Work Text:
Inga stood on the balcony at the palace, looking down at the capital city of the Kingdom of Corona. She wanted to believe she would be happy here, but it wasn’t Arendelle, and never would be. She longed for the steep cliffs of the fjord. Some visitors talked of feeling walled in, but it felt more like a firm hug, steadying her. Here, she felt on display, everything spread out below for miles around, fading off into the distance in every direction.
“You’re thinking about something,” Henry said, stepping up beside her. “Want to tell me?”
Inga sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. “I don’t know.”
“It’s fine, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
Inga frowned. She didn’t want Henry thinking that she was unhappy with marrying him, even if she was feeling intensely homesick.
“Do you remember the story of Amytis?”
“Which one?” Henry asked. “There are several.”
“Oh,” Inga hesitated, thinking back to her studies and tutors. “Yes, yes, you’re right. I’m talking about the wife of Nebuchadnezzar.”
“Do you want me to build you hanging gardens to make you happy here?” Henry smirked a little.
“I’m not sure how that would even work,” Inga laughed. “But I’m happy enough with you.”
“Happy enough?” Henry asked, obviously amused, but she still realized how it could sound.
“That came out wrong,” she insisted.
“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckled. “As long as you don’t feel like you were given away to seal a political alliance.”
Inga held his hand. “Our parents certainly had an odd way of going about it if that was their goal.”