White Queen

The Sun and the Crocus

She could not ask for a smoother celebration.

Beginning her work as soon as she and Hans had returned from Ánslo, in such unexpected timing that had driven the servants running around to prepare for their arrival earlier than the intended schedule, she was just as determined to see that it would be a perfect day for her sister, just as she had did last year despite the ailment that had befallen her on the Princess' nineteenth birthday.

True to his words, Hans had not let her overwork herself over the preparation for Anna's birthday this year, reminding her not to skip her meals and every once in a while had brought her lunch in when she had been stubborn enough as to not come to the Dining Hall.

With her hard work and determination, combined with his firm reminder and care, Anna's twentieth birthday had been a total success without the Queen sneezing throughout the day as her health had been closely maintained. It had been just as merry, celebrated in the town under the warm summer weather, where people had all rejoiced for their beloved Princess.

It was all that Anna much preferred, to celebrate in a more humble way where the citizens of Arendelle would be greatly involved, a contrast with Elsa's birthday where dignitaries and royals from neighboring kingdoms would be the main attendance in the guest list, yet there was really no need to be questioning such differences, for their monarchy status had demanded the different approach in celebration. If it had been up to her, even she would have preferred for a quiet and more private celebration, perhaps not even having a party to begin with, as still the presence of a large crowd could make her feel so pressured sometimes.

With Anna turning twenty in age, the older sister was not even surprised when the Council had brought up the discussion over the idea of the Princess' need for betrothal the very next day during their morning meeting, as she was merely a year younger than when the Queen had been married off now, while even Anna herself had not been awaken yet, being allowed to sleep-in after the tiresome day before. The thought was quickly dismissed away with the same tone that she had used when the subject had been discussed with her almost two years ago. She was not having her younger sister falling into the same fate as she, for she could not guarantee the man would treat the Princess the same way Hans had did to her, and although she did not mention it, all she wished was for Anna to fall in love in her own way and term, as she had been such a romantic type that believed in true love.

"If I may be forward, Your Majesty," Lord Melbourne had begun, and by the tone that he had used, the words he used to her, she was certain that this would only added up to the headache that she was already nursing throughout the meeting. "The Council are only trying to ensure that Arendelle's royal succession is secured."

Here they were again, at the core of the problem.

Should it was all up to her, she would have a child long time ago, just to stop such demands from her Council, yet unfortunately all she could provide them was her patience, and even that was running thin, especially when added with the exhaustion she was suffering from, no doubt coming from the weeks of planning and working on Anna's birthday party, and she was also required to attend this meeting now, as much as she preferred to stay in bed with her husband.

"We are just eager," Lord Russell had added, seeing the clear displeased expression on the Queen's face, as he tried to defuse the heat of the situation. "Seeing that Queen Victoria of Britain had just welcomed her second child-"

Blue eyes snapped up at the mention then, as her brows furrowed even more as she looked at the dark haired Council man. "Did you just compare me to another royalty?" Has it been some sort of a competition between monarchs then, between Queens of the many kingdoms that spread across the globe, to bear as many heirs as they could while they were young and, in the men's word, proper?