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On the morning of Elsa's coronation, the heavy gates to the castle were finally opened. All of Arendelle wanted to celebrate the grand occasion. The streets in front of the castle were crowded with townspeople eager to see the new queen.
To add to the excitement, the fjord was filled with ships from other kingdoms, bringing dignitaries from far away. One by one, important people stepped onto Arendelle's docks.
“Welcome to our humble Arendelle,” the royal handler called to the visitors. One of the visiting dignitaries was the Duke of Weselton, a small man with white whiskers. Two huge guards followed close behind him, carrying his luggage.
“Ah, Arendelle, our most mysterious trade partner,” the Duke said breezily. “Open those gates so I may unlock your secrets and exploit your riches!”
In the distance, Kristoff was making his way down a mountain path. Now grown-up and strong, he and Sven had become true ice harvesters, masters at hauling ice blocks down the mountain. To Kristoff, the coronation was a perfect opportunity to sell ice to the crowds who filled Arendelle. “A coronation on a hot July day, you know what that means?” he asked Sven, who was harnessed to their rickety ice cart.
The reindeer raised his eyebrows. Sven couldn't talk, but that wasn't a problem for Kristoff. He often spoke for Sven, changing his voice to sound deeper and more reindeery. “I sure do, Kristoff,” he declared, as Sven. “By noon I'm going to smell like a barrel of rabid skunks.”“Yes, you will,” Kristoff said, talking normally again. He grinned. “But also, people will be needing ice. Lots of ice.” He pulled Sven's rope, and the two continued down into the town.
For Anna, the new people and the excitement were a dream come true. For the first time in years, every door in Arendelle was open. No one was shutting her out! She burst through the busy courtyard in front of the castle and practically skipped into town. People everywhere were getting ready for the coronation. She saw banners, a maypole, and flowers—all celebrating her sister, the new queen. There were dancing groups, musical bands, and food stalls. Everything looked so interesting. “I can't wait to meet everyone!” Anna exclaimed out loud. Then she stopped short as a thought occurred to her. “What if I meet the one?” Anna knew she wasn't likely to meet someone special, especially since the castle gates would be open for one day only, exactly twenty-four hours. Still, she couldn't help daydreaming just a bit. Today might be her only chance to meet new friends, have new experiences, and maybe, just maybe, find love.
In her room upstairs in the castle, Elsa did not share the happiness that pulsed through the kingdom. She worried about controlling her powers, and hoped she could just get through the ceremony without anyone learning about her magic. As a test, she slipped off her gloves and picked up a candlestick and a little jar from the table. She concentrated, holding both with her bare hands. “Be the good girl,” Elsa whispered to herself. “Make one wrong move and everyone will know...” She was nervous. As she stood there, ice formed on her palms and moved onto the objects, turning them to ice. She hurriedly dropped them and tugged her gloves back on, concealing her hands—and her icy magic.
“It's only for today,” Elsa reminded herself. After that, the gates would be closed again and she could go back into hiding.