Christmas Duty

The sleet blew into Kristoff's face as he paced on the castle ramparts. Ruled by a Snow Queen or no, December weather in Arendelle could turn nasty in hours, and it had today.

He ignored the sharp little bits of ice as he had ignored them so many times in his life. Dressed in his harvester leathers he was as warm as anyone could be in the fury of the wind and blowing snow. He was used to this sort of weather and it was just a distraction from his true concern. He stopped and leaned on the wall, shading his eyes from the snow with one hand, trying to pierce the evening gloom and storming wind. Nothing. He could barely see the seawall, much less further out into the fjord.

A hand rested on his and he felt a warm body lean into him. Surprisingly warm, considering it belonged to a woman who could generate ice and snow at a whim.

"The little one is asleep, Kristoff. Gerda is watching her."

A curt nod was all the acknowledgment the Queen of Arendelle got from him as he kept trying to see through the gloom. He loved his daughter beyond life itself, but she was safe and warm and protected by people who loved her. Right now, he was focused on someone he loved who wasn't safe and warm. Who wasn't HERE, with him.

"Kristoff!" That was Elsa's Snow Queen voice, and even her brother-in-law couldn't ignore it, no matter how intent he was on trying to see his wife's ship returning to Arendelle.

"What?" It was almost a snarl. He turned and looked at her, ready to add an angry comment, when he noticed her body language.

Elsa was tense, almost quivering. She controlled her emotions firmly, only someone who knew her extremely well could tell that there was something bothering her. And there were only two people in the world who knew her that well. Sudden understanding penetrated Kristoff's self-absorption: Elsa was as worried as he was, maybe moreso. Maybe she was remembering another storm, a storm that had taken their parents and left the two sisters orphans.

She took a deep breath and tried to smile. "The Admiral says that the last couple of patrol sloops reported that the storm ended a few miles from here. Her ship should make port tonight."

He nodded, then reached out to pull her into an embrace. Resting his chin on her head, he mumbled, "I know. It won't stop me from worrying, though. Or you, either, no matter how much you try to hide it."

Elsa returned the hug, not speaking.

They stood there, keeping vigil for another hour as the full dark of a December night fell over the kingdom.

"Tell me again why you had to send my wife away at Christmas?" Kristoff tried to keep any hint of resentment out of his voice but suspected he wasn't entirely successful. His daughter was only two, old enough to miss her mother but too young to understand why she was gone. There had been nights when all the fatherly cuddles or Auntie Elsa's lullabies weren't enough to soothe the child's crying for her mama.

"It was necessary for someone high enough in the Arendelle government to go and help settle the dispute between Corona and Weselton. If I had gone, the Duke might not have taken it well. He still considers me an abomination. It could have turned into a war instead of an agreement. That left Anna." Elsa looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Kristoff. If there had been any other way … " Her voice trailed off.

"Yeah, I get it. Duty." They called him a prince now, but he hadn't grown up under the yoke of duty that Anna and Elsa had. He understood duty, though. Especially now that he was a married man with a daughter to raise. Duty meant taking care of your family no matter how you felt. Duty meant offering comfort to a woman who loved her sister as much as you loved your wife, even when you needed someone to comfort you.

Silence fell between them again until a figure came up the stairs to join them on the rampart. It was Admiral Naismith.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness." He saluted them and continued, "I have just received a message that says the Princess Anna's ship is only a mile outside the breakwater and the storm is rapidly dissipating. She should be here within an hour or two, wind and wave permitting."

"That's good news, Admiral. Perhaps I can help them find their way." Elsa stepped away from Kristoff, then made an expansive gesture.

A bolt of light rose up from the castle and formed a large glowing snowflake in the sky above them, a beacon to help guide the ship home. Another gesture, and the seawall and lighthouses were clad in shimmering, shining ice, creating a light brighter than any oil lantern could provide and highlighting the safe channel into the harbor. A last wave of her hand and the snowflake glowing at the tip of the highest castle tower brightened until Kristoff swore he could see a faint shadow on the planks of the rampart.

"There. Now, let's go down to the dock, shall we? I think I'm almost as impatient to see my sister again as you are to see your wife, Kristoff! Almost!" Kristoff blushed and Elsa had a merry twinkle in her eye, now, with the knowledge that Anna was safe and almost home.

By the time the little group had reached the quay, the ship was almost at the dock. Elsa and Kristoff weren't the only ones waiting for their loved ones, either. A large crowd of families were gathered to wait for their sailors to return to them in time to celebrate the holiday.

When the ship slid gracefully to the dock and the lines were thrown down to tie it safely to the bollards, a cheer rose up, echoed by the sailors on the ship. The gangplank was raised, but a certain feisty Princess couldn't wait, Anna leaped the gap and ran down to the dock before it was even secured.

Kristoff found himself with an armful of his wife, hugging him so hard he thought he couldn't breathe. And then the kiss, the promise of more kisses later, the kiss that made up for a month-long absence from him and their little girl. He teared up and hugged her back.

"I've missed you, Anna," he breathed into her hair, glad that no one could see him cry.

"Not as much as I've missed you!" She pulled back and wiped tears from her own cheeks, then looked around and squealed, "ELSA!" Anna ran to her sister.

Kristoff smiled at the embrace the two sisters shared, the fiery redhead almost knocking her sister down with a leap into her open arms. Elsa was crying, too, and made no effort to hide it. He looked around at the other reunions taking place, the two royal sisters drawing no special notice as families reunited with their sons and husbands from the ship's crew.

They finally broke the hug, then turned to him, hand in hand. Anna reached out with her free hand to take his, then said, "Well, I think it's time for some Yule gløgg and pepperkake ? And then a hot bubble bath and warm nightclothes so we can all sit in front of the Yule fire tonight!"

"You got it, Feisty Pants!" Kristoff leaned over to whisper in her ear, "and I'll be there to scrub your back, too!"

"You better be, or you'll be spending the night with Sven in the stable!" Anna's grin promised him warm hugs to come. He noticed Elsa's grin and blushed again.

The three of them began to walk briskly back to the castle. There were traditions to be had, and their family was together again.

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Banged this out in kind of a hurry. Dedicated to those women, the mothers and wives, whose duty takes them away from family during the holidays.

"Your mother wears combat boots!" Is high praise, indeed.

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It's been a year since I published anything. The good news is, I have a new, long form story about half finished. It's called "Winds of Destiny" and was inspired by Elsa's musings at the end of "Anna's Reign" about how different things could have turned out.

And that's all the tease you get!