the-king-of-arendelle:

   His wife had a point. A child like Anna needed attention, a companion to chatter with and ask questions and mingle. And the man knew of what came with loneliness. He knew very well. 

   And yet he worried. He worried that with another child came more people to bring into the castle, more eyes and ears in the walls. 

   ”I will think about it,” he murmured at last, finally bringing his wine back to his lips, other hand around Idun’s shoulders, “You are right that she needs companionship.” 

  It was a problem that needed to be addressed indeed. One of many. 

   And Idun supposed that was the best she could ask for. For him to ‘think about it’. It was like the response they gave their children–normally it meant no. Idun could guess that that would be his conclusion as well. 

   It used to be easy to keep her children company. Not that they had needed it when they had each other. But now? Now when she spent time with one, they worried about the other being lonely. Anna would practically drag her to Elsa’s room to make her spend time with the elder princess. Elsa would convince her that she wanted to be alone, forlornly playing with the toys she had taken with her, or curled up with a book, a pinch between her eyebrows. 

   There was Gerda, of course, who could step in from time to time, and governesses ready and waiting. But neither of their girls had ever really bonded with the governesses, and Gerda had other duties. A sigh very nearly left her. 

   "How are the council taking the changes?“ she murmured quietly, eyes transfixed on the flames in the grate.