"Thank you, your Majesty. Most appreciated, your Majesty." The man backed down the carpeted aisle, bowing repeatedly. Then, with a hint of a wink: "Stay warm, your Majesty."

Elsa smiled tolerantly, stifling her sigh. The number of times she'd heard that joke… In some ways, she reflected, being an unreachable, unknowable queen had been easier.

To her left, Anna giggled. "Get it? Stay warm? Because you… you…" She cleared her throat, as if realizing where she was, and folded her hands primly in her lap. Again, Elsa clamped down on a sigh.

It wasn't often that Anna sat in on Arendelle's royal open audiences, but she always seemed to get an unhealthy amount of joy out of it. The huge domed throne room, the elegant carpets, the lines of people delighted just to catch a glimpse of their queen and princess… all of it was everything a ruler could want.

Since the… incidents of a few months prior, Elsa had been making a concerted effort to seem open and accessible - to present a positive and competent image on the Arendelle throne. Open court appeals, parades, ice skating on the weekends, all to show her powers, legal and magical, as safe and good. Something Elsa wasn't entirely convinced of herself.

As the next appeal was brought in, Elsa glanced down at her fingers resting on the carved arm of her throne. Tiny snowflakes danced between her fingers, and she hid a smile before closing her hands, extinguishing her icy sparks.

"Ambassador Reyansh of Murisang!"

Elsa looked up, interest piqued. Despite her efforts, it wasn't often that foreign diplomats willingly came to Arendelle. And Murisang was a country she'd only read about. Warm, far-off, and foreign…

"Welcome, Ambassador," she said smoothly, inclining her head as he bowed. "How can we assist you?" Too much? Maybe. Ah well.

"Your Majesty. Emperor Ishranth and Empress Garima send their greetings."

"Acknowledged and returned." Elsa studied the man before her. He was tall and undeniably handsome, with a charming smile and a trim goatee. He wore large pants and a long red robe embroidered with gold thread in curling patterns similar to pictures Elsa had seen in books.

"Many thanks, your Majesty. As for our business…" He glanced around, his smile never slipping. "Perhaps a private audience?"

Anna glanced over, visibly bouncing in her seat. Elsa sighed again, glancing down at her hand again. To her dismay, there was a slight sheen of frost on the carved wood. She rubbed it away hurriedly. "Yes, of course. This way, Ambassador." She stood gracefully and stepped down from the raised dais, her train trailing behind her. Regal, beautiful, with just a hint of ice. Perfect. "You too, Anna."

"Ooh!" Anna bounced to her feet, beaming, and followed, skipping a bit. She waved slightly at the ambassador, offering a shy smile. "Exciting!"

The conference room was small and unexceptional, used for informal audiences. One long table in the center and the chairs around it made up the only furniture - austere and practical, it was the conference room her father had used. Elsa seated herself at the head of the table, gesturing Anna to the right and Ambassador Reyansh to her left. The two guards that followed them in stepped to either side of the door, closing it gently behind them.

"Alright, mister," Anna said, leaning forward. "What do you want? Foreign trade deal? You're starting a war and you want our help? Ooh, I know! Your prince is asking for Elsa's hand in marriage!"

"Anna…" Elsa said warningly, flashing an apologetic look to the ambassador. To his credit, he only smiled.

"Apologies, Princess, but my business is somewhat more personal." He shifted slightly, flashing another dazzling smile at Anna, who blushed. Elsa sensed they were getting to the meat of the matter. "Our own Princess Aditi has developed… powers. Magical powers, similar to yours," he added to Elsa. "We're not sure what to do."

Elsa blinked, almost unable to process what she was hearing. Someone else with magic? "Ice powers?"

"Fire," he corrected. "Murisang is a desert country, your Majesty. Few enough of us have seen snow in our lifetimes."

"Fire powers?!" Elsa had never seen her sister's eyes so wide. "Like, shooting flames from her hands? That's amazing!"

"Amazing, yes," Reyansh conceded, "but terrifying when uncontrolled." His tone hinted at a larger story.

"Oh, we know about that, right, Elsa?" She said it innocently enough, glancing over at Elsa with a bright smile.

Elsa closed her eyes briefly, taking half a second to force the unwanted flood of memories back into their locked box in her mind, and then another second to melt the icicles that had shot from her fingertips under the table. Conceal, don't feel. At least, not now. "Uncontrolled how?"

"Dangerously." The ambassador smiled again, although there was little humor in his eyes. "Word of your story, Queen Elsa, has reached our humble lands, and it is to you we come for help."

"Help with…"

Reyansh shrugged. "Either healing her or subduing her. Preferably helping her, of course," he added as Anna opened her mouth to protest. "Your Majesty, may I be frank with you?"

"Please." Elsa inclined her head slightly, still trying to process. Someone else with magic… For the first time, she felt a glimmer of hope: maybe this Princess Aditi could finally understand her.

"Princess Aditi is a danger to everyone around her. Her parents, her family, her betrothed - none of them can get close to her. No one can even touch her."

"So this is recent, then," Elsa said, not really asking. The ambassador nodded.

"A few weeks ago was the first time anyone saw anything." He shrugged, looking almost helpless. "Perhaps I am saying too much, but Murisang is not the most stable country at this time. Princess Aditi's marriage will unite two powerful trade routes and save her family economically. Our nation needs this," he said earnestly, leaning forward slightly. "We need our princess back. Will you help us?"

"Well, that's easy enough," Anna said into the sudden silence. Elsa and Reyansh both turned to look at her in mild disbelief.

"I beg your pardon?" the ambassador said politely.

Anna shifted slightly in her seat, uncomfortable under the sudden scrutiny. "It's love, isn't it? I mean, that's what helped Elsa last year. She just has to show some love, and it'll fix it all."

"Maybe…" Elsa thought about it for a moment, ignoring Reyansh's incredulity. "But that melted the ice. It warmed it up. Would it cool down flames?"

"I dunno. I mean, it worked before." Anna shrugged. "Worth a shot, though, right? Do you have a better idea?"

Elsa shook her head slowly, thinking it over. On one hand, Anna was right - that was all the answer they had. But Elsa knew firsthand how scared, confused, and isolated the other princess must be feeling. If it were her… what would she have wanted?

"Let me go," she said. "I will return with you to Murisang. Let me speak to her - perhaps I can help. Anna, you're in charge."

"What? Wait- But, Elsa, you can't just-"

"It'll be good for you to try your hand at ruling for a change." Elsa stood up, gesturing to the guards. "Get a carriage ready and bring up whatever papers I need to sign. I'm naming Anna temporary regent." She smiled. This could be exactly what she needed.

"Thank you, your Majesty." Ambassador Reyansh rose and bowed low, the gratitude evident on his face. "Murisang will be honored by your visit."

Anna stood up too, knocking her chair over in her haste. "Are you crazy? You're just gonna leave? For how long?"

"Not very, I'm sure."

"And you're leaving right now? Why? Do you have to? You were fine for years!" Anna protested.

"Ice preserves, fire destroys." She glanced at the ambassador. "Something tells me there's no time to lose."

"But I can't be queen! What if-"

Elsa took her sister's hands impulsively, pulling her closer. "Don't you see, Anna? Somebody over there needs me. Needs me for something more important than ice skating or sitting on a throne."

Anna looked at her a moment, a little puzzled, a little scared, then threw her arms around her sister. Elsa returned the hug, holding her tight. "You'll be fine, Anna. Actually, you'll be amazing." She pulled away, touched Anna's cheek gently. "I know it."

"If you say so."

"I do," Elsa said firmly. "Ambassador, it would be an honor to meet your princess. We leave tomorrow morning."