“Please try to hold still, miss.”

I sighed and looked down at the little servant girl in front of me, digging her name from the recesses of my memory. Mary, I think. A number of servants had been fussing around me all day, tucking, tightening, pinching, poking…

I shifted on the stand, and the seamstress wagged a finger at me, “patience, princess. Soon you will be a Queen, and we can’t have our Queen huffing and tapping her toes.”

I nodded and tried to repress a smile. As soon as the servants had received word of the Queen’s death a miraculous transformation had occurred. I’d never seen them smile all the time, or whistle freely while they worked. They even made eye contact and sassed me now. I resolved that the first thing I would do as Queen was give them a fair pay wage.

A wave of shock hit me at the thought. Me…I would be Queen. How ridiculous.

I’d been buffeted by shock all day, moving around mechanically, doing as the servants ordered to get me ready for that night. Staying still while they yanked my hair into something fashionable, closing my eyes while they painted my face, sucking my breath in while they pulled the corset dress tight in the back.

Now it was nearly time. In a few minutes I would walk down the hallway of the ice palace and into the throne room. I’d sit down on the throne. Me, on a fricking throne.

Then the ceremony would start. My coronation.

I sucked in another deep breath, stomach doing backflips. I hadn’t slept at all last night. Charlotte had moved into Davin’s room, and the huge bed had felt so empty without her. It was just me, alone with the frenzied thoughts running through my head.

I pushed thoughts of last night to the side and tried to concentrate on breathing deeply. In and out, in and out. I can do this. I’m not going to faint in front of everyone. I’m not.

“Ready, miss?” Mary smiled up at me.

I gawped at her, heart racing. Was it that time already? I stammered, “For what?”

“To see your dress of course,” she laughed, “don’t worry, miss. You don’t have to look so petrified. You look marvelous.”

I gave her a wobbly smile, “Thank you.”

The seamstress, who was almost as tall as me in spite of the platform I stood on, held out one hand to help me turn in place, “have a look in the mirror, love.”

I turned slowly, making sure I didn’t step on the silky fabric of the dress. The sight of the woman in the full length mirror made me gasp. That couldn’t possibly be me. This woman was royalty, refined and resplendent in a beautiful white dress. The girls laughed at my stunned expression.

“Do you like it?” The seamstress asked.

My voice came out breathless, “I…it’s beautiful. I can’t…I can’t even say how beautiful it is.”

I sounded like a stammering idiot, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t take my eyes of the mirror. Off the dress I was wearing. It was blazing white, like freshly fallen snow. It was strapless, and my shoulders were bare. Mary had dusted my pale skin with a fine sheen of sparkles that caught the light and glimmered when I moved. Just beneath the bust line shimmering crystals were set over the fabric in an icicle pattern. The dress was mermaid style, hugging me tightly around the waist and hips and flowing out at the thighs, ending in a long train that swirled around me in waves of silky fabric.

When I moved, something in my hair glittered in shards of rainbow light in the mirror. Mary had done my hair in intricate, twin braids on either side of my face, fastening my bangs back save for a stray curl or two. A small diamond tiara accented my hair, and the choker around my neck was made of the same diamonds.

The seamstress chuckled, “shut your mouth, your highness, or you’ll be catching flies.”

I blinked at her, tearing my gaze away from the mirror, “I can hardly believe it’s me.”

“Well it’s you,” she retorted cheerfully, glancing up at the clock on the wall, “and you better start believing, because you’ve got to go now.”

My heart leapt into overdrive, hammering wildly against my ribs “already?”

Mary surprised me by catching one of my hands in both her tiny ones, she looked up at me with huge blue eyes, “you’ll be marvelous, miss. You really do look like a Queen.”

I took a deep breath and smiled at her, “Thanks, I guess…I’ll just try to pretend I am one.”

A knock on the door made me jump, and Mary ran to open it. When I turned to see who was standing there I felt some of the tension leave my body. Erik was dressed in a fresh tunic and shiny silver chainmail. His hair was neatly done, and his face, though it was bruised from battle, was clean and freshly scrubbed and shaven. He was also beaming ear to ear.

“Your Highness,” he tucked his arm in at the chest and gave a little bow in my direction, “are you ready to be escorted to the throne room?”

“Yes,” I hoped my voice sounded as steady as I wanted it to, “I’m ready.”

I took the seamstress’ hand and she helped me down from the platform. I walked carefully across the room, thankful that the shoes I had insisted on were basically silver ballet flats. The silky fabric swished around me, caressing my legs, whispering as it glided across the icy floor behind me.

Erik offered his arm and a wide grin, “this way, your majesty.”

I glared at him, “Erik, that’s just weird.” I allowed him to guide me forward down the hall, giving the two women one last smile and wave before he whisked me away, “don’t call me all those fancy names. Besides, why are you in such a good mood? I’ve never seen you this happy before.” It was kind of refreshing, now that I thought about it.

Erik shrugged, and I studied his face, hoping it would take my mind off my churning stomach, “out with it!”

“I don’t know,” he said, “it’s just something about having the fire jotun in the castle. Even if they’re just here to see the coronation, it just makes things…”

I quirked one eyebrow at him, “warmer?”

He laughed, “exactly.” A smile crept across his face and his grip on my arm tightened slightly. I shot him a suspicious look, “Oh come on, you can’t tell me a bunch of hairy fire giants are making you this happy…”

My suspicions were confirmed when Erik’s pale cheeks flushed red. For a moment I felt a stab of something that might have been jealousy. Not because I wanted to be with Erik, not at all. But I needed him. I didn’t know how to do this Queen thing by myself. The thought of it froze me with horror. I’d been planning to make him an adviser, so he’d be there to help me…

As soon as I thought that I felt like a horrible person. Erik deserved to be happy. I’d never seen him look so cheerful the entire time I’d known him. I gave him a wide smile and told myself firmly, that I was only allowed being happy for him. Even if it meant ruling by myself. I would still have Charlotte and the girls.

“Who is it?” I waggled my eyebrows at him, “come on, you can tell me. I won’t tell anyone.”

Erik’s cheeks flushed even more, “it’s…I can’t tell you…”

“Erik!” I whined, “tell me!”

“No,” he pretended to scowl at me, “none of your business.”

“Erik,” I pulled a horrible face at him, “as your Queen, I order you to tell me who you have a crush on.”

Erik snorted, “You’re not Queen yet, princess.”

“Hey…” I sputtered, but before I could make any more demands Erik came to an abrupt halt. My heart dropped in my chest as I looked up and realized we were standing in front of the huge double doors of the throne room. I took in a huge gulp of air and darted a sideways glance at Erik.

He was looking at me in concern, “Are you alright? You won’t faint or anything, will you?”

Will I? Oh god, what if I did? Or worse, what if I threw up all over my royal gown? Or barfed on the guy who was trying to put the crown on my head? Erik patted my arm,

“Hey, you’ll be fine, Megan. You’ve done this before. And this time there’s no horrible Queen hissing in your ear. Everyone loves you. Ready?” He had one hand on the door.

I took another huge breath, telling myself he was right. I nodded, and braced myself as he knocked sharply on the door. We stepped forward as they glided open smoothly, and Erik led me forward, my gown trailing over the slick floor behind me.

The throne room was packed to the hilt with frost and fire giants alike. They stood at attention as we entered, dressed in the finest furs and silks, decked with silver and diamonds. They were all decorated for the occasion, dressed to the nines because of me. The gentle murmur of conversation swelled, growing louder as we entered. The jotun nudged one another and smiled at me, eyes shining. My entire body was vibrating with nerves. It felt like I might burst apart any moment. I tried to tell myself they were all here because of me. No one was going to judge or be nasty. A lot of these people were my friends.

I was surprised to see the huge shape of Fenrir sitting at the back, behind one of the banquet tables loaded with finger food and wine. The fire jotun blacksmith was with him. Jarll even had one muscular arm slung over the huge animal’s neck. Marian was leaning up against the wall next to him, looking radiant in a long silver gown. I gave them all a quick smile. The jotun waved, and Fenrir even gave me what looked like a toothy grin, though the expression actually made me put on a little speed down the aisle. I made a mental note to introduce synthetic fur as another new rule as soon as this was over.

Erik’s pacing was the only thing that kept me from booking it down the center of the room, I was so nervous. My breath was coming in shaky gasps and my knees felt like they had turned to water. What if I tripped on the dress and fell on my face? Erik glanced down at me and gave me a little smile, probably telling me to remember to smile and try not to look like I was being led to my death.

I tried to smile around at everyone, like I was really happy instead of shaking with nerves. I caught sight of Charlotte and Davin, and my smile grew more genuine. Charlotte looked amazing, she’d done her hair up in curls and she was wearing a sweeping, emerald green dress that made her bright hair stand out all the more. Davin looked handsome in a neat looking tux, and Charlotte kept glancing from me to him, her cheeks bright red, smiling from ear to ear. I gave them both another wide smile as Erik and I walked past. Then I spotted Margaret, Stacey and Becca in the crowd, since Stacey started waving at me enthusiastically until Margaret nudged her. They were all in floor length gowns, and they all looked marvelous. I gave them a big smile, and then we were past them, and I was staring straight up at the huge throne I was supposed to sit on.

“Now walk up the rest of the way and sit down,” Erik whispered.

By myself? I felt a little panicked. Now was the part where I fell on my face, right? I turned to give Erik a frantic look, but his arm had vanished, and when I looked back he was already melting into the crowd of onlookers. Gentle violin music started up from the corner where the musicians were playing. That was my cue to move towards the chair, they’d told me that. Okay, I can do this.

I took a huge breath and straightened my shoulders. Look like a Queen, I told myself, walk like one. Just pretend.

One foot in front of the other. Not too fast, not too slow. I’d been in a cousin's wedding before, I knew the slow, stately pace you were supposed to walk at. More violins joined the first one, and the high, clear notes of a flute. I matched the rhythm in my head with the words, left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot…

Finally I reached the throne and put a hand on the armrest to steady myself, carefully lowering myself into the seat. Okay, here goes.