedroom she had ever seen before a tall, thin woman entered, clothing over one arm and followed by another maidservant carrying more clothing, a makeup case and hairbrush and comb.

“Miss Wade? I am Gerda, and we will be preparing you for the dinner and ball tonight!”

Two hours later Anna was looking at a total stranger in the mirror. Gerda has dressed her and groomed her and she looked beautifuller, more beautiful than Anna had ever managed to be before.

While the dressing and grooming were taking place, Gerda had instructed her on the etiquette and protocol of the dinner and the ball, until Anna thought running away might be the best option.

She was not a peasant, being of the middle class of Arendelle and having attended dinners and balls before, hosted by her parents or as guests of her parents’ friends. But those dinners and balls were not at the palace, and certainly never included the Queen herself as a guest. Anna gulped as she realized that not only would she be dining in the Queen’s presence, she would be escorted by a PRINCE!

Gerda said, “And that’s the most important thing to remember, my lady.”

Anna pulled her mind back to the present surroundings and drew herself up in what she hoped was elegant dignity. She hoped the most important thing wasn’t all that important as she had missed it entirely. “Thank you, uh, Gerda did you say?” A stiff nod. “Thank you, Gerda. I can’t believe how beautiful this gown is and … and …” Anna ran out of words, an uncommon situation.

“Please follow me and we will introduce you to Prince Hans.” Gerda opened the door and gestured for Anna to walk out into the hallway,

After what seemed like an interminable walk through endless hallways, Anna turned a corner and ran right into someone. “Hey!” she squeeked indignantly.

The only reason she didn’t fall flat on her dignity was the fact that the man she had bumped into had caught her in his arms. She looked up into a pair of green eyes framed in a very handsome face. “Hey …” she said with less indignation.

“Glad I caught you.” The man, dressed in an elaborate white uniform with much gold braid and as many medals as most armies seemed more amused than angry. He looked her over carefully as he helped her stand upright, then bowed gallantly. “Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles.”

“Oh!” Anna was stunned. THIS was her partner for the evening? She curtsied gracefully, “Anna Ellen Wade, a citizen of Arendelle, Your Highness.”

Gerda interjected, “Prince Hans, Queen Elsa asks for your understanding. Countess Markum is indisposed, and Miss Wade will be your dinner partner for the evening.”

Hans smiled and held out his hand to take Anna’s. “How can I be anything but understanding, I will be escorting a very beautiful woman this evening. I appreciate the Queen’s kind consideration.” He smiled at Anna who was still flustered and looking around for said beautiful woman. “Milady, may I?” Anna started in surprise when he placed her arm under his own and led her toward the sounds of the dinner party assembling.

Gerda watched them go, shrugged, then went to attend to her duties. The Queen wanted this dinner to go off without a hitch. But mostly she wanted Hans just to go without a hitch.

=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=

While Hans was charming and gallant as he made small talk with Anna, he seethed inside. “Damn the woman. I had intended to be HER escort tonight, not some flibbertigibbet peasant!”

None of this showed on his face. He was trained to present a very stoic exterior, no matter what was going through his mind. He could charm the socks off a snake, and as he thought about it, maybe he could charm the bloomers off this girl. She certainly seemed to be overwhelmed by the venue and the guests, if her wide eyes taking in the room were any indication. Maybe the evening wouldn’t be a total loss after all.

Anna was almost overwhelmed by the glitter and gold braid; she covered this by chattering on to Prince Hans as he led her to one of the many tables in the room and stood with her behind the chairs set at the table.

“What are we waiting for?” Anna asked.

Hans chuckled at her innocence and said, “Well, etiquette demands that we wait for –”

“Queen Elsa of Arendelle!” announced a loud voice from the doorway.

The Queen glided into the room, her hands clasped before her, nodding and smiling at several guests as she made her way to … to THEIR table! Anna couldn’t believe it! She was at the Queen’s table!

Anna was so awestruck she almost missed curtsying with the rest of the guests as the Queen sat in the chair held for her by the butler. Eventually, Anna managed to close her mouth and perform this basic piece of etiquette without falling over.

Once the Queen was settled, the men at the table bowed to their escorts and held their chairs so the ladies could be seated. Anna almost miss that cue as well, still staring at the Queen, when Prince Hans cleared his throat and murmured, “Milady?”

“Oh, OH, thank you, Prince Hans.” Anna sat on the proffered chair and tried not to gawk at the Queen.

It was hard not to gawk; she was dressed in a gown that shimmered like ice. Form fitting from her bodice to her waist, it had one delicate shoulder and sleeve, nearly transparent. It sparkled in varying hues of blue, darker near the top of the dress, showing off the queen’s perfect porcelain skin. The skirt seemed made of swirls of ice, the sort you might find tumbling down a waterfall. It was not form fitting, but of a much tighter cut than anyone else’s in the room, and it had a daring slit running almost to mid-thigh. As the queen walked the barest hint of her leg would peak out before disappearing into the folds of the dress again. The effect was mesmerizing and breathtaking all at the same time. Anna knew that the Queen was beautiful, but this vision looked like someone that had come down from heaven itself.

“Good evening, ladies, gentlemen,” murmured the Queen as she reached for her napkin. That seemed to be the signal for the footmen to begin serving.

Anna managed to tear her eyes away from the Queen and take up her own napkin. She looked at her table setting and realized with dismay she had never seen that many pieces of silverware in one place before in her life. She gritted her teeth and decided to simply mimic what the Queen did. That should be easy enough.

She managed to get through the soup course without incident, but the roast was her downfall. Prince Hans leaned over and asked her to pass the gravy boat, and Anna reached for it. It would have been fine if the Queen hadn’t chosen that moment to look at Anna and say, “Isn’t that correct, Miss Wade?”

“Wait, what?” Anna was so flustered at having the Queen TALK TO HER that she didn’t realize that she was pouring the gravy onto Prince Hans’ lap, not his plate. She became aware of this when he leaped to his feet, swearing and dabbing at his pants with his napking. Horrified, Anna added to her own humiliation by dropping the gravy boat on his boots, compounding his anger.

“Prince Hans, may I offer the services of my staff to help you with that?” The Queen’s lilting voice was NOT giggling, but there was an undercurrent of suppressed humor as she covered her mouth with her gloved hand.

Hans visibly controlled himself and made a stiff bow to the Queen, saying, “Thank you, Your Majesty. I appreciate the gesture.” The look he shot at Anna could not quite be called a glare.

For her part, Anna was hunched down in her seat wishing she could simply vanish through the floor before she died from her embarrassment. She had spilled gravy on a Prince! In front of the Queen!

Hans threw his soggy napkin onto his chair and stalked out of the dining room, following one of the footmen. The rest of the guests were studiously ignoring the faux pas that had taken place and went on with their meal as though nothing untoward had happened.

Anna struggled to hold back tears. She choked and tried not to sniffle. A footman had cleaned up the mess at Hans’ place, then replaced the place settings for the next course.

Watching Anna, Queen Elsa found herself sympathizing with the girl. Because now that she was watching her closely, she realized that Miss Wade WAS only a young girl, in spite of the bravado displayed this afternoon in the Council chambers. Elsa felt a pang of guilt for subjecting the poor woman to a venue she was unfamiliar with, a setting that clearly overwhelmed her. Although she had managed to rid the Queen of her pesky suitor. Kai had whispered to Elsa that Prince Hans was last seen heading for the docks, muttering about leaving this god-forsaken kingdom behind.

The young woman had served her purpose, a thought which made the queen feel even more guilty. She did owe her, and furthermore she wasn’t being a good hostess by allowing one of her guests to slide slowly under the table.

“I think we’ll take dessert in the ballroom, Kai,” she announced to her butler. “Have it set up in there.”

Everyone stood when Elsa rose, Anna scrambled a bit and made it up without further mishap. Then as everyone else made their way into the ballroom where the orchestra struck up the Arendelle national anthem, Anna bolted for the balcony.

The queen was torn. Protocol called for her to choose a partner for the first dance so that the rest of her guests could than dance. Her conscience called for her to apologize to the young woman she had thrown to the proverbial dogs … or in this case a dog-like Prince.

“Kai,” she called her butler over from where he was directing the footmen. “Please instruct Duke Myhr to begin the dancing without me. I’m … I’m …”

Kai had served the queen since she was born. He knew her well enough to suspect what the problem might be. “Indisposed.”

“Exactly.”

The butler nodded and set about his task. Elsa took a breath and set about hers.

The queen heard the sobs before she had made it fully onto the balcony. She knocked on the door and waited a moment to allow Anna to compose herself before she stepped outside.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Anna sniffled. “Did you want to use the balcony.”

“Only to speak to you, Miss Wade.” Elsa smiled, a smile that wavered when she saw the panic in her guest’s eye.

“About what happened, I’m so sorry. I mean, it was completely horrible, I can certainly understand why you’d want …well, I’ll just be leaving. I’ll go, and you know … I’ll just go.”

Anna ducked her head and started for the doorway back into the castle, but was brought up short when the queen stepped to block her way.

“Please don’t.”

“Don’t?”

“Please don’t go. Not like this. I want to – I need to apologize to you.”

Anna’s head swam. The queen was apologizing to her? “What?”

“I had an idea that, well, that things might go badly between you and Hans, and I am afraid that I was counting on that … well, to convince him to finally leave.”

“You knew?” Anna took a step backwards. “You … you were using me? To chase someone away? You were using my clumsy ignor…”

“No,” the queen shook her head vigorously. “No, I would never do that. I mean you’re not at all … I mean … it was the herring, I thought you’d talk about the herring and that might … well bore him a little. I never ever meant for it to end up this way, and I am so sorry it did. It was a terrible mistake. I beg, I humbly beg your forgiveness.”

Anna was incensed, but something about the queen’s tone stopped her from storming away. She sounded truly contrite, very embarrassed, and Anna knew all about feeling embarrassed.

“I suppose,” Anna said pulling her shoulders up straight. “I suppose that makes us even today. I insulted you, you … well, set me up.”

“Then you will forgive me?” Elsa asked.

“Well, herring are boring,” Anna answered after a moment. “So, I forgive you. If you forgive me?”

“Consider yourself forgiven.”

Then they seemed to run out of things to say. Elsa looked at Anna and Anna looked back. It was a silent communion. Silent until Anna squawked, “Oh, your guests. Your party. Don’t you have to go back to your party?”





Elsa chuckled behind her hand, saying, “No. Well yes. I should, but I’m the queen so really I can probably do what I want to do … at least every once in a while.”

“What you want to do?” Anna was puzzled; she hadn’t thought there were any limits on what the Queen could do.

“Yes, and what I want to do right now is spend more time with you.”

Anna blinked and blurted out, “Me? Why?” She was confused, but the instant the words were out of her mouth she regretted them.

“Because you are a very interesting and unique woman,” Elsa answered. “I must say I’ve not had so much fun at a dinner party in a long time. And not just when you were pouring gravy on that idiot’s lap. You were a refreshing breath of air in what has increasingly seemed to be my stale life.”

“Your life? Stale? You’re the queen.”

“Yes,” Elsa sighed. “But I’m also a young woman – and those things are not easy to balance at the same time. Recently I think I’ve been all queen and not young at all. You made me realize that. You made me … wish for things.”

“Oh, thank you.” Anna blushed. “But I never thought of myself as … interesting.”

“You are. Interesting and, if I may say so, beautiful.” Elsa waited with bated breath for Anna’s response.

“You’re beautiful too, I mean beautifuller, well not fuller,” Anna’s hands seemed to jump out against her will, suggesting something that was true but not what she wanted to suggest. “I mean more beautiful.”

“Thank you,” the queen giggled demurely.

“That dress is amazing, but it’s not just the dress, it’s you. You …” Anna stopped unsure exactly what she could say next.

“You are too kind,” Elsa replied taking a step closer. “And so generous, and friendly, and … enthusiastic.” She glanced down at the floor and then back up into Anna’s eyes. “You make me want to kiss you.”

“Oh?” Anna’s eyes shot open wide, but then she smiled.

Elsa smiled back. “I mean, may we … may I?”

“Yes,” Anna answered. “We may.”

A/N - Guess the movie.