The general couldn't get any paler than she was but she did pale to the same color of snow. Her eyes widened as she realized what Rapunzel was speaking of. At least what she implied in her tone.

Anna, clearly clueless, looked at them two with confused stares. The two blondes seem to know something she clearly did not. It made her heart ebb with a little jealousy as they appeared to know more of each other than she and Elsa does.

"What question?" Anna inquired, looking at the two blondes with furrowed brows.

"The question about the crown, silly. What other questions must you ask Anna?" Rapunzel replied and joined the two of them, sitting between them on the bench.

Flynn left the ladies to discuss the matters they have to, proceeding to the garden entrance to stand guard. Rapunzel watched him leave with a soft smile and reminded herself of who gave her the ring upon her finger.

Elsa sighed in relief, color coming back to her supple cheeks. "I have. It isn't easy to continue talking about it here while we have a decade to catch up on." She responded.

Anna gazed down on the marble floor of the pavillion, mulling things over. It seemed as if the whole kingdom was simply anticipating for this answer. A single question held the breath of the kingdom and Anna didn't take well to the thought.

"Lady Rapunzel, we have discussed that we will try to get to an answer to it tomorrow. For now, I simply want to get to know you both better. It's been too long and your stories are what I need to hear for now." T'was to distract her from grief of losing her father and possibly losing what she and Elsa had when they were young.

"Oh, alright. First, how are you? What happened to you?" Lady Rapunzel inquired, the tone of a sister worrying heard from her lips.

Anna didn't know where to start. "I'm...I'm alright. Growing up away from Arandelle's customs and coming back all of a sudden? Hard is an understatement for it." The brunette softly spoke, hands held together tight.

Elsa didn't know what to say to her. She didn't know how to comfort her anymore. There was once a time that a simple hug made Anna smile, a mere ride in the woods and a talk was enough to cheer her up. Now, she was stumped as to what might lift her spirits.

Seeing her in such a state was heart breaking. Anna was bright and joyful, smiling with no care in the world under the summer sun. Now, Elsa felt like she was meeting a different person.

"We'll help you. We still are your friends, Anna. You can depend on us if you need anything." The princess of Corona assured, placing a hand over Anna's to assure her.

Elsa stood and sat next to her childhood friend with a soft smile. "More importantly, you're home. We'll help you adjust, catch you up to date and help just as Punzie said."

Anna looked up at both the blondes with a hopeful smile. "You both are too kind." She took a deep but shaky breath and released it, trying to calm down from being overwhelmed. If she didn't control her emotions, it will get the better of her which isn't something she can afford to do. "I'll do my best to work through here but until then, I'll try not to depend on you two."

Elsa was surprised how Anna was not trying to be dependent. Once before, Anna cried when she played alone in their garden or this garden itself. She had no idea how much the girl has grown but she has to try to be there for her at least.

"How about we start heading to the throne room before the King and Queen waits too much? I'd hate to break the waterworks here before a royal audience." Anna then stood up and dusted her gown, offering a hand to Elsa.

Elsa took her hand knowing she was right.  Warm to her touch, she stood and held on to Anna's hand as they say their goodbyes to Princess Rapunzel. "We will be heading off, Punzie. I hope we can see you around often."

"With Anna back, you can count on it, dear friends." Waving goodbye with a smile, the princess of Corona watched them walk out of the garden and eventually disappear from her sight. The breeze blew her way, seemingly trying to remind her that she too, has to move and go back to her quarters.

Anna noticed soon enough that she held on to Elsa's hand and Elsa didn't seem to mind that but what was odd is that, she didn't want to let go yet. Just like they were children. They often held hands as they walked around the palace or to meet the queen in the throne room for official business or the court is summoned but this time, they were just old friends. Old friends that seem to remember the old times and would like to go back to them.

But they both kn ow that's not going to happen. It's the air of normality and comfort that they want back but they do not have enough time to do it like they did before. Nostalgia ate them alive but it was exactly the same reason they were not letting go.

"I remember when I walked with you like this down this very hall when we were kids." Anna reminisced, her voice soft and warm like fleece on a cold winter night.

Elsa's lips curled into a smile as she held on to Anna's hand firmly, as if she had no intentions of letting her go. "I remember. We would be so scared that we will break protocol to simply walk in together and bow down to the Queen." She recalled, the memory making her smile brighter.

They shared a laugh that echoed through the halls, a sound it hasn't heard for a long time. "Perhaps we can do it again this time? Just for old time's sake?" Anna suggested with a child-like grin.

Elsa thought of it properly but they were meeting the queen and the king! Who...watched them practically grow up and raised them both. It should be alright, right?

"Why not? We're already doing it." Elsa replied with a great grin.

In silence, they continue their walk to the throne room, hand in hand with comfort knowing that they were friends simply reliving their cherished golden days memories.

Upon arriving in front of the throne room doors, the guards gave them a snappy salute before opening the door for them, not batting an eye as to what they were doing. Elsa and Anna looked at the couple on the throne, approaching them together as they walked down the aisle with bright smiles.

"Welcome back, Lady Anna. We are very glad to see you." The king greeted as they made their curtsy. They then kept their hands to themselves after, observing proper decorum in front of the Royal couple.

Anna looked up at them with a smile on her lips. "It's great to be back, your Majesties. I apologize for coming back too late." she said as she lowered her head.

"Not at all, Lady Anna. Your father has done many things for this kingdom and he dd not have a shortage of things to tell us about you. Truly, we're glad to have you back." The Queen smiled and stood from her throne, descending down the stairs and gave Anna a warm hug in her arms. "As your aunt, I was worried about you. Your father gave me a letter on his death bed and for years, we thought we lost you."

Anna can't help but tear up and return the hug to the Queen. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry Aunt Iduna. It wasn't my intention to leave. Papa ha...he wanted me away. I'm sorry."

King Agnar joined the hug later on and held the ladies in his arms, pulling Elsa with him too. "You both are as good our children and it makes us proud and happy to see you together here."

Elsa didn't know how to react to that. For years, she did a lot of things for the kingdom and she always got praised for the good ones and got reprimanded for the bad ones but the king and queen always talked to her after. They checked in on her, treating her special among the other generals. Realizing all that made her smile and tear up like the rest of them.

It made their hearts warm, smiles on their lips even after pulling away, especially after pulling away from the hug.

The Queen Iduna and King Agnar held their hands together in front of the girls, their smiles fading to a concerned frown as they interchange looking at them both for a brief moment.  "Now that you both are here...I'm sure you know why we called you both, right?" Iduna inquired with brows furrowed.

Elsa and Anna exchanged a glance before nodding. "Well then,  we have to formally ask Anna if she wants to take the throne. Initially we also wanted Elsa to take the throne but once we heard of your arrival, the throne automatically goes to you if we can't produce an heir."

Anna knew what that meant and knew that work was going to hit her like a wall. She'll have a lot of catching up to do. Unlike her, Elsa knew and was prepared to take the throne. She stayed in the kingdom and knew how it worked inside out. Of course she too has lived here enough to know how things work, but still...

"Your majesties, I don't think I'll do a great job being a queen." Anna outright told them, frowning, clasping her hands together as complicated thoughts ran through her mind. "I believe Elsa would rule better. I didn't grow up in the kingdom like she did."

Elsa quickly stepped in. "People fear me for winning wars, Anna. Wars where I slaughter hundreds of enemies. I may have grown up hear but they're afraid of me."

Anna then remembered something. "You are more so qualified. Your authority may be questionable but the change and prosperity you can bring the people of Arendelle is more than I can do."

Queen Iduna and King Agnarr stopped the girls before they can go further into the argument. "How about we'll give you more time to think about it? However, in two days time, we'll be holding a ball here in the palace. Your return will be the highlight of it all, dear." The queen mentioned.

Anna turned to Elsa with a frown, eyes looking at her with slight irritation upon this new information she received. The blonde froze stiff with an apologetic smile. "We've been too caught up in catching up that I failed to mention that detail."

"And perhaps you have failed to tell me many more things but we'll have to talk about this later, Elsa." Anna stated before turning to the king and queen.

The blonde stared at Anna with astonishment. She truly has to stay around Anna some more this time. How much did she grow exactly?

"That may be so. We hope to see you in two days in the ball, ladies. By the end of it, I hope you have your decision." The king finalized but Anna had gears clicking in her head.

Wait, your majesties. If I may ask...Why are you rushing to find an heir? If my arrival has changed anything, that would be the time we could decide on to who may be the heir, am I right?" She asked, putting the issue forward.

The king and queen were stunned to hear such words from Anna. Her inquiry was correct and it did make them think. "You're right, Lady Anna. Perhaps we can postpone the decision making for a few months but that would rile up the noblemen. They fear that the kingdom might go on without an heir." Agnarr brought up, proceeding back up to their thrones.

Anna gave a nervous glance at Elsa. "But the kingdom have been faring well. When I came in, the villages and the towns were doing well. What do they fear?"

Elsa looked up at the royal couple, silently asking for approval to tell Anna the issue. "For months now, The Kingdom of the Southern Isles have been trying to invade Arendelle. The army have been managing to keep them away from the boarders and the water territories of the kingdom but they are persistent. Last month, we received a letter--A threat for an invasion. We have managed to keep this information from going anywhere aside from the palace officials and the court to prevent--"

"To prevent panic. Southern Isles? We have had great diplomatic ties with them but what happened? Did they have a change of power?" Anna inquired, pinching her nose bridge as she felt a migraine forming.

"Lady Anna, I feel as if we must discuss his somewhere else." Elsa continued. The king and queen had such morbid looks on their faces, as if they were wilting flowers from the lack of nourishment.

Anna took a hint and stopped the talk right there. "Your majesties, I hope you give us more than enough time to decide. You have the best General in all of the continent. "

Iduna took a deep breath and nodded. " We will reconsider, Lady Anna. But on the ball, we would like you to formally accept your tittle as the duchess of Sherwood. I will have someone talk to you about the arrangements."

"I will, your majesty. Thank you for inviting us today." Anna curtsied deep, Elsa following her actions and turned around, walking out of the throne room.
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A/N: After a year, I actually updated this. Wow. I had the idea to keeping it but someone still reads this. So long someone makes it known that someone reads it, I'll write this.

Thank you.

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