When We're Together
ao3
ffn
chapter index
Inga watched the pale winter sun peaking through the windows. It was getting close enough to the winter solstice that it was already late in the morning if the sun was showing. The fire crackled, and Henry had his arms around her. She pulled up the blanket a little more, and turned to face him.
“Good morning,” he mumbled, kissing her.
“We need to go back today,” Inga sighed.
“Not just yet,” Henry insisted, burying his face in her shoulder.
“I suppose we can,” Inga giggled. “Just…”
“They’ve already brought our breakfast,” Henry said. “It’s on the table any time we want it. You know this means they won’t bother us for at least an hour.”
“You make a good argument,” she told him, kissing him again.
A while later, after they had eaten, Inga sat by the fire in only her dressing gown, with Henry beside her. There was a knock at the door.
Henry jumped up and went to the door of the cabin, opening it a bit.
“Oh, hello, James,” he said.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” the valet replied, “but the local help have told us that it is quite likely that there will be a storm coming through later today, and they believed it advisable to return to Arendelle by noon or else we will have difficulty getting out for several days.”
“Oh dear,” Inga sighed. “That does happen this time of year in the mountains.”
“I suppose we ought to go, then,” Henry agreed. “We’ll get ready as soon as we’ve finished breakfast.”
***
Rapunzel sat at the window in the guest room in Arendelle castle where they had been staying for about two weeks, since shortly before Henry and Inga’s wedding. They would be here for a little longer; they had been encouraged to all attend the Yule celebration before returning home to Corona. There was a knock at the door, and Rapunzel got up to answer.
The steward was standing at the door when she opened it.
“Your Highness,” he said, “there is some mail for you.”
“Thank you very much… Kai, is it?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” he said with a nod.
“Thank you,” Rapunzel smiled, taking the letter.
It was from Corona’s embassy in America, which seemed odd, as that ambassador usually communicated only through the foreign minister, rarely directly to her.
She opened the envelope, and realized it was from Lars Nilsen.
Boston, Massachusetts
December 3rd, 1865
To Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess Rapunzel of Corona,
I am writing to extend my congratulations to your son, Prince Henry, upon his marriage to the Princess Anna Iduna Ingaborg of Arendelle. We are, of course, delighted at the news. I had a brief trip to the capital this week, and took the opportunity to visit Corona’s embassy in Washington, and took the liberty of using their stationery for this letter.
Things are going well in Boston, though the winter weather is, of course, quite unpleasant. I hope your return journey to Corona is pleasant enough.
Regards,
Lars Nilsen
Just then the door opened, causing Rapunzel to start.
“Oh! Eugene, you startled me!”
“Sorry,” he said. “What do you have there?”
“A letter from Lars,” she said. “The news about the wedding has spread quickly, it seems.”
“It’s been long enough,” Eugene said.
“Arendelle hasn’t set up any telegraph lines yet, so whoever it was had to act quickly.”
“Maybe Holst sent one out before he left Corona,” Eugene suggested.
“That makes sense,” Rapunzel agreed.
“Well, you should write back to him, naturally.”
“I will,” she agreed, glancing out the window. “The weather doesn’t look very promising in the mountains. I hope Henry and Inga won’t have problems.”
Eugene looked out. “The sky does look ominous. I got caught in some weather like that once when Kristoff took me out that way. I hope they’re not stuck up there for a week.”
***
Frederick was sitting in the library looking through the old maps. He had already looked at all of them, but he had some favorites, and sometimes he secretly hoped that he might find one he hadn’t seen before. Suddenly, the door flew open, and his brothers ran in.
“Hello,” Frederick said. “You could knock, you know.”
“It’s not like anything is going on in here,” Peder said. “What are you up to?”
“Nothing much,” Frederick admitted.
“When is Inga getting back?” Anton asked. “It seems like we have to wait for her before we can do anything else.”
“Inga and Henry are supposed to come back tonight, I think. Tomorrow if the weather’s bad,” Frederick told them. “Why?”
“I don’t know,” Anton replied. “Anyway…”
“Do you want to go exploring?” Peder interrupted.
Frederick looked out the window. The weather was not inviting. “Where?”
“The attic?” Anton suggested.
“Fine, let’s go,” Frederick said.
It was dark in the castle attic, and Frederick felt his brothers push past him to get to the secret passageway first.
“Ow!” Frederick yelled out, swatting at them. “Which one of you stepped on my foot?”
He could hear grunting from them, almost an audible shrug.
“You’re not leaving for the Navy until next week,” Peder said.
“Yes, but I was going to play piano for the Yule party.”
“So?” Anton shrugged. “I didn’t step on your hand.”
“So, it was you!” Frederick exclaimed. “And besides, there are pedals on a piano, too.”
“Oh, sorry about that,” Anton apologized.
Frederick found a small window near the eaves of the roof, and looked out. The afternoon sun was already setting, and he could just see the bridge to town, and noticed a carriage coming across.
“I think that’s them!” he exclaimed.
“Who?” Peder asked.
“Our sister,” Frederick sighed. “Their carriage is going to be in the courtyard in just a minute. We should get down there.”
***
Kristoff was tending to the reindeer in the stables when he heard commotion outside. He looked out and saw the guards saluting a carriage coming inside, and realized it was Inga and Henry’s carriage, returning from the cabin. He walked out to meet them, and saw Frederick and the twins running into the courtyard, probably with the same intention.
Inga pulled aside the curtain and smiled, and Kristoff opened the door to the carriage himself.
“Welcome home,” he said.
“You’re early,” Frederick said.
“The weather looked bad,” Inga explained. Henry had stepped out at this point, and Inga took his hand.
“How did you like the mountains, Henry?” Frederick asked.
“It’s quite lovely up there,” he replied. “The cabin is very cozy.”
Kristoff noticed Inga blush a bit, but thankfully more people were coming from the castle so they could avoid too much hinting and teasing now.
***
There had only been a simple dinner planned for the evening of their return, and Inga was glad of it. Now, they could get away early.
“So…” Henry began, “I haven’t really looked around your room.”
Inga looked up and laughed. “You haven’t? Oh, but of course, we hardly had any time in here and then went straight to the cabin after visiting the trolls, didn’t we? And-”
“Exactly,” Henry interrupted, knowing she was either going to mention the night in his room following her birthday party, or else the morning he arrived in Arendelle and found her on the floor of her room crying. She would rather not think about that morning. It had all worked out now, hadn’t it?
Inga sighed. “Well, this is it… it’s quite clean now,” she laughed nervously. “I suppose now that they’ve assigned Oline to me as a lady’s maid, it will stay a bit more cleaned up in general.
Henry nodded.
“Are you going to need a dressing room?” Inga asked. “I’ve heard some people do that.”
Henry shrugged. “We’ll figure that out in the morning, I suppose.”
“So now you’re tired?” Inga asked teasingly.
“I’m not completely tired, if you’re suggesting what I think…”
***
“Good morning, Inga,” her mother said as she entered the study the following day. “I’m surprised to see you this morning.”
“I hope you don’t mind if I join you.”
“Of course not!” her mother replied, looking expectantly at the chair across her desk.
“Did anything interesting happen while I was away?” Inga asked as she sat down.
“Nothing much. Frederick’s birthday party is tomorrow, of course, and he was helping me plan the Yule festivities.”
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“The parties are set, and I don’t have any other work that I need help with right at the moment, but you got a few personal letters while you were away.”
“Oh, thank you,” Inga said, accepting the stack of letters from her mother.
She leafed through them. They all seemed to be formal congratulations from people she regularly wrote to, but they had been addressed to her personally, so her mother had done the favor of saving them for her to open herself.
The last letter in the stack was Elizabeth’s handwriting, and Inga realized that she hadn’t written to Elizabeth since before they had begun the rushed wedding planning. She was fairly certain her last letter to Elizabeth had been sent the day before the doctor had come to see her, and she had learned the consequences of her summer. How she had been so sure that nothing would come of her night with Henry, she wasn’t sure. But it was done now, and things were all settled, weren’t they?
Inga opened the letter.
Boston
December 1st, 1865
Dear Inga,
I can’t believe what I saw in the newspaper this morning! Is it true that you and Henry got married last month? You had told me that there might be news about it, but I wasn’t expecting anything to happen so quickly! Will you let me know what happened? It just seems so sudden. You’ll excuse me for sounding so excited, but this seems like a big thing to keep quiet. I do hope everything is well, and please keep me up to date on your plans for the future!
Love,
Elizabeth
Inga looked up from the letter and sighed. She would need to be sure to write a proper letter in response. First, though, she would read through the other letters. They would be easier to answer.
***
Despite Frederick’s birthday occurring right before the Yule festivities Anna always made sure that they did something for him separate from the general festivities, and separate from celebrating Elsa’s birthday a short while later.
This year he was turning sixteen, and it hardly seemed real that he could be that old already, but Inga was married now, so of course Frederick was getting older, too.
This year Frederick was inviting his two friends who would also be attending the Naval Academy, who lived in some of the outlying provinces, so coming to Arendelle to visit was easy enough. Kristoff had told her that the boys didn’t seem to have first names, though Inga had told her that their full names were Lukas Jorgensen and Anders Dahl, and they, like Frederick, were currently considered midshipmen, so she would be able to address them properly if she needed to.
The party went off without a hitch. Afterwards, Anna sat in the library with Kristoff, watching Frederick and his brothers playing various games together. Now Anton and Kristoff were finishing up a game of chess; Anton won this round.
“I think that’s enough for me this evening,” Kristoff announced.
“Frederick, your turn?” Anton asked.
“Sure, why not!” Frederick laughed.
“Just a minute,” Kristoff interrupted. “I have something I was meaning to give you tonight, Frederick.”
Anna looked at Kristoff, and he gave a nod.
“What is it?” Frederick asked.
Kristoff walked over to the corner and picked up his mandolin. “I want you to have this.”
“But this is yours,” Frederick objected. “I can’t take it.”
“You can’t pack up the piano onto a navy ship, no matter how big the ship is, but you can take this anywhere.”
“Still, it’s yours.”
“Yes, and I want you to have it,” Kristoff said, pressing it into his hands. “I know you’ll take good care of it.”
***
Rapunzel had heard about the Yule celebration, but the last time she had been in Arendelle they hadn’t held it in years. This evening, the air was chilly, and there was a dusting of snow just beginning to accumulate. The Arendelle family members each had their roles, with Kristoff and his older sons helping with carrying in the bell, and Anna and her sister standing in front with Anna’s younger children, as well as Inga. Inga had invited the family from Corona all to stand with them, as it would seem odd not to have Henry with her at this point, and they should all join in. There was no actual instruction about what they should be doing while they were up there.
“We smile and look like pretty window dressing,” Eugene whispered as they looked at the crowd gathered in the castle courtyard.
“Well, yes, we should smile, of course,” Rapunzel whispered back. “But let’s not get too vain about this.”
When the ceremony was over, the crowd dispersed, as was typical, she was assured. Everyone had plans. She noticed Henry had slipped inside, and was sitting on a bench near the door with his sketchbook. She sat down next to him.
“What’s that?” she asked.
He showed her the page, with a rough sketch of the crowd gathered and the courtyard.
“I like it. Do you think you’ll turn that one into a painting?” she asked.
Henry shrugged. “I’m not sure. I will if I have time.”
Rapunzel nodded. “You’re going to be busy.”
He nodded, and set to adding some details to the courtyard walls in his sketch.
A moment later, Inga walked in with her sisters. Henry’s face brightened, and he got up to see her.
Rapunzel walked on through the decorated hall, as Inga’s younger sisters ran past her, discussing the various cakes and sweets on display, and their younger brother came in a moment later, heading straight for one of the cakes.
“No, Karl!” the younger girl scolded, grabbing his hand. “Wait!”
He began to cry, and Rapunzel saw Anna run over.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
The girls competed to tattle on their little brother, but Anna scooped him up, saying it would just be another minute, and caught the eye of the steward.
“Your Majesty?” he asked.
“Yes, Kai,” she smiled. “If everyone is here, we should go ahead with the party.”
The steward gave a nod and the footmen opened the doors to the ballroom and a band began to play. The younger girls ran inside to dance.
“Shall we?” Eugene asked with his hand held out.
“Yes, let’s,” Rapunzel smiled, and they joined in the dancing.
***
It had been a week since Inga and Henry had gotten home from their honeymoon. Inga looked at the letter from Elizabeth that had been sitting on her side table for almost a week now. She still hadn’t replied to it. She needed to get to that. She pulled out a clean sheet of paper and sat down at the table by her window.
Arendelle
December 20th, 1865
Dear Elizabeth,
I’m so sorry that I haven’t written lately. I had no idea that news of my wedding would appear in the newspapers before I could tell you myself. I think there must have been someone from the Corona newspapers following Henry’s family when they came here for the wedding.
There will be a lot of changes. Henry and I plan to travel to Corona with Frederick when he goes to the Naval Academy in a few weeks.
For now, things are almost as they’ve always been. Frederick’s birthday was last week, and we had a nice party. We rang the Yule Bell, and I’m not certain if we’ll be in Arendelle next year for the holidays, and thinking about that makes me more than a little bit sad. I’m sure there are plenty of lovely things in Corona, too.
But enough of that. How is Boston? You haven’t told me what you were doing for the holidays there, and I’d love to know.
I promise I’ll try to keep you up to date in the future as much as I’m able to, though you need to promise to keep my letters private. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be talking to Lars about things, I understand that, but beyond that, and his mother, of course, please keep it a little quiet.
Love,
Inga
That would have to do. Inga wasn’t sure how long it would take for the letter to arrive in Boston, but it would get there in a week or two.
She addressed the letter, walked down the hall, and knocked on the study door.
“Good morning, Inga, how are you feeling today?” her mother smiled, looking up from her own documents.
“Very well, thank you,” Inga said. “Has Kai taken today’s mail out yet?”
“No, but I suppose he will be doing that shortly. Do you have something?”
“Yes, here,” Inga said, placing the letter down on the outgoing stack of mail.
Her mother read the address. “Oh, how is Elizabeth doing?”
“She’s doing well, I suppose. Her letter was mostly chastising me for not letting her know that I was getting married before they read it in the newspapers.”
“Oh… it was in the newspapers?”
“Yes,” Inga said, “It seems that it was. Have you made any more progress getting a telegraph line to Arendelle? That would probably help.”
“I’ll talk to someone today,” her mother promised. “You’re right, we should keep in better touch with our embassies abroad.”
***
Frederick stood in his room while Kai directed Henry’s valet James in packing Frederick’s clothes for Corona.
“I really could do this myself,” Frederick insisted, walking over to the wardrobe. “Besides, what about Henry’s things?”
Kai gave a dismissive snort as James examined some of Frederick’s clothes.
“I only asked for James to help because Prince Henry’s things are all in proper order,” the old steward explained. “Besides, please excuse me, Your Highness, but your dress uniforms must be packed carefully.”
“I took care of my own clothes last spring on the training ship,” Frederick protested.
“You were not wearing a dress uniform,” Kai said.
“Oh,” Frederick sighed. He had to admit he never paid much attention to his dress clothes; Kai always had something ready for formal events.
“If you have personal items, you might pack those now,” James suggested.
Frederick looked around. His father’s lute was sitting on the nightstand. He hadn’t thought about how he was taking it with him, but he knew that he needed to bring it. His father would be disappointed if he left it behind. Was there anything else he wanted to have in Corona? He would have more than enough reading to do at the Academy. He looked in the drawer next to his bed, and saw a collection of trinkets he had made at various times. Those could be left behind; no one would touch them.
“Excuse me, Kai,” Frederick said. “Do you have anything I could use to carry the lute safely?”
Kai looked up. “Somehow I always thought that had a strap to it, but I suppose not.”
Frederick nodded. “I suppose I can just carry it with me, but…”
“Wait a moment,” Kai said, then turned to James. “If you’ll excuse me a moment, you know what you’re doing.”
James agreed, and Kai left the room.
Frederick sat down and began tuning the mandolin, though it was a good instrument that kept its pitch well. He started picking out a tune he had learned on the training ship that spring.
“You play very well,” James said.
“Thank you,” Frederick replied. “I usually play piano, though.”
“I’m aware,” James smiled. “Sometimes Henry and Hilde play, though Hilde more than her brother.”
“I didn’t know that. They never played when I was there last year.”
“They were quite busy with the celebrations at the time,” James said.
“That makes sense,” Frederick said. “I hadn’t been playing right then, anyway.”
As James took a few more suits over to the trunks, Frederick looked inside the wardrobe. Neglected in the corner were the clothes he often wore when he went to the mountains with his father.
“Can you pack this, James?” he asked. He wasn’t sure when he would wear it, but it was comfortable.
James looked over, gave the briefest look of skepticism, but quickly took it to pack with the other clothes.
On the wardrobe floor, Frederick noticed several sashes in a pile. He picked one up, looking at the length, and realized it would work perfectly as a strap for the lute. He sat down on his bed with the sash and the instrument, and figured out a way that would work.
He heard a familiar knock at the door.
“Hello, Frederick,” his mother said. “I thought I’d check in on you.”
“Mother?” he said as he walked over to hug her. She looked like she’d been crying. “What’s wrong?”
She stopped and wiped her eyes. “No, I’m fine.”
“Well, sit down, anyway,” Frederick insisted, pulling up the chair by the table at the window.
“Thank you, I think I will,” she said. He sat on the bed, picking up the lute and working on the other half of the strap.
“I’ve told your father he needed a strap on that thing so many times,” she laughed. “You’ll take good care of it, won’t you?”
***
Hilde sat alone at a table in Hudson’s Hearth. She would be returning to Corona with her family in the morning, and it was a little too cold tonight for a good walk outside. Meibel walked over to her table.
“Is anyone joining you tonight?” the girl asked.
“Not that I know of,” Hilde admitted.
“Oh,” Meibel said. “It’s just, well, that man who writes for the newspaper was asking if you would be here.”
“Please, no,” Hilde sighed. “Is he here now?”
“No, he’s not,” Meibel promised.
“He’s probably getting ready to return to Corona with us,” Hilde said.
“That’s probably true,” Meibel agreed. “Why do you think he’s interested in talking to you in particular?”
“He thinks- he knows that I’d like more attention.”
“More attention? How so?” Meibel asked.
“Do you ever feel like people take you for granted?”
Meibel scrunched her nose. “I never really thought about that, but I’m not royalty like you.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that,” Hilde sighed. “Well, I suppose I should have something to eat. Do you have that stew I had last week when I was here? I’d like that again before I go home.”
***
“We’re leaving in the morning,” Inga said as she sat in bed with Henry.
“Yes, are you ready?” Henry asked.
“I don’t know. I mean, I am–Oline and my mother have made sure I have everything I could possibly need. But I’m not really ready. It doesn’t feel real.”
“I don’t know how much of this feels real,” Henry said.
Inga leaned against Henry.
“I should warn you,” she said, “I won’t be of any use to anyone on the ship.”
“You know you don’t need to do anything,” Henry insisted.
“In all probability I’m going to be very sick the whole time,” Inga said.
“Well, I think that’s more of something you’ll warn Oline about.”
“And you’ll keep your distance?” Inga quipped.
“No, no, I didn’t say that!” Henry protested, hugging her. “But I suspect some actual sleep will help both of us tomorrow.”
“Good night, Henry,” Inga said, kissing him.