AN: Another chapter completed! I feel good about this one, and I think you might too.

"So, you want to learn how to fight?" Natick seems unbelieving of this and she can tell from his voice that he doesn't even know where to start. Having been warned previously by King Peter, he knew this conversation would be happening soon. But he hadn't expected her to find him passing her in the gardens.

Elsa nods. "It's the most practical thing, considering everything that happened in Anvard."

"Well," Elsa can hear the scratching of skin against skin and she rubs her arm absentmindedly. "I really don't know how to go about that. Ideally, you will never have to fight. That's why you have a guard."

"I don't have a guard." Elsa's brow furrows. She told Peter she didn't want a guard, would he really go behind her back and assign one anyway?"

"Um, pardon me but you do. King Peter assigned you a detail on Monday."

Elsa deadpans, biting her lip in annoyance. "He what?"

Natick continues, bravely enough. "Yes ma'am. Colm has been with you since Monday afternoon. Don't tell me with those superior senses of yours that you didn't notice?"

"I-" She falters. "Colm?" Elsa hears an awkward cough behind her and she purses her lips, fighting the urge to look annoyed.

"I was under orders, miss. I hope you can understand." Colm speaks finally behind her and she rolls her eyes.

"I understand perfectly enough, thank you."

Natick understands why she is upset. No one else in the castle had an assigned guard, and it must have been embarrassing for her. But King Peter had his reasons, he was sure. And as head of castle security, he had to see these orders through, even if it was at the discomfort of others.

"I know you're annoyed."

Elsa paces through the gardens. "Annoyed? Annoyed doesn't even come close." She shoots a harsh look in his direction before softening her face and sitting back down. "I'm sorry, I know this isn't your fault. You were just following orders. I get it."

"Speak with him, he has his reasons and Aslan knows he didn't tell me."

Shaking her head, she stands back up and heads inside. "I need to be alone." Casting a useless glance behind her she adds, "And if I find out you've been following me, Colm I swear I'm going to break something."

Elsa storms into the castle, her feet taking her in the direction of the throne room. She wouldn't have it out with him now, it wouldn't be proper. But seating herself in the back of the chamber would be enough to make him sweat a bit.

As she nears the throne room, the bustling sound of life makes itself known and she finds herself in the midst of beavers, badgers, and all manner of creatures waiting for a turn to speak with the king.

"Excuse me," Signaling a guard with a waved hand she was granted entrance into the back of the room and she took a seat in the back of the room discreetly.

"-We need more able hands to build roads, sire. The few we have are choked off by excess trade routes to the west. The citizens cannot get out of the city anymore." A small voice is pleading for help towards the front of the room and his argument is sound. The problem will be getting the hands to build the roads.

"I'll see to getting some bricklayers set on the task. It's important that we keep travel, and trade flowing."

This seems to appease the citizen and he leaves, presumably with a respectable bow. Tiny footsteps echo in the large chamber before stopping in front of her briefly. "Lady Markham."

Knowing she had been outed now, she waves and listens carefully in the large room.

"Taking an interest, Lady Markham?"

"When you have a moment, I would like to speak with you." She keeps her voice even, but she can hear the audible catch in his breathing.

Peter flinches at her tone. Something was clearly very wrong to have the normally even tempered Elsa Markham so upset.

"Alfrane, I need a quick recess." Keeping his tone guarded, he walks back up the throne room, taking Elsa by the arm.

Once they are in a small antechamber, his hand reaches for her shoulder. "What is it?"

"I know about the guard you assigned me earlier this week." Elsa growls at him through gritted teeth as her brow line goes south.

Peter shifts his weight on his feet, his lip twitching nervously. "I gave the order, I thought it best considering."

"Considering what? Considering that I told you I didn't want one?" Her voice, though quiet is not it's usual low tone. It's a harsh whisper that is completely unlike her.

"Considering you were kidnapped in the middle of the day and not one of our security team noticed." Peter turns from her, pacing the length of the room.

"I was fine. It turned out okay. We have allies now that we wouldn't have had otherwise."

"Is that how you see yourself, as a pawn or bargaining chip to be used?"

"I don't need a guard, Peter. I am perfectly safe inside the walls of the castle. Having Colm follow me around is unnecessary and embarrassing." She clutches at his shoulder, turning him back to face her.

"That's not for you to decide. I have to take responsibility. It's as much my fault as it is theirs, I should have never left you out of my sight." Peter's voice drops suddenly. He shouldn't have said that.

Elsa's eyes narrow dangerously. "Responsibility? Do you feel like you have to take care of me?"

"Of course I do! What could you possibly do to defend yourself if I'm not around?"

"Well I'm sorry my disability obligates you to feel this way!" He's right, but Elsa isn't giving him the satisfaction of saying that to his face. Spinning around, she heads for the door and is brought up short when her gown snags on the back of her shoe. In an instant, Peter's arms wind themselves around her midsection and cradle her, just as they had months ago at the Midsummer festival.

Now with her in his arms in a low dip, he flashes her a confident smile he knows she can't see.

The kiss is instant, and angry. Lips crash in an angry dance and when their mouths open, their tongues melt together in a hot, wet slide. He can feel her hands tense up behind his ear and he tightens his hold on her, his arms wrapping around her. Suddenly, her fingernails are tracing deep grooves into his head, traveling south to arc at his hairline and her other hand pulls at his sleeve.

Pulling her up, he plants her against a wall, his hand cushioning the back of her head.

Her hands have quit his hairline and have moved onto his ears, his neck, any exposed area of skin they can find and when their lips break apart, her rosy red lips find the hollow of his throat in a quick, angry fashion and he greedily, hungrily leaves a trail of fire from the lobe of her ear down the column of her throat.

A knock at the door breaks the mood and they break apart, straightening themselves out. "Sire, the people are getting restless."

"I'll be along shortly." Peter scrubs a hand over his face and through his hair to erase any marks she may have left and is brought up short when a manicured fingernail finds his chin.

"We aren't done talking about this." Her sultry voice leaves nothing to the imagination and he gulps, nodding.

"Tonight, later. After dinner."

Elsa stays behind as Peter awkwardly goes to the door before disappearing behind the thick oak. They would indeed talk about this later, she would be sure of that.

Later comes around to find Elsa readying herself for bed. The air outside is dry, signaling a coming storm. Storms most likely meant lightning, which excited Elsa more than it scared her now.

In her younger years, thunder accompanied lightning. Thunder shook the small house in Salzburg and sent her running for her parent's room on the far end of the hall. She can hardly recall the old folksong that her mother would sing to her in the dead of night, or the white flower that her mother would wind into her hair the morning after.

It's an almost remembered dream that comes to her on the waves of nostalgia and she blinks away the past as her ears pick up a set of feet coming in the door.

"Hello?" She turns her back to the balcony door, the wind blowing her loose curls forward.

"Just me." Peter crosses the room quickly, taking her into his arms.

Elsa can't remember why she is upset with him after she melts into his arms. Breathing in his scent like a long lost friend, she smiles contentedly and exhales.

"I missed you," Peter whispers against her temple, pressing a kiss to her pale skin. It was true, he had been called away in the middle of the afternoon and had disappeared till well past dinner without a word to anyone. It was heard around the castle that he had been called away to the weapons forge, but Elsa wasn't sure what business he would have at the weapons forge.

"I'm sorry I was upset earlier." She does owe him an apology, and now that she doesn't feel like throwing him through a wall, she can suck up her pride and admit that she was wrong.

"S'okay. I understand why you were angry. I should have come to you first." Their noses collide as their foreheads rest against each others.

Elsa smiles, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Good, now that we have that settled I can stop pretending to be mad at you."

Peter smiles, separating from her briefly. "I have something for you, now that you aren't ready to kill me in my sleep."

Elsa furrows her brow in anticipation as Peter takes one of her hands in his. "Elsa, I love you."

"I love you too." Elsa giggles slightly, a smile splitting her lips as a confused look colors her features in the low light.

"Let me finish, woman." Peter's hand fumbles in his pocket before producing a sparking stone, set in rose gold and silver.

Shock floods her system when she realizes that he has dropped to one knee and is holding a ring in his hand.

A ring, how did she know? Her eyes are slow to adjust to the low light given off by the lightning gem and she can't breathe through the surprise.

"Elsa Grace Markham, will you marry me?" The question is abrupt, and Elsa can see the suspense on his face.

It's a thin film of light that fills her to her brim with joy. "I- Peter this is so sudden."

She can see his face fall and she laughs, nodding. "Yes, yes of course I'll marry you." The ring, to her surprise, fits perfectly on her finger and she looks up at Peter in surprise.

"How on earth did you know?"

"The size? I guessed." He smiles, and Elsa reaches a hand up to trace his features. Sobbing now, she blinks hard to clear her eyes.

Deep pools of blue stare back at her and his brilliantly chiseled features are stark in the charged atmosphere.

"You don't look the way I imagined." Her hands are still examining him and he takes hold of her wandering fingers, brushing a kiss on her knuckle gently.

"And how did you imagine I looked?"

"Your nose was bigger in my head." Elsa giggles uncharacteristically and Peter pulls her into his arms, kissing her deeply in the now cold air.

"Is that a good thing?"

Elsa's brow arcs. "I would love you no matter what you looked like. But it doesn't hurt that you happen to be incredibly handsome."

"I think you may be biased. You've been blind now for a while, I think you just like the first thing you've seen."

Elsa raps him playfully on the shoulder. "Don't doubt yourself, Peter. You think all those maids fawn all over you because you're the king?"

"I thought so," Peter seems confused and Elsa pecks his lips playfully.

"Now you know different."

Deciding that they can have just this one night in the castle, the pair curls up in Elsa's bed after a long night of laughs, smiles, and exploring.

"I can't stay awake anymore." Elsa's eyes slip closed for a moment as she faces Peter in her bed.

"Then go to sleep. I'll still be here in the morning."

"What are we going to tell the family?"

Peter laughs, kissing her nose. "The truth. Now sleep, my dear fiance."

And she did.