AN: Frozen does not belong to me and this is purely a product of my imagination. What started out as a dream turned into this and I ran with it. This is also my first fanfic ever! Woo!

"Anna pass me that, would you?" an older man called over to the young woman standing a few feet away. She swept her strawberry blonde pigtails back, over her shoulder and took up a leather tome that they kept records in, passing it over to him. "Thanks Girl," he told her, hefting the large book onto the desk in front of him to go over with one of his customers. Anna nodded and smiled then turned and made her way into the back room to take inventory. The work day was coming to an end and all she had left to do was take stock of everything in the shop before she left. Half way through, a pad in hand and a quill between her lips, someone poked their head into the room.

"Almost done in here hun?" this time an older woman asked. Anna glanced back and nodded an affirmative.

"Won't be much longer now," she replied before she returned to counting the stock of spices.

"Don't go on too long now. You take excellent inventory in the morning and you keep track of everything going and coming throughout the day. You don't need to work yourself so hard," the older woman added, stepping inside the room.

"Oh I know Maeve but I like to check twice just to be sure," Anna stated with a giggle. "I just go crazy when I think something may have been misplaced in here."

"All right, well as soon as you're done, you can go. Synn's probably waiting on you," Maeve said before strolling back out into the shop. Anna quickly took stock of the rest of the produce in the backroom, blue-green eyes expertly shifting without a miss then practically flew back out to the shop to put the books away and grab her coat.

"I'll see you tomorrow Hadley! Maeve! Good night!" she called out to the shop keepers. Just as she was heading out the door, she heard Hadley call back a farewell in his deep, gruff voice. Anna stepped out into the warm air, a nice cool breeze blowing her fringe to the side. She swept them back then hurried down the cobblestone, saying her hellos and good days to other shop owners, workers, or people just out for an evening stroll. Most of them lit up at the very sight of her offering pleasantries of their own but tried not to keep her; they all knew where she was going.

"Hey there Anna! Tell Synn I said hello for me, would you?" a passerby greeted cheerily as she made her way through the streets.

"Will do sir!" Most of the passerbys said similar things but a handful of people simply averted their eyes from her or stared at her blatantly as she passed by. Anna would offer them a smile or a wave but they'd just ignore her and keep their greetings to themselves. She didn't press it though; she was lucky enough that the other people even respected her. After all, unwed mothers were the lowest of the low in Arendelle.

Anna stopped in front of a small school house and stepped inside where other mothers and fathers were waiting to pick up their children. Some of the parents gave her dirty looks but all the children beamed at her, smiling brightly at the very sight of her. "Hi Ms. Anna!" most of them greeted her. A blush coated her freckle dusted cheeks and she waved back to them, well aware that some of their parents didn't even appreciate the sight of her. Aside from being an unwed mother, she was also lower class financially. The other parents weren't exactly wealthy but it was just another reason to look down on her. She'd gotten used to the stares over time and they no longer affected her the way they had when she first started receiving them. In fact, she found it much more fun to answer their rudeness with a smile; it was disarming and it was hilarious.

Just then, a small hand latched onto her arm and Anna turned her head to look down into the eyes of her little girl. Big, bright icy blue eyes stared up at her, a large smile etched into the six years old's face. Anna leaned down and kissed the top of her head, right on the part in her strawberry blonde hair. "Hello Sweet Pea," Anna cooed, taking the child's small hand in her own.

"Good afternoon Momma," she replied excitedly though still quietly. She turned to her friends and waved to the other little children and then the two of them stepped out of the school house and proceeded towards home, the child chatting her mother up the whole way. Passersbys stopped to say hello to the two of them but they were walking up on a small, cozy home on the far side of town after only a few short minutes. Before they could open the door though, it swung open forcefully and out barrelled a large figure. He grabbed the child up and swung her around as she shrieked and then giggled in his arms. "Uncle Kristoff!" she shrieked as her large uncle settled her on his shoulders.

"Goodness Kristoff! You scared the ever living hell out of me!" Anna exclaimed, swatting her big brother on the arm playfully. "You said you weren't going to be back for another month."

"Yeah I know but Sven and I managed a pretty good haul all things considering so I decided to come in early. 'Sides, I wanted to surprise my favorite niece!"

"Did you bring me a present Uncle Kristoff?"

"Sure did Synnöve. Let's head inside and I'll show you," he replied, setting the girl down so that she could scurry in. Anna watched her head in and then she took her brother's arm as they walked in together.

"Soooo, what's the real reason you're back early," she prodded, knowing her brother well enough to tell when he was stretching the truth. Kristoff waited until the child had gone off to the bedroom to put down her knapsack and take off her shoes before answering.

"Wolves," he replied, coming loose from her hold and taking a seat. "The wolves have been pressing out of their usual territory and are making the routes more and more dangerous. I came in early to see if I could get the crown to do something about it. My business isn't the only one suffering from this either so she'll have to look into it," he added, his face going a little stern. Anna's gaze fell to her feet and her face dropped a little.

"Do you have to be the one to do it? Can't any of the other business owners go to her for you? I'd hate for her to turn you away because of me..." she said, playing with the ends of her pigtails.

"I'm not afraid of the ice queen," he replied sharply with a huff. "And she'll have to listen to me! A couple of caravans had to turn back because of the wolves which no doubt will begin to hurt trade with the countries to the North. She's not so stupid that she'd pass over this information just because of who it's coming from. Or at least, I hope not..." Anna was about to speak up again but they heard the tell tale pitter patter of soft steps as the child rounded the corner and rejoined the adults. "Ready for your present?" he asked the girl as she climbed into his nap and patiently nodded. "Alright, close your eyes," he told her as he reached into a satchel on the table and pulled something from it. He deposited the gift into her waiting hands and her brow shot up at the weight of it but her eyes remained closed.

"Can I open now?" she asked.

"Sure thing Kiddo." She opened up her eyes to see a beautiful silver snow globe containing a replica of the North Mountain inside. On the base, reindeer were etched into the silver and she could spy a tiny little reindeer inside climbing one face of the mountain. She gasped then brought it close to her face so that she could get an even better look at the detailing.

"Wooooooow. Is this the North Mountain?" she asked, her big eyes lighting up with joy. At her uncle's nod, she scampered off his lap and over to the window where she could see the mountain in the distance, peeking behind the clouds. "Thank you Uncle Kristoff," she said as she shook the snow globe then set it down on the sill to watch the tiny artificial snow flakes fall inside.

By time the sun had gone down and night had rolled around, she was out like a light. She did her numbers with her mother, went to wash, ate supper and then promptly fell asleep after her uncle read her a story. Kristoff stepped out of the room after tucking her in then tromped back into the living area where Anna was going over expenses for the month.

"I made enough to last us the next term. At least the queen hasn't destroyed the ice business," he said, coming up behind her to take a look. They were just barely scraping by but they had enough to eat at the end of the day and had clothes to wear. Synnöve was happy so Anna had nothing to complain about but she did feel terribly for her brother. He worked hard all day for weeks at a time out in the cold only to come back to town to get less silver than he'd like for his efforts then to go home where he didn't even have a bed to sleep on. When Anna was left on the street, just twenty years old and four months pregnant without so much as a bronze piece to her name, Kristoff didn't even hesitate to take his little sister in.

His home was small with only one bedroom but he surrendered it without a thought. Anna didn't want him to sacrifice so much for her but as he rightfully pointed out, no one else was going to take her in and no one else was going to look after her. It was a harsh truth that she had to accept; her name was tarnished for good. Kristoff made up a makeshift bed to sleep in in the living room by the fireplace. It wasn't ideal and sometimes it was killer on his back but he was warm and safe. In return, Anna looked for work as soon as she was strong enough after having her daughter. She tried to find work just a week after she was born but Kristoff practically wrestled her back home and made her stay inside until he deemed her fully fit and healthy to do so. Hadley and his wife Maeve took pity on the girl when she stepped into their shop, begging for a job. They gave her an apprehensive shot but she proved to be an irreplaceable asset and has been working for them for five years. The older couple would boot out anyone in their shop if someone so much as looked at Anna funny and dote on her and her daughter as if she were their own. Kristoff assured his sister she didn't have to work so hard but she couldn't just sit around while her brother struggled to provide for them.

Kristoff looked over a couple of the finances with her then went to set up his makeshift bed and wind down for the night. He snuggled under his quilt and Anna blew out the candles in the room and retired to the bedroom to sleep herself. She climbed into the bed alongside her daughter and gently brushed back her locks. Synnöve cuddled into her mother's side and Anna drifted off and joined her in sleep.

Bright and early, the queen rose as soon as the sun began to edge over the horizon. That morning, as was routine every morning, she stepped out of bed and into her adjoining bath suite. Her head maid Gerda laid out her clothing for the day while she washed then two of her younger maids helped to dress her and fix her hair into a tight bun. She rose her blue eyes and gazed at herself in the mirror. She was truly a sight to behold. Pretty pale skin, large expressive blue eyes, and a slim, lithe figure but her solemn, blank expression sucked much of the beauty right out of her features. As if a light had gone out within her, Elsa seemed to be a shell of her former self. With a sigh, she took her shawl and fastened it around her neck then made her way out of her room and through the many halls to the staircase.

The queen quietly took breakfast and then prepared herself to deal with the townspeople. "Your highness," her head butler, Kai greeted. He walked with her towards the throne room where she'd hold her court. "How are you feeling this morning? Are you up to it this morning? Shall I allow the people passage?" The queen seemed to pout and he couldn't help but smile. "Ms. Elsa, pouting is unbecoming of a queen." Elsa turned towards him and pouted right in his face earning a chuckle from him.

"I would rather not deal with it this morning but I've put it off long enough. As much as I'd like to, I can not hide from my people. Their concerns are mine, I am their queen and I must serve them," she answered regally, turning her gaze forward again. Kai smiled and nodded then opened up the queen's entrance into the throne room where a maid was waiting with her crown. Once the weighted gold was placed upon her head, Kai motioned for the doors to be opened. Elsa gripped her gloved hands into fists stressfully as she saw the eager faces waiting just outside. Herded by the guards, they were allowed in a few at a time to speak with their queen. Elsa took her seat, back straight and adopted an air of regal superiority, masking her uneasiness. She was an excellent queen, taking care of her people with easy flicks of her quill but her confidence on paper was boldly opposite to the anxiety she felt in the face of the unfamiliar. It didn't help either that some of them were as wary of her as she was of them. They'd had crazy kings and queens before but no history book could tell them how to deal with a monarch with ice powers. They loved her nearly as much as they feared her. Elsa gripped the armrests of her throne between her fingers and grounded herself. This was her people's time.

Nearly an hour into domestic issues that could easily be solved if some of them would just take a second to think for themselves, Elsa spied a face she wasn't too eager to see again. She straightened her back again as Kristoff stepped up next to bring his concern. He begrudgingly swiped his hat from his head and held it in his hands as a show of respect lest the guards force him to kneel and he stared into Elsa's eyes, animosity roiling beneath the surface. The tension was palpable and the guards looked back and forth from their queen to Kristoff who hadn't spoken yet. Just as one of them was about to tell him to speak or to leave, he began.

"Your majesty," he ground out. "It's come to my attention that the routes meant for trade and royal business have been compromised. The wolves are pressing out of their territory and moving further south. They're causing trouble for the caravans and making it tough for business. This is only the beginning. If those routes aren't protected or if the wolves aren't dealt with, no one's going to want to risk the journey out there," Kristoff explained. Elsa's brow raised and she leaned forward slightly, intrigued by what he had to say. Honestly, she was prepared to just turn him away no matter his complaint but if he was telling the truth, the wolves could really slow trade flow with the towns north of of her kingdom. Trade by water would always be more profitable but it was slower and the caravans offered her people things that they couldn't get overseas. It'd be a headache to deal with if she let it get out of hand.

"I'll have men patrolling the area to the north, equipped to handle the weather in a few days time," Elsa replied after a beat. "We will deal with the problem of the wolves separately. Until then, the men will ensure safe passage for caravans and workmen." Despite the source, she was glad to be presented with an actual problem to work on. Much better than the small land disputes better discussed over dinner tables than in her court she'd had to deal with. She'd have the men chosen for the route rotated until they were trained to handle the wolves. Perhaps she'd even have to go herself and scare them off with a few wiggles of her fingers. She cast a steely glance back down at Kristoff who seemed pleased with her answer.

"Satisfactory?" she asked with a slight snide undertone.

"Indeed," Kristoff deadpanned before promptly turning on his heel and stalking away before she could dismiss him. She tsked at the insult but she let it go and motioned for the guards to allow the next set through.

When she'd filled her quota for the day and her tolerance for petty, domestic squabbles and easily solvable issues was met, she ended the session and gracefully left the throne room. Truly though, despite her patience having been worn thin, she was greatly distracted and was having trouble focusing on the words of her people. Ever since Kristoff appeared before her, he and his sister were stuck on her mind. She'd not thought about them in nearly three years, finally having gotten over the betrayal and shifting it to the back of her mind. Seeing one of them again though just opened the floodgates and she was filled with righteous anger and a stinging pang of hurt.

Elsa stormed her way to her office, formerly her father's and instructed Kai and Gerda not to disturb her unless it was truly important. She'd decided to see to her books to try and distract her thoughts from the Bjorgman siblings. Five minutes into them though and she slammed her quill down in frustration. She'd read the same lines over and over ten times, the numbers just going over her head. Ice crept up the walls and the temperature dropped drastically in the room. Frankly, she was surprised she'd lasted so long and hadn't frosted over the entire throne room when she saw Kristoff.

"Come on. Conceal, don't feel. Don't let it show Elsa..." she whispered to herself, rubbing her face. The sting however wouldn't leave her. It was like a wound that had scabbed over and had just been ripped open again. "Dammit Anna!" she cursed, ice spikes shooting up from the ground around her seat. "Why'd you do it?" The queen went on to reminisce about the time before she'd learned of Anna's betrayal. They'd been in love, completely enraptured with one another. They shared things with one another that Elsa wouldn't dare tell another soul. She'd been a slave to the commoner girl the moment she saw her in the marketplace on a day in the town. Anna was the most beautiful girl she'd ever laid her eyes on and she'd given her everything. Absolutely everything. "So why? Why'd you cheat on me?"

Had she not been enough? Did she not show her enough affection? What had she done that drove Anna far enough away to have an affair? These questions came up again and again in her mind just as they had in the past but she just couldn't find an answer. And, to make matters worse, Elsa might have even accepted her back had Anna not lied to her about it. "She goes off and lays with a man and then returns with child and tells me that it isn't so?" Elsa was now pacing about her room. "She honestly expected me to believe that she just woke up one day with child? The gall-I can't-How could she lie to my face like that?!"

Elsa lifted a finger to her cheek to wipe away the angry tears that now streaked her face. She stopped pacing, took a look around the room then sucked in a calming breath. She was done crying over Anna and done feeling sorry for herself. She was out of sight and out of mind and she wasn't going to let something as simple as the sight of Kristoff rattle her any further.