A/N: I've been looking forward to this one.

"Your Majesty, Queen Elsa. It is an honor." Her guest bowed.

They were in her audience chamber, a welcoming sunlight room where she often met with those who desired to speak with the Queen. Her throne stood in the back of the room, on top of a raised dais. The chair itself was simple. It was formed out of silver found in one of Arendelle's many mines and engraved with a carving of the crocus flower, though the symbol was currently obscured by the monarch's slim frame.

The woman standing before her was relatively young, perhaps forty years of age. Her jet-black hair was graying slightly, but the blessings of youth had not entirely deserted her. She had traveled far, all the way from Antegria, a distant land to the east of Arendelle. Elsa wished she could have simply refused to meet with her, but doing so would have enraged this woman's supporters all the more.

"Priestess Lyna," Elsa dipped her head in acknowledgement.

"I am sure you are aware of why I am here, Your Majesty," she began. The bluntness surprised Elsa, but she welcomed it nonetheless. This confrontation was inevitable; there was no point in delaying it.

The Queen merely raised an eyebrow. "You have journeyed for weeks to meet with me, that is all I know. It does not do to make baseless assumptions about important matters."

Lyna's mouth hardened into a frown. "I am here, Your Majesty, to implore you to reconsider your current course. As a woman blessed with more power than any on this earth, you have been given a tremendous opportunity to do good. Instead, you have fallen into sin. Unless you repent, before long Arendelle will suffer divine retribution. I have come to offer you a chance to seek forgiveness and start anew."

The only outward demonstration of Elsa's anger was the tightening of her fingers around the throne's armrest.

Lyna was the de-facto head of the Chantry of Light, a religious body that worshipped one supreme, benevolent god. Of course, 'benevolence' was a subjective term. Their teachings stated that this nameless, genderless being was the ultimate source of good. Its followers were protected and rewarded. But those who strayed from its directives were punished, both in this life and the next. They didn't have a problem with magic, but certain types of love, on the other hand...

This Chantry had a small but relatively significant following in Arendelle. Few commoners adhered to its tenants, but some of the country's wealthier citizens were devout members of the religious body...including several nobles. Lord Liddel was one such person, though thankfully he had been the only one of its members on her Council.

In other nations, the Chantry had more influence. In Antegria, it was all but the state religion. Lyna, the first among equals of its Priests, often advised its King.

Antegria had no trade with Arendelle, due to its small size and vast distance away from Elsa's country. But if it did, the King would have certainly revoked any of their agreements by now. Recent months had seen Elsa flout the Chantry's teachings. Not that she had ever tried to follow them, of course.

"I do not follow your religion, Priestess. I live my life according to my own code. I rule my country with diligence and fairness. Every day I labor to keep my citizens safe and prosperous. Is that not enough for your god? I do not ask you to endorse my decisions, but is it too much to at least tolerate them?"

The Priestess's teeth clenched, her veil of politeness rapidly disintegrating. "Your actions are an abomination. To tolerate them would to be to renounce the Light. The people of your kingdom could stomach your actions no longer; more than one lord of Arendelle asked me to intercede. And this, I do gladly. I will not leave them to suffer alone as their kingdom falls into wickedness."

"I'm afraid that you have no choice. I do not consider my relationship with Miss Anna sinful...far from it. But those that do will simply have to accept it. As long as they are peaceful in their adherence, they will be allowed to believe in the Chantry's teachings...foolish and antiquated notions as they may be. But their beliefs will have no influence on how I conduct my affairs," she said firmly. "If that is all you have to say, you may consider yourself dismissed from my presence."

Elsa knew she was being far more direct than was custom, but she did not care if Lyna felt offended. In fact, she wanted the Priestess to feel slighted. Antegria had nothing to offer Arendelle, for all she cared the small kingdom could never contact her again. The few lords in Arendelle who already disapproved of her decision would be angered regardless. They were already angered.

"I am an emissary of the Light, I will not stand here and be insulted like this!" Lyna proclaimed.

"Indeed you won't. Guards, please escort this woman out of my sight and off of the Palace grounds."

The Priestess continued to shout religious dogma as two Royal Guards took her by the arms and, gently but firmly, escorted her out of the throne room. Elsa watched her go with a faint smile on her face.

The opposition to her relationship with Anna would always be a thorn in her side. But she could tolerate the pain. Some of those who opposed it possessed considerable wealth and influence, she knew, but not enough to present a significant threat. Individually or collectively, they could never hope to topple her reign.

It wasn't just for religious reasons. Many of the more conservative aristocrats had made clear that they disapproved of her choice in consort. Luckily for her sake, Elsa's parents had possessed considerable foresight. Throughout their reign, the influence of some of the older, more conservative families had been subtly but steadily curbed in favor of increasing the power of some of the more forward-thinking noble houses. The progressive branch of the nobility, while not exactly endorsing Elsa's choice in consort, would at least be willing to accept it. Some of them might frown in contempt at the sight of the redhead, but it would not affect their loyalty to the crown.

That didn't mean that there weren't plenty of people with power who disapproved of Anna. But it did ensure that they didn't pose a credible threat to her reign. Most of the most outspoken lords were stationed throughout the country...well away from the Royal City. They could write letters and make their contempt of Elsa's choice in Anna clear, but rebellion was not a possibility.

Still, the Queen wished that the announcement of their relationship could have waited until this conspiracy was dealt with. But Anna had forced her hand. Maybe it was better this way, after all...to confront the problem immediately and head on.

And so she was taking a gamble. With Anna guaranteed to be gone from the Castle for a few hours, she had time to prepare.

"Your Majesty?" Kai entered the room, hurriedly walking down the length of the audience chamber and offering a quick bow to the Queen. At a nod from Elsa, he continued. "Lady Evangeline needs to speak with you. Urgently."

\

Anna felt like she could breathe again.

Roaming the city was wonderful. She'd been to the capital a few times, but that had always been as a homeless criminal looking for work. Surrounded by well-dressed people, hundreds of stores, and extravagant food vendors…it had seemed as if it had all existed to remind Anna of the life she would never have. Could never hope to have.

And now she did. The world had been opened to her. Anna's pockets were filled with gold coins, all given to her by the Queen. Whenever she'd stolen, the money she'd pilfered had always seemed heavy, threatening to spill out onto the street and expose her for the thief she was. That sensation failed to trouble her now.

Elsa had ordered her to be back by sunset. Anna spent most of her time wandering aimlessly, enjoying the freedom. If she saw something she liked (mostly food) she bought it. Even the way shopkeepers looked at her was different. Before, whenever buying something with her ill-gotten gains, they had glowered at her with skepticism and mistrust. Now, sporting a clean face and wearing casual yet expensive clothes, sellers were eager to speak with her.

But perhaps of most interest to Anna was the chatter she picked up. Royalty, especially in the Royal City, was always a matter of concern. Anna was therefore only somewhat surprised to find herself as a popular subject of conversation.

As Rapunzel and Eugene demonstrated, it was not unprecedented for a Royal to find love with a commoner. But it would be the first time in the history of Arendelle.

The reactions among the middle and lower class ranged from amused to delighted. Elsa's parents had implemented policies that had improved their lot, and the current Queen had been continuing that trend. Her taking an interest in a peasant girl only seemed to reaffirm her concern for those who lacked power and status. Many were still skeptical that Elsa would continue the romance indefinitely, but the general hope seemed to be that the two of them would end up married.

Anna still hadn't dared to wish for the same.

It was a nice change from the attitude in the Castle. No one recognized her, of course. It wasn't as if Elsa had plastered posters of her attendant across the city. But the widespread approval was still gratifying.

But the opinions of the nobility could never escape her. Whispers abounded about the displeasure of the aristocracy. No one seemed to believe that it would lead to revolt, but many of the conservative lords had made their opinions on the matter plain. As long as Anna was in Elsa's bed, the Queen could expect no support from them.

For the first time in weeks, all of Anna's fear deserted her. Nothing triggered her horrifying memories. It would not last, she knew. But an afternoon of peace was worth more than all of the gold still in her pockets.

/

Elsa refused to get her hopes up. As suggested by Evangeline, the Queen dispatched a group of soldiers and gave the operation clearance to proceed. Based upon the facts at her disposal, it looked quite promising.

Too promising.

After months of failure, to suddenly have such a breakthrough seemed...impossible. Perhaps the universe felt that she was due for a little luck, but Elsa found that unlikely. It had never happened before.

Anna would want to know. But Elsa wasn't going to risk giving her so much false hope. If things worked out, she would inform the redhead immediately. But not before.

Later that day, the Queen was utterly relieved to see Anna return from the city in one piece.

But although her attendant's presence usually served as a stabilizing force, it now added to Elsa's stress. Planning a large party was difficult enough. But doing so while trying to hide the details from a person who spent nearly the entire day by your side made it three times as difficult.

/

"We need to talk, Anna."

The words cut through the air like a knife, sending a pang of terror straight through Anna's heart. What could Elsa want to talk about? Had their enemies made another move? Did the Queen want Anna to move back into her old room? Was the nobility starting an uprising? Had Elsa realized how much Anna was keeping from her?

"Uh, okay." The attendant sat down on their bed, having just finished changing into one of her nightgowns. It had been three days since her walk through the city, and like the two weeks before them they had been relatively peaceful.

Elsa frowned. "You're aware of the party the day after tomorrow, correct?"

"Of course," Anna answered, relief starting to sink in. Whatever this was about, it didn't seem like she was getting thrown out of the royal suite. "But I thought you said it was nothing special, just an event for the nobles that live in the city. Does the royal tailor need to get my measurements again?"

"No. It's...I wanted to keep this a surprise as long as possible, but the invitations were sent out today. The Council will certainly bring it up tomorrow and I thought you'd rather learn it from me."

Anna's mind spun. A surprise concerning her? Judging by Elsa's tone, it didn't sound good...whatever it was.

"What surprise?" she questioned anxiously.

Elsa's face suddenly broke into a wide smile. "This isn't a normal party, Anna. It's a Knighting Ceremony. Your Knighting Ceremony."

Oh gods...

Throughout her time in the Castle, Anna had learned about the details of Knighthood. It was far more than an ornamental title. To be a Knight was to be a member of the nobility. It meant to possess rank, authority, and recognition. Nearly all of the Knights named throughout the history of Arendelle (and all ten or so in the present day) had already been members of the aristocracy prior to receiving the honor.

"You...you're...me...why?" It was all she could manage.

The Queen's grin widened. "Knights are usually lords and army commanders who are appointed for performing a great deed on behalf of Arendelle. But being of high rank is not a requirement. Knighthood, at least in the traditional sense, is a reward for selfless acts of bravery in the name of the crown. I won't deny that this will be highly irregular, but I can think of no one in the kingdom more worthy than...

Her brain finally processing the news, Anna leapt forward and took Elsa into a deep kiss. The Queen was too stunned to respond, but even that couldn't damper Anna's euphoria. She was going to be a Knight!

"Gods Elsa," she pulled back. "I can't thank you-"

The monarch placed a silencing finger on Anna's lips. "Stop. This isn't something I'm giving you; you earned this. Three times, you all but threw your life away to save mine. No one can deny that you're deserving."

Anna's brain finally slowed down enough for the attendant to ask the obvious question.

"Maybe," she agreed hesitantly. "But why are you doing this now? The nobles hate me already. Isn't this just going to piss them off more? Shouldn't we wait until everything calms down?" Why am I arguing against this? Be quiet Anna!

Elsa shook her head. "Make no mistake, Anna. First and foremost, I'm doing this for you. I know that being my consort affords you some status, even if it is unofficial. But a Knighthood will be far more potent. If someone offends you, you won't have to go to me and request that I do something about it. The rank that accompanies an appointment supersedes that of a typical member of the aristocracy...in order for it to be a reward for those who are already nobles. Even in this Castle, you'll outrank the majority of those you meet. Anyone who tries to trip you...yes Gerda told me about that, Lady Alma won't be coming back anytime soon...can be banished from the Palace if you command it."

"That doesn't mean I will," she pointed out.

"True. But everyone else won't know that," Elsa countered. "Now, maybe you'll finally get the respect you deserve."

Anna couldn't help but smile at the thought, even as her mind returned to the point of the conversation. "I...really appreciate this Elsa. Even if you say I earned it!" she added quickly. "But what's the other reason?"

The Queen sighed. "A lot of the more conservative nobles take issue with you because of your low station. If I was able to...change it, perhaps some of their contempt for you will dissipate. The rank of a Knight is still lower than many would expect for someone courting royalty, but such a thing would be far less scandalous than for me to consort with a..."

"Nobody," Anna supplied. "I understand. But won't giving me a higher rank just piss them off even more? They'll think of it as if you're, uh, changing the rulebook of their favorite game. People don't appreciate that."

"It's a gamble," Elsa agreed. "But what I'm hoping is that, now that over a dozen Royal Guards have spread the story around, people won't be able to refute that you deserve a Knighthood. You'll have a high rank through completely legitimate reasons. I didn't change the rules. You were simply a very skilled and very lucky player."

Anna looked at her Queen skeptically.

"I don't expect it to work on all of them. Only some. And it's not as if we have much to lose." Elsa didn't clarify the statement, but Anna knew what it meant.

"They can't hate me any more than they already do."

The Queen winced slightly but did not deny the words outright. "Not all of the aristocracy hates you. Some approve of or at least tolerate your position as my consort. But when it comes to the most traditional nobles...yes. Some, I hope, will grudgingly accept that you earned your new rank. They're never going to love you, but it might make them quiet down. Plenty will remain stubborn. It won't have any affect, of course, on those who hate you because they can't stand the thought of two women being together. But they can hardly disapprove of you more than they already do."

Responses:

WinterWolfDragon: Not even close to being finished!

WarriorAngel21: Wait until next chapter is over.

Snowboardgurl: Not exactly.

RisingDaemon: For once, Murphy's Law did not apply. Hey, she was due, right? Never give em what they expect…

Aaron3945: Yeah…

DarthVaderisNotMe: The necklace and any future spells cast by Pabbie would still work. As the creator of the antidote, he can work around it.

Moonwatcher13: Elsa is definitely more of a planner than Anna. Sometimes its for the best, sometimes not.

3Gs: They definitely earned it.

Guest1: Jealous Anna not applicable in this situation unfortunately. You never know, though.

Kyoko-nyaa: For once, she was fine.

Raven: No suitor this time.

FreelanceBum: I won't deny that improving on those valid criticisms of ITSOTQ was one of my intentions here. That said, I still think that story and its author deserve a LOT of credit. It wasn't perfect, no story is, but it still had a great premise and a lot of enjoyable Elsanna interactions that inspire a lot in my story (including this chapter, obviously.) It was a great read, and without its ideas this story would definitely not exist.

Not that I'm implying you're wrong for pointing out its flaws…or that I don't enjoy the praise. I just want to give due respect to my inspiration.

No.18: No civil war for the moment. It has a pretty peaceful culture and its citizens don't have too much stomach for internal blood spilling.

Leelan: All the answers will become clear in time.

Mpsantiago: I get where you're coming from, the thought occurred to me while I was writing it. That's why I (heavy handedly, I freely admit) pointed out that Kristoff and the trolls could be trusted and that disguise magic does not exist.

Psykoakuma: Evangeline might just surprise you.

Yuiiub: Nothing this time.

Guest2: Elsa would never cheat on Anna. Vice versa.

BlackMistBeast: Getting out of the Castle might have helped, but it didn't solve the root of the problem.

MasterBlackCrow: Keep wondering!

Jascmaster: This certainly wasn't the most plot heavy chapter of the story. But not all that seems to be filler actually is. You never know what will turn up later on. Like this chapter. Did Anna accomplish anything significant by going into the city? No. Did anything super interesting or revealing happen while she walked around? No. But that doesn't mean there wasn't a purpose to it.

Okay, I know that that probably doesn't make sense. But it's hard to talk about what's filler and what isn't when I'm avoiding spoilers.

Mycabbages176: That's up to Elsa.

ClaireCooper: Maybe she made it through this chapter okay, but…nope.

Guest3: No cheating for Elsa!

Shtoops: Should I italicize them? I'm not sure. Maybe they're not too obvious, but…I don't know.

Malekoydaerb: The rational thing might seem to tell Elsa everything, but remember that (just like in canon) Elsa is prone to guilt. We saw it after Anna came back from the trolls, and we saw another glimpse of it when Anna was just rescued. Anna doesn't want to give the Queen another excuse to put blame on herself. Is it smart to keep it bottled up? Probably not. But Anna has always been a heart over head kind of person.

With Elsa, it's more of an unfamiliarity and anxiety of intimacy than a desire to remain pure until her wedding night.

Intrepidemic: Can't wait to see more quotes!

Shalifi: It certainly won't all be lovely…

Sedryn: Can't reveal too much…

Veoviing: I admit I didn't really research that.