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"Is something the matter?"
Elsa looked up from her correspondence, but Kai's voice, from the hall, was directed at someone else.
"Ah, no, I was just wondering if Els--if the Queen--would have a moment to speak."
Elsa wasn't surprised that the heavy footfalls she had heard outside of her study had belonged to Kristoff, but she was slightly surprised that he seemed to be alone.
"Your Majesty?"
"Yes, tell him to come in," Elsa said quickly, an answer to the question that had not yet been asked.
Kai bowed dutifully, then stepped aside to allow the taller man to pass through the door. Elsa had risen to her feet, her hands folded stiffly. Kristoff had said nothing was the matter, but it was unlike the ice harvester--in spite of his position as Royal Ice Master--to approach her in her study. They had plenty of time to discuss matters less formally, when they ran into each other in the halls or over dinner.
It did not help matters that Kristoff seemed even more stiff and nervous.
"Elsa! Sorry to interrupt."
"No worries. Where is Anna? Is everything all right?"
"Yes! She's making arrangements for the harvest festival. That's not why I'm here. I mean, it is, but...can you keep a secret?"
Elsa raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, stupid question. Nothing bad, just…"
He stared off to the ground, face scrunched and flushing slightly. Elsa took a breath and relaxed her hands, gesturing to a chair in front of her desk.
"Would you like to sit down?"
"Sure."
Elsa returned to her stiff desk chair while Kristoff took the one opposite, looking even more stiff and out of place. It almost made her laugh, but something was clearly bothering her sister's boyfriend.
She waited patiently, offering a rather forced half-smile, before the man opposite her finally took a breath and spoke.
"So. It's been over three years now since Anna and I met," he started.
Elsa nodded. She remembered the day well.
"And in the time that we've been...I guess...courting? I've gotten to know her...and love her...more than I ever thought possible. I never thought it was even possible to be this happy, and I think she's happy, too…?"
It was spoken like a question, so Elsa nodded encouragingly, her smile now genuine.
He cleared his throat and took another breath, his voice now shaking slightly. "So I guess why I'm here is that I wanted to ask for your advice, and I guess, your blessing? For...to, well…"
Elsa pushed down the thought of the last time this question had been posed to her, quickly considering the many contrasts between the two scenarios.
Rather than finish his sentence, Kristoff reached into his breast pocket and produced a gold ring, sparkling with a brilliant orange stone.
Elsa gasped. "Ohmygoodness!" she blurted, sounding and smiling a little like Anna, but with a small burst of confetti-like snow from each hand that was uniquely her own.
"Kristoff! She's going to be so happy! And, oh, she's going to love the ring!" Elsa gasped, taking the small object from his large, rough fingers to inspect it.
"You think so?" Kristoff asked, staring at the ring with a dopey, lovesick smile, having relaxed visibly
"I know so. When are you planning to ask her?"
He sighed, replaced the ring in his pocket, and stared at the ground again.
"Well. I've been trying to figure that out. She's been so busy with the festival and making sure everything will go well, and if course it will, because it's Anna…"
Elsa nodded in agreement.
"But I thought maybe after the festival? Tomorrow night?"
"Perfect!"
"Except…"
"Oh, the game night! She insisted that I take a break and we do something fun together. Well, that shouldn't be a huge issue since she usually stays up later than I do anyway."
"Unless you're working."
"Right, but with the festival concluding, it's a good time for a break anyway."
"Right. Okay. There's just one more problem."
"Which is?"
Kristoff seemed to search for the right words before giving up and deflating, the words, "Ihavenoideawhattodo," pouring quickly out of his mouth.
Elsa had to hold up her hand to stifle a giggle.
"I'm serious! I mean, she's Anna! She's a princess! I'm...not really anybody! And more importantly, she's Anna! I'm hopeless at things like this anyway, and everything she does is so perfect and thoughtful and...how could I ever make it perfect enough for her?"
Now, Elsa's face softened compassionately. She thought for a moment.
"Kristoff, do you remember Anna's first birthday celebration after the open gates?"
"You mean the one where we spent hours planning to make it perfect and you worried I would mess everything up and then it descended into chaos because of tiny snowmen and I blurted out that I loved her in front of the whole kingdom? ...No, doesn't ring a bell."
Elsa rolled her eyes, then continued. "The point is that even with all of that planning, the most memorable part was when you managed to work with the chaos and just...make it fun. Honestly, I felt a bit upstaged."
"I don't think that's possible. You're magical. And the queen."
"Kristoff. Anna loves you . She loves people for who they are. It's what she does best. Just…be yourself. Speak from the heart."
There was a silent moment.
"So the woman who meticulously plans every royal event, down to sending servants to inquire about my personal hygiene--"
"I like to be thorough!"
"Is suggesting that I just...wing it?"
Elsa nodded.
Kristoff sighed and stood up.
"Oooookay. Well--thanks, Elsa. For everything. I do mean that. I'll let you get back to work."
"Kristoff?"
"Hm?"
Elsa walked up and hugged him, an uncharacteristic action for her unless the hug's recipient was Anna.
"Thank you, too. You make Anna really happy. And I'm glad that you're in our lives. You can do this! I believe in you."
He smiled, his features softened.
"Thanks. I'll try. See you tomorrow."
"See you then! Big day ahead."
"And before you ask, yes, I will shower."
Elsa laughed as he walked off, then returned to her desk.
She continued her work, but found herself pausing, pen in hand.
Kristoff had been in Anna's life since the two had reconnected. After the situation with he-who-shall-not-be-mentioned, Anna made sure to never let her romantic relationship interfere with their bond as sisters. Still, Elsa did sometimes find herself envious that the two of them had more time to spend together as Elsa's responsibilities left her little free time.
Truly, Elsa was happy for her sister. For both of them. Romance had never been of much interest to her, but she never wished them any less happiness as a result.
And yet, it was difficult not to consider the imminent shifts in their relationship. Late night talks and slumber parties were not pastimes for married women. As of now, Anna would happily drop everything to spend time with Elsa whenever she could. Marriage was...different. There were responsibilities. Eventually, children.
That thought did make her smile. She knew she would be glad to be an aunt to any child of Anna's. But the idea was just so... official . So grown up for her baby sister.
True, Anna was no longer the flighty teen who had agreed to marry the first man she had met. But with how many of those early years Elsa had missed, it was tough to think of her as truly an adult, someone with her own life and destiny and family that was larger than just Elsa.
She sighed.
Change was always hard. She would enjoy the time in front of her now, and once changes happened, she would do her best to enjoy those moments, too.
A few days later…
Kristoff had barely left Anna's side since proposing--well, except for the few minutes he gave her to mourn her sister, and then talk to her once Elsa was actually somehow alive.
He beamed down at his gi--his fiancee --as she chattered excitedly about, well, everything that had just happened.
It was when Anna showed off her ring that Kristoff became lost in an increasingly large crowd of Northuldra (mostly the women and girls) and felt someone bump his arm. He turned to see Elsa beaming back at him.
"It was a lovely proposal. See? Nothing to worry about."
Kristoff laughed. "You weren't there for the many failed attempts."
"Oh no. What happened? I was wondering about the night of the harvest festival. Anna came into my room and said something was wrong, but she was just worried about me."
"Yeah, so worried that I couldn't get her attention! That was the general theme. She was concerned for your safety. So I guess you upstaged me this time," he finished with a chuckle.
"Oh, Kristoff, I'm so sorry! If I had known, I--"
"Elsa. Calm down. It's fine. I was just teasing you," he paused, glancing over at Ryder and Honeymaren. "After all, isn't that what siblings do?"
Elsa smiled. "I guess it is."
Anna had finally made her way out of the crowd to grab both of their hands and pull them back into the fray.