Dark Paths (Helsa)

Three

Elsa had shoved off her nervous thoughts and would wait for the situation till it came to her. She was only thankful that no one knew but Hans.

"I still don't understand why you have to go." Anna said with a humph and sat down on her sister's bed. "If he lays a hand on you-"

"Anna, please, I can protect myself." Elsa smiled and picked out a few different dresses to possibly wear. "I don't want to dress horribly in front of the King and Queen. Do you think these dresses will look nice?" She asked and held up two different dresses, one that was an olive green with lace on the bodice and a halter neck line, the other was a deep blue with a sweetheart neck line that had light ruffles at the bottom.

"Yes, those look nice." Anna said, never having seen her wear the green dress.

"I'm going to keep the peace between our countries. Arden wants me to discuss trade with them as well, expand it." She said and folded up a few more dresses and laid them in her suitcase. "That should do it for a week." Elsa said and looked down at her suitcase.

"Do you think Hans will be there?" Anna asked. "I'm worried about you. You're my sister, my only sister."

"I know you're worried but before I was in a bad place. I'm okay now, really. I can protect myself." Elsa said and zipped up her suitcase, setting it beside her bed on the floor. "I leave tonight." Elsa muttered and gave Anna a small smile to help cheer her up. "I should only be gone for a week when I get there. Wish me luck, please."

"I wish you the best of luck, you know that." Anna said and hugged Elsa. "You'll be back before I know it." She smiled over at her.

"I'm so hungry." Elsa complained after her stomach growled to get Elsa's attention.

"Me too... Kristoff is taking me out to a nice restaurant in the town. I've never heard of it. I hope it's nice."

"What's it called?" Elsa asked, getting up from her bed with Anna following. They both left her bedroom together and headed downstairs for a snack.

"I think it's called Snowflake's Place." Anna giggled, the irony of Anna going and Elsa practically the Snow Queen was too much.

"The irony in that is almost ridiculous. Imagine if I went. The owner wouldn't know what to say." Elsa said and once they arrived into the kitchen to find snacks, even fruit, but they mostly wanted chocolate. They both scavenged the kitchen and pantries for any snack at all but couldn't find anything to suit their tastebuds.

"Why don't we head down to the market? It's time before you leave and we'll buy some snacks." Anna smiled.

"That sounds good. I'll go grab my coin purse and coat." Elsa said and headed for the coat closet. On their way there she noticed Nicholas was following them. "Oh, Nicholas? Could you grab my coin purse?" She asked him once they reached the coat closet.

"Of course, Your Majesty." He said, bowing his head and headed up the stairs nearby to retrieve her coin purse. While Elsa and Anna were putting on their coats, Elsa's a longer black peacoat that reached the back of her knees and Anna's was a gray wool coat that went a little past her bottom, Nicholas brought Elsa and Anna their coin purses.

"Oh, Nicholas! Thank you." Anna smiled and put her purse in her coat pocket, being sure to hide it from possible thieves.

"No, absolutely not. I'm going to pay for whatever you want to buy." Elsa said and put her purse into the deepest pocket of her coat. "Will you becoming with us, Nicholas?" She asked and he nodded.

"If you'd like me to, Your Majesty." He said and Elsa nodded.

"Of course." Elsa said and they walked out of the castle together. Nicholas always made sure to walk farther back but close enough to give the girls privacy. Even when it was just Elsa he still gave her space.

Once they arrived into the marketplace Elsa decided she wanted to take fruit for the castle and to pack for her trip. Anna grabbed a few chocolate bars, a few for herself and Kristoff. Elsa even grabbed a chocolate bar for when she had a sweet tooth.

"Might I interest you lovely ladies in one of my new sweets?" A merchant asked. He was a worn out looking man, black scraggly hair and an untrimmed beard. He must've made Nicholas uneasy around the girls because once he opened his mouth he came right up next to them, ready to taste whatever he was about to give them first.

"Ooh! Sure!" Anna said excitedly. "What is it?"

"I melted my famous chocolate in a cauldron, took hard, but yummy, pretzels and dipped them into the chocolate." He said, showing them his finished product.

"Oh! You mean chocolate covered pretzels?" Anna said, going to grab a pretzel but Nicholas stopped her. "You know, try to dip strawberries in your chocolate. It's very delicious and I'm sure it'll send your sales through your roof." She said and pointed up to the roof.

"Let me try one first, Princess." Nicholas said and watched as the merchant handed over one of his pretzels. Instinctively he smelled it but knew the chocolate would mask any smells, so he plopped the chocolate pretzel into his mouth, and gave the ladies the okay once he stuck him thumb up. It wasn't poisoned, it was just that he was always safe on checking for the Queen and Princess.

Elsa and Anna both tried one of the man's pretzels, smiling to each other then at the merchant at how sweet the chocolate was then the perfect saltiness of the pretzel.

"Do you have bags available to buy?" Anna asked.

"Oh, yes. I do. I have a few bags made up. Would you like to buy some, ladies?" He asked, looking from Elsa to Anna.

"I'll buy two bags." Elsa said, pulling out five gold coins, handing them over to him. He stared down at the coins, then back up to Elsa. "Is that enough?"

"Oh, yes, Your Majesty. More than enough. I only charge a gold for a bag. What are the other three for?" He asked, hoping she wouldn't be offended.

"For you. You work hard in Arendelle as a merchant. Also you let my sister and I, and my guard, sample your sweets." She said with a smile and put her purse back in her coat. He smiled to her and handed a bag of his pretzels to Elsa then one to Anna. "Thank you, sir." Elsa said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. This is much appreciated." He said and went to assist other customers.

"Your Majesties, we should head back to the castle now. It's almost time for you to leave on your date, Princess. Also, Your Majesty, would you like me to go with you to the Southern Isles?" Nicholas asked, walking with them back to the castle, standing next to Elsa.

"Oh. Yes, please. I'll need someone that I know to be there with me. Thank you, Nicholas. You're the best guard a queen could ask for." She smiled, patting his arm then began small talk with Anna.