Work Text:
Anna looked around her room. She knew what she needed to do, but she still had the urge to pack for a journey. Of course, she was the queen. If she was found packing on her own without asking her maid for help, that would raise suspicion, and if she asked her maid to pack, the maid could alert Hans, or she would be put in the difficult position of having to lie.
There was a knock at the door. Anna’s entire body tensed up.
“Yes?” she called out, trying not to sound panicked.
“Your Majesty?” the maid said hesitantly.
“What is it?” Anna asked, composing herself a little more.
“His Highness asked me to bring you this,” she said, handing over a parcel tied with a ribbon.
“Thank you,” Anna said, accepting the package. “Is there anything else?”
“Yes, in fact… Prince Hans asked if I had any family I would like to visit, as I haven’t taken leave in quite some time, and my mother’s birthday is coming up. If it would be acceptable to Your Majesty?”
Anna thought silently, breathing slowly to calm her nerves. Of course, send her maid away to the countryside, visiting family when whatever Hans had planned happened. Even if she remained safe, it would be best for her maid to have a secure alibi.
“Of course you may,” Anna said. “I remember you said that you grew up in the mountains to the south of here?”
“Indeed, Your Majesty.”
“You should go ahead and get yourself ready. I’ll have Kai give you your next month’s salary before you leave.”
“But-” the maid protested.
“No, you must have some spending money. I’ll let him know.”
“Thank you!” The maid smiled and curtseyed, and left Anna alone in her room.
Anna made sure the door was locked, and proceeded to open the package. It was a very plain dress, like what one of the shopkeepers in town might wear, along with a similarly plain cape with a hood.
A piece of paper fell to the floor, which Anna immediately picked up.
Anna,
You see the clothes provided. Wear these, leave all your other clothes here, and leave Arendelle immediately, without telling anyone your intentions, and I will not follow. If you try to return to Arendelle or communicate with anyone, or make any attempt to claim your identity as queen, there will be consequences. I have found a solution, and the sooner you are away from Arendelle, the simpler it will be.
Hans
Anna shuddered. She had no idea what the consequences might be, but she thought of the thing that she hadn’t let her think about: the children. She had to trust that they would be safe. Hans had said that he didn’t want any scandal. That was why she needed to leave, after all. She wondered what the solution might be, but perhaps she could find out after she had reached wherever she was going.
She quickly changed out of her clothes, leaving them as neatly as she possibly could laid out on her bed. The new clothes were almost her size, but clearly not tailor made for her measurements. She looked in the mirror, putting on the cape. With the hood up, her identity was nearly completely hidden. She looked around, took a breath, and left.
She needed to leave through the side of the castle as quietly as possible. She reached the door out to the fjord, pushing it slowly open. It was dusk.
“That was fast.”
“Hans?” she gasped. “What do you want?”
“I’m merely making sure you keep your word. For once.”
Anna looked across the fjord. If she looked at him now, she wouldn’t be able to hold herself together. She just needed to hold on long enough to get out of town to the spot where she had agreed to meet.
“May I go?” she asked, her voice only wavering a bit.
“I have no interest in stopping you. I have a spy at the edge of town, so we will know when you have left.”
“I understand,” Anna said, hurrying away.
She tried to stay silent as she walked along the edge of the water, tears beginning to stream down her face. She knew the spot to reach the road where no one was likely to see her. She had walked this way before, but always before it had been a leisurely walk.
The first farm field along the road was a relief like none she had ever felt before. The road was quiet and there was almost no one around, but then she saw someone dressed as a farm hand, staring at her as if he were expecting her, but saying nothing. She looked back down at the road and kept walking. It would be another half mile, in a small stand of trees near the cliffs above the town.
As she got closer she looked tentatively over her shoulder every few steps, and looked behind every tree to see if there were anyone else watching for her, but she couldn’t see anyone. Finally, she got to the stand of trees. No one was around in any direction. She left the road, and started walking through the brush, finally arriving at a small clearing. Behind some bushes, she saw the familiar wagon.
“I’m here,” she said, kneeling down on the mossy ground, letting the emotions she had been holding in overcome her.
She hardly remembered being helped into the wagon, but they couldn’t waste time, and she took one last look over Arendelle as they sped up into the mountains.