A/N: First attempt at fan fiction inspired by others on FFN. Hope you like it.

"Elsa!"

"Anna, are you back from another trip into town? What treasures did you find this time?"

"Of Course I was in town. The crafts and foods down near the docks change all the time! I even found another chocolate shop!"

"Be careful near the docks. There are some areas you don't want to go into. Anyway, haven't you finished exploring yet? You've gone out daily since we opened the gates two months ago!"

"I wouldn't go out so often if I could pry my sister away from her work. You haven't taken a day off since you created the skating rink in the courtyard!"

"I take my Sunday evenings off to be with you and Kristoff of course! Where is he?"

"He's out on another ice run. I miss him when he has to go out. Couldn't you just, you know, fill his sled a couple times so he can get back sooner?"

"You know I can't. The other ice haulers are already incensed that I gave him the title of 'Ice Master and Deliverer'. He has to compete using the same methods as everybody else. I'm in enough trouble with the other ice haulers, especially since I contracted Kristoff specifically for the ice exports in several international trade agreements."

"You're going to burn out, Elsa. Take a day off!"

"I can't. If I can't increase our ice and mineral exports to buy food, we are going to have a famine. Between the people I hurt two months ago, and all the crops I killed, we are very short. Other countries know this and are trying to take advantage of it. Arendelle needs me. I might even have to re-open trade with the duke of Weselton, as much as it pains me. People won't trust me unless I fix this. Anna, I have to negotiate with the French ambassador. I'll see you after dinner tonight? It is Sunday."

"Absolutely. I'll have the chess board ready. You won't beat me like last week. Go to work so we can have an early dinner."

Elsa giggled as she walks away. "Invite Kristoff if he gets back in time. He's always welcome."

Unfortunately for Elsa, the meeting ran late but was very productive. After a late dinner, Elsa sits down wearily at the chess board to give Anna her chance at revenge. Shortly into the game, Kai (the head servant since Elsa was a little girl) knocks on the door and comes in. Upon seeing him and the look on his face, Elsa lets out a groan.

"Your Majesty? Sorry to intrude, but the guards are having trouble with the 'Brothers of Handellin' church. They are demanding an immediate audience with you."

"They have been informed that I am unavailable on some evenings, including tonight?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. They are refusing to leave and are quite vocal. They are implying you are unwilling to discuss their concerns, and are indicating the abuse of power will continue and spread if left unchecked."

Elsa's shoulders slumped as she let out another groan. "Wonderful. Very well. Show them in. How many are we looking at entertaining?"

"Seven, my lady."

"The study sounds about right then. Ensure enough seating is available. What is the history behind the sect? I'm not familiar with them."

"They are a fanatical purist group who have spoken out against you since your powers were revealed. It is a small but steadily growing group. I have not heard of any violent exchanges, as they tend to favor peaceful methods. They have always managed to get their way through speeches, and are very vocal about their beliefs."

"Very good, Kai. I wasn't expecting so much detail on this group. Two token guards inside the study, with the normal contingent in the halls. The guards inside are there on principle, more than anything else. I will meet them in fifteen minutes."

"Very well, ma'am," intones Kai before turning to leave.

Elsa speaks in a weary voice as she turns to Anna. "I'm sorry, we will have to finish our chess game later. It's too bad Kristoff wasn't here to take my place."

"That's OK. He doesn't really like chess anyway. Something about being beaten by a girl seems to bug him." With a sigh and a dramatic pose, Anna continues as she raises the back of one hand to her forehead and peers at the ceiling. "I'll just have to console myself with chocolate, since you feel you must abandon me to the fates! Whatever will I do?"

"Oh you! You are a goof! Tell you what, save me a couple pieces of chocolate, and I promise to return as quickly as I can."

"Deal! I'm going to hold you to that. Don't make me come looking for you!"

"I won't, trust me," says Elsa with a smile. "Thanks for understanding."

"I'll be waiting. If you take too long, I'm coming to find you."

Elsa chuckled as she left the room. After a short walk to her study, Elsa enters and walks around her desk to sit down. Seven men in long flowing robes and hoods rise to bow to the queen.

"Good evening gentlemen. In what capacity can I serve you?"

"Our reason for coming is simple, Queen Elsa. We have concerns over your continued leadership, and wish you to abdicate your right to the throne forever," responded a tall man with dark hair and a goatee. "We are concerned somebody else will be hurt by your powers."

"I don't understand. Has anybody been hurt by my powers since I thawed the unnatural winter I accidentally caused. Nobody has made me aware of any further issues. My powers have been under full control since the winter was dispersed."

"This is the crux of the issue. We are concerned about your continued ability to control your powers, and your inexperience as a queen. How long before you lose control again, and how many people will be killed? With the added stresses of running a kingdom, we firmly believe that it is only a matter of time."

"These are issues I have already weighed in the first week of my return. Abdicating the throne also removes my ability to help those whose livelihood or physical well-being I affected. Until that work is completed, abdicating is not a viable option at this time."

"This is something we seriously think you should reconsider. Think of your sister, as well as the people of Arendelle. You never know who might be next."

"I'll take your request under advisement. To give a less biased opinion than my own, I will bring this to my advisors to discuss independent of me. They are the same advisors that successfully worked with my parents, and have never failed the people of Arendelle. Once I have their publically released results, I will make a final determination. Was there any other concerns you would like me to address?"

"This is our sole concern, removing the pressures of leadership from your shoulders before it causes you to lose control again. I seriously do recommend reconsidering immediately."

"I'm sorry gentlemen. I will not resign without a compelling reason to do so, and a reasonable alternative to my leadership in place. At this time, neither of these conditions has been met."

"Then you leave us no choice, Your Majesty." As he speaks, a shorter disciple comes out from behind the speaker, pulling a loaded crossbow from under his robe. The guards race forward, but not before the man can raise the weapon and fire it. The bolt whistles through the air, striking the shocked queen in her left shoulder. Such is the power of the crossbow at such a short range, the bolt passes right through her shoulder, showering the wall behind the queen with blood and bits of material torn from her dress. The queen herself is driven back a few feet before falling to the ground.

In the pandemonium that follows, more guards race in to subdue the brotherhood. After firing the crossbow, the speaker and the smaller disciple just raise their hands. As the hands go up, the crossbow is allowed to drop to the ground. The remaining five priests look on, shock and fear showing on their faces. None of the seven visitors resist the guards and peacefully allow themselves to be taken to the dungeons. Only two of the seven appear pleased with the results.

Immediately after the guards remove the priests, Elsa is taken up one level to her chambers, physicians arrive shortly after. A semi-blank look settles on the queen's face as shock takes hold.

Others in the room are attempting to deal with blood loss from both the entry and exit wounds. Slowly, the queen turns her head to look at her shoulder. Absently raising her hand, she causes a layer of ice to form across both openings, stopping more loss of the vital fluid. She just stares at the ice for a few moments before her eyes roll back in her head and she collapses.

Hours later, a puffy-eyed Anna listens to the physician reporting on the queen's condition. "The queen stopped the bleeding with her ice before she passed out, which likely kept her from bleeding to death on the spot. We kept the wound tightly bandaged as the ice melted. Other than changing the bandages and cleaning out any infections that occur, there is little more we can do. It's all up to her now, if she still has the strength. Hopefully she will awaken before too long."

"Hopefully?"

"If it takes too long, we could be looking into YOUR coronation. The hope is that it won't be necessary."

Anna nods as she chokes back a sob. "Thank you." Walking to Elsa's bedside, Anna silently takes the queen's hand. Without a sound, Anna's tears repeatedly fall on the sheets as she stares at the queen's face.

After a couple minutes staring at her sister`s face, Anna hears somebody clear their throat. "Your Highness?"

Anna turns slowly to see the guard captain looking back at her. "Your Highness, we need to know what you want done with the prisoners. Considering how vocal this group has been lately, it would be best to not wait until the queen recovers."

"Yes, of course. Let me think for a moment." After a couple minutes consideration with brief glances to Elsa, Anna slowly replies to the captain. "While the crime warrants execution for all present during the attempt on the queen, it seems that only a couple were aware were aware of the possible attempt on her life. Based on what I've heard about their reactions, only the speaker and the shooter had any knowledge of the extent of the actions taken. Do you agree?"

"That appears to be correct. Even after being placed in the dungeon, the remaining five have shunned the shooter and the speaker. While nobody has admitted or denied anything, we seem to have a 'division in the ranks', so to speak."

"My first thought is to hunt down and exterminate the whole damned cult, regardless of presence or knowledge of the actions taken." With this, Anna turns to Elsa. "However, my sister would not easily forgive me for that." Anna takes a deep breath before continuing again. "The speaker and the shooter are to be held on charges of treason and are to be publically executed for their crimes. While Elsa may consider this extreme, this type of actions must be discouraged and I believe it will be necessary to make an example. I may regret it later, but that's a chance I'm willing to accept right now. The remainder of the priests present will be exiled for their part in this. If they should be found inside Arendelle's borders after one week from today, they are to be tried for treason as well. For their sakes, I hope Elsa will be around to pass judgment if they are caught. She will likely be more lenient than I would."

"As for the status of the church sect in Arendelle, they will no longer be recognized as more than a cult by the crown and will lose any religious protections from further actions against the crown. Due to the severity of the crime, the cult will not be allowed to convene within our borders for at least five years. After this period, they may reapply for church status in Arendelle. Until then, they can freely practice their religion OUTSIDE Arendelle's borders. This time will be dependent on future actions of the cult, and the decision of the queen or… or by myself should the queen f-fail to survive."

Just the thought of Elsa dying brought on another round of tears, preventing the young lady from answering the captain further. The breakdown prevents the princess from hearing the captain's reply, "At once, Your Highness." He opens mouth as if to say more, but just closes it again after a moment. After a brief nod to those still in the room, he quietly leaves.

Anna continues sobbing into the queen's good shoulder for several minutes before she is able to speak again. Servants stand by in case she should need anything, standing awkwardly by the walls. When she does speak again, it comes out as a sobbing whisper. "I'm sorry Elsa, but I can't forgive them this time. I waited years for you to let me in, and they try to take you away again within months. I hope I did close enough to what you would want. I-I am so s-sorry."

Tears fill the redhead's eyes as she stops talking. Slowly, her head drops to the queen's shoulder again. The remaining staff, except for the physician, quietly leaves as Anna begins to sob uncontrollably again.