there is so much she could say.     she won’t,  though.    many years of isolation & conditioning have set her tongue in place.   regina may be the first of the other young royals she’d met in her duties that SPOKE what elsa herself could never give breath to    —–     the cage of their lives in the public eye,  the weight of cold metal on their heads.   much of her feels kindred to the other woman already,  but the soon-to-be-queen knows better than to act on any wish of friendship.

              “  I am uncertain if luck has much to do with it,  or rather,  if it’s even real at all.  ”   she extends her gloved hand,   shakily lifting her own glass of wine.    “  if it’s any comfort,   I found your points in the meeting with the consul very well-said.  ”    (  yeah,  really consoling,  elsa.  )

‘   thank you.   ’   she offers a polite smile, a curt nod of her head. mirroring elsa, she too lifts her glass, taking the smallest of sips. the glass had remained nearly untouched all this time, the young queen just now remembering it was there. regina could sense there was more the other wanted to say, but she didn’t pry. simply elaborated on the topic.   ‘   i admit i am not used to being asked my opinion. i know i should not say so, but it felt good   —   to be asked.   ’