Frozen (Up for Adoption)

Chapter Three

That year was the year of Elsen's eighteenth birthday; the year he was officially an adult and, as the elder brother, could therefore take over the throne. He was set to be king a month after his parents' death. 

=====================================================================

The day of the coronation, the streets were filled with not only the citizens of Arendelle, but royalty from all over the land, all dressed in their finest. They waited in anticipation for the moment when the gates were opened for the first time in years.  

It was a far more elegant scene than the one in Aaron's bedroom. The fifteen-year-old prince was in bed, on his stomach, still asleep, and an absolute mess. His snoring was rather impressive. 

Knocking came at his door. "Prince Aaron? Prince Aaron!"

Aaron smacked his lips and sat up, eyes still closed. "Yeah?"

"Oh, sorry to wake you-"

"No, no, no, no, you didn't," Aaron yawned. "I've been up for hours..."

He put his head on his hand and started dozing off again. He also laid back down, but started again.

"Who is it?"

"Uh, still me, sire. The gates will open soon. Time to get ready!"

Aaron stretched. "Of course! Ready for what?"

"Your brother's coronation, sire?"

Aaron thought. "My brother's... cornoration?"

He opened his eyes finally and saw the green and black suit he had laid out on the mannequin by his dressing area. He gasped and grinned. He threw the suit on, brushed his hair hurriedly, and ran out of his room at top speed. On his way out, he grabbed the hands of a random maid and spun her around excitedly. 

After running into the dining room, he was ecstatic. For the first time in ten years, people were opening the curtains, windows and doors. Servants were bringing in tables, chairs, and salad plates (8,000 to be exact) for people other than himself, the servants, and his parents to use!

He slid through the ballroom and down the stair banister to another open window. He looked outside, watching a ship pull into the docks for the dinner tonight. He stepped onto a rope seat normally used for cleaning windows and painting the castle and swung himself a couple times before pulling himself up to watch the ships.

He found himself all over the place: in the gardens, where a mother ducks and her hatchlings were nesting, the halls tying himself up with the curtains and imitating the males in the paintings he sometimes talked to, in the ballroom overseeing the preparations, or just daydreaming about the gorgeous princesses that would be at the party that night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upstairs, Elsen pulled on his gloves and adjusted his cape. He breathed deeply. Then, he risked a glance out the window, where the citizens and nobles of other kingdoms were streaming towards the palace. 

"Don't let in. Don't let them see. Be the good boy you always have to be."

His personal mantra. He walked away from the window that sparked his fears, instead looking at a painting of his father at his own coronation; holding the traditional scepter and orb. A table underneath said painting had a tall candle and a music box on it. Elsen decided to test something and took off his gloves. He picked them up and imitated his father.

They both froze quickly. Elsen hurriedly replaced them and put his gloves back on. He breathed deeply again, reminding himself that it was only for today. He glanced back at the picture of his father.

"I'll make you proud, Father," he whispered to himself. "I promise."

For the first time in ten years, he opened his door.