Happy Birthday, Queen Anna!

Featured image art “Queen of the realm” by hannah.digiart (@HDigiart)

A special Musing for a special niece and some fatherly thoughts

By Michael, trade minister of Arendelle (@of_michel)

Summer Solstice in Arendelle means that it’s Queen Anna’s Birthday! Unfortunately, this year, Queen Anna, her sister and my niece, Snow Queen Elsa and Kristoff Bjorgman, are away in China on important business, namely to see prince regent Yixin and confirm the Exalted’s new members.

What a year it’s been with Anna as queen. From the lowest low of losing “Most Favoured Nation Status” to that lowdown skunk Will Harrison*, to winning the war with Russia**… and now, a new Exalted with Queen Colisa, Kristoff, and Peony Sinclair. 

Not too bad if I say so myself for my royal niece.

It’s also a time that in America, where I used to do business, that they celebrate the fathers of the family. On this day, Elsa and Anna go quietly to the shipwreck site in Northuldra to remember their parents, Queen Iduna and King Agnarr, in private. As they couldn’t do so this year, I went in their place to honour both their parents, as I was a close friend to them before their deaths. Honeymaren, Ryder, Yelena, and the other four nature spirits accompanied me as we laid the flowers and bowed our heads in loving remembrance. There are places in Arendelle that pay tribute Agnarr and Iduna for the public. This one is where the sisters can privately honour their parents.

I’m writing this while I’m alone among the Northuldra shipwreck because it got me thinking about the Musing I wrote about the picnic Anna and I had before she and the Exalted left for China. I wrote this about that intimate time we had: “Surely this was intimacy of an emotional kind that can be no less intense to a father-like figure she may have needed at this moment since their parents died…”

Maybe it offended some people. Please dear reader, allow me to remind you: I loved those two as much as Agnarr and Iduna did. Yes, there’s no question that Agnarr and Iduna loved their children very much, yet it was not perfect how they did things. They made mistakes. I made a mistake leaving in an angry huff. We’re not perfect beings. None of us are. Yet Agnarr and Iduna, out of love for both sisters, laid it all on the line for a trip to Northuldra to find help for Elsa and Anna, and it cost them their lives.

Three years after that, it took a lot of work and hustling to get back home to Arendelle. Sure, Kai was a father-figure to them, and Gerda and Olina were like mothers. I felt that urgency to come home and see if I could fill in the gaps. I came in time for Elsa’s coronation and I was there at the Fjord, when love itself saved Anna and their relationship.

I set up my business with Elsa’s, Anna’s, and Kristoff’s help as we shipped everything by wagon from lumber to ice across Arendelle to inland destinations and to the docks on the Fjord for sea bound destinations.

All the while, I was welcome into their household. Those three always had each other, and I could be there when some old-time wisdom and mentorship was needed.

Anna and Elsa leaned on each other when things were good and not so good, yet when one or the other was not there, I would offer help, especially to Elsa. Elsa had some of the roughest times with her snow powers and anxiety. Being a bit introverted and suffering from that as well, I had some wonderful talks with her about dealing with those issues. When Elsa had an accident with her powers that got her panicking, I came over and silently hugged my Snow Queen niece, and reassured her that it was alright. I saw Anna come over and I just motioned for her to come over and join us. Family.

Let’s not forget our birthday girl, Anna. When she lost her trading privileges in China to Will, it really shook her world just as much when she feared Elsa was gone for good. Elsa and I rallied behind her in her lowest moment, gave comfort and support in her time of need. Again, family.

You don’t break up and interfere with what those two have. Just be there to reinforce, love and help. There’s a time to step in, but more importantly, a time to step back. “Pull the reigns too tight and the horse will buck.”

I still remember that first birthday celebration Queen Elsa gave to Anna! Oh, that was a hoot! Elsa knocked herself out to give our Anna a big blowout of a party after all those years of separation, only to catch a cold and sneeze up snowgies! Anna said the best birthday present ever was taking care of her big sis.

To Anna, my beloved niece: the best birthday present is having a wonderful Fifth Spirit big sister who loves you and has your back, no matter what, as well as a family that loves you dearly.*

It may sound like I’m tooting my own horn over one of my two nieces. But I’m just expressing my love for my niece on her birthday and honouring the two wonderful people who are no longer here us, but who gave us the Diarchy, King Agnarr and Queen Iduna.

It’s been a pleasure to fill in when I can in the lives of Anna and Elsa, and their loving acceptance of me, of which, I am truly humble.

Happy Birthday, Anna.

Love,
Uncle Mike

* Kristoff recovered some of that through some nifty business manuvers, rendering Will’s victory, hollow as an old log!

** Yet gaining a new friend in Princess Katina Romanov, at a terrible price of losing Sergeant Severin and Sora.

*** Like Countess Vampire Vi, Hilde, Tess, Kristoff, Princess Danny the Spirit of Time, Sir Alan (who is with you all in China to open another can of whoop-ass on Will,) Princess Kat, William Tutore, and some old middle aged, grey haired, stogie smoking dude you made Trade Minister of Arendelle.