A/N: So, uh, hello everyone, it's an honor to meet you all, haha. So, uh, welcome to my fanfiction: The Dawning. There really isn't much for me to say, only that I hope you enjoy my story, and please don't hesitate to leave me a review if you so desire. :D Also, this will be set primarily in historical periods, so there will be many references to nineteenth century people and countries, set around the time period. And, yes, I will be using words such as "Mohammedan" for the Islamic nations during the time period, simply due to the fact that is what most, if not all, European nations referred to Muslim and Islamic nations as during the nineteenth century. As a Muslim myself, I find it to be a tad bit curd, but I will simply be using it for the time being, since I have plans for it. ;) Also, I don't think Elsa knows any better when she calls the Ottomans: the Mohammedan empire. That is simply what she was most likely taught before she was locked up, so I doubt she would call the Ottomans, or anyone in the Middle East, that in our day. :D

1

The Dawning

1839 AC

1255 AH

Elsa tapped the armrest of her chair with the tip of her fingers. Anna was tapping her foot. "My lord…"

"We don't want him," said Anna, a growl forming behind her throat. Elsa cleared her own and sent her a sharp look.

"What my sister meant, my lord," Elsa said, placing her gloved hands upon her lap, "is that we had returned Hans back to the Southern Isles so that he may face his brothers' judgement, not ours."

Lord Aran was a slight man with lush golden hair cut short and green eyes shone emerald. He had been the Southern Isles' diplomat to Arendelle since the Great Thaw. That had been nearly four months ago, and since then, Arendelle had returned to its established peace, and repercussions for the different countries that had been demanded was given, in expense to the dwindling of the Royal Treasury. We had little already, she thought. The repercussions had strained the economy, and Elsa had been forced to shrink the navy and many of his father's future plans. One had been the establishment of a city near the Arnork river. Another was establishment of trade deals between the British Isles, France, Norway, and Sweden. That had been thrown away from the other nations embargo that had been place since the Thaw, and were only lifted after the repercussions had been paid in full. Lord Aran, his green eyes flashing, said, "His Majesty had thought this would have pleased you, Your Majesty. The Southern Isles wish to mend all hostiles and ill will toward our two nations."

Elsa graced him with a smile, and wished for this meeting to be over already. She had been sitting on the throne for nearly four hours, listening to Lord Aran draw on and on about the Southern Isles' greatest and sincerest apologies, their lack of involvement or knowledge of their youngest son's actions and plans, and their prayers of the kingdom's stability and the throne's good health. "I pray that we can come to an agreement, my lord. Please." She waved her hand, ushering for her guards and servants. Kai was next to her, as was Gerda. Their presence, along with Anna's calmed her. "You must be tired and hungry from your long journey. Please, eat and rest before we began negotiations. I will send for you when it is time for dinner. Helda, please take his lordship to his chambers."

Lord Aran thanked her for her hospitality and bid Anna and Elsa a good evening, following Helda, a small, comely girl with long brown braids and large hazel eyes out of the throne room. The door slammed with a loud thudded, echoing in waves across the spacious room. Elsa leaned back against her throne and sighed. "You did well, Your Majesty," Kai said with approval and gentle tenderness.

"Well enough that he'll leave early," Anna snipped, leaning an arm over the throne and staring down at Elsa. Her sister's eyes were colder and less lively since the arrival of Lord Aran, and Elsa could not blame her. Hans had little reason to be sent back to Arendelle, and Elsa had a more of an inkling to write back to his mother and father, and request that they take him back. They had already punished him, she reminded herself, frowning as she stared down at the place Lord Aran once stood. We don't need him.

"I doubt it, Your Highness," Gerda replied to Anna not unkindly. A fond smile blossomed on the older woman's face, motherly under the candle light. Like Mother's. "The Southern Isles had sent him to do more than simply return...the boy to us." Elsa shuddered at Gerda's voice, far colder and icier than Elsa was used to from the woman. Gerda had taken up to only refer to Hans as "the boy", and nothing more. Her mother, Queen Induna was a kind woman, well loved by Arendelle, but Gerda had been like a second mother to Elsa, a constant source of ready guidance that Elsa had long lost.

"The Southern Isles want negotiations," Kai reminded Anna in a gentle tone.

Anna frowned and tugged at her bottom lip. "Negotiations, huh? I'll show those Southerners negotiations all right. A nice sharp one."

Elsa sent her a look. "Anna."

Anna blinked down at her, all innocent and the vision of a maiden from one of those stories that Elsa had enjoyed as a child. A sly smile formed on Anna's lips, and her eyes shimmered with unspoken promises of pain, if Elsa was any judge. "What?" asked Anna, tilting her head to the side. Anna had taken herself to wear a fine dress of green and black satin and embroidered with patterns of flowers that twisted up her corset, dotted with splashes of purple petals, not to far different than the one she had wore during her coronation. That had seemed to have been ages ago, yet it had only been at least four months. Mountains of work had piled upon her desk, and perhaps that was what had taken those many days and merged them together in a hazy memory. Elsa recalled the different diplomats she had met, and the many letters from angry and alarmed monarchs across the European stage, and her answers to them. She had not received one from the Muhammadan nation stationed in the Balkans and the Levant: the Ottomans, as the British had called them. They had been particularly absent in both correspondence and at her coronation, but they matter little to Elsa. What mattered was the Southern Isles, and the other European powers stationed near her; Norway and Sweden to the North, Prussia and Weaselton to the south, along with Denmark and the Dutch and the Southern Isles, and the British and the French in the southwest. Arendelle had little protection save for its natural defenses. They had always been small, relatively unimportant kingdom. Not even Napoleon had seen them as a threat, for the British never sought to retrieve an alliance with them, and the French Emperor never sought to conqueror them. She wondered if her grandfather, Agnarr III had been offended by the notion—her father often joked that he was a prickly old man at the time of his death— yet she had no idea, and a part of her did not truly desire to know.

Elsa sighed. "Nothing." She waved her hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips, despite her best to keep her resolve. Anna always had a way to make her smile, even among the darkest of nights. She turned to Kai, seeing the tiredness in her old steward and herald's eyes. He had not gotten enough sleep; none of them had. The many long weeks had been filled with the brim with work and reconstruction, so much so that she had even lost track about who she was planning to met. She had to delegate some responsibility to Anna, though they always never were with the diplomats. That would have been terrifying enough. "Anything else, Kai?" she asked the older man whom she considered all but like a father.

Kai ruffled through his pockets from the parchment that laid out the rest of her duties. "A few letters had arrived this morning, Your Majesty; mostly from the King of the French."

"Louis can wait," Elsa reassured. "Anything from the British Isles and the rest of Scandinavia?"

Kai's eyes fluttered along the long parchment, it nearly fell to his stomach in length, and finally said, after a few moments, "Ah, yes. A letter from Her Majesty, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland." His eyes followed the words again, and Elsa sat patient. Kai had always been a loyal and zeal servant, and a good man. Elsa had the time to wait for him. It was the very least thing she could do. "And, and dear me, this is a surprise. One from the Muhammadan empire: the Ottoman Sultan, Abdulmejid."

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "The Sultan? What do they want?" She had no qualm with the Islamic nations that resided in the east, they were too far away for her to truly care for, but they had not sent an ambassador or a diplomat, not even one to her coronation. She had assumed that the Ottoman Sultan carried little for Arendelle. What could he possibly want?

Kai shrugged, a small frown plastered his lips. "I do not know, Your Majesty."

Elsa sighed and waved her hand. "Never mind that, continue."

And so he did. Kai drown on with so many names that Anna excused herself by the tenth one since the Ottomans, and Gerda had left at the nineteenth. Elsa's eyes felt heavy by the thirteenth, and she called off the names, requesting that Kai place the letters and list on her desk in her study, and that she would get to them later than evening. Kai excused himself, leaving in a swift rush. Off to do more work, most like, Elsa thought with a smile and a shake of her head. That man worked to hard and gave himself too little credit. Perhaps that is what endeared him to her and her subjects. Many spoke of the prim and proper herald with a reverence and adoration, and Anna once joked that Kai had been more famous than Elsa. That had brought a soft smile and blush to his cheeks.

The hall outside the throne room was lit with candles, flickering lurid orange fingers in the open air with soft pouring black smoke that dissolved soon after reaching a certain height. Beneath her high collar dress, a deep green and black one with golden trimming lining and crawling up her arms like golden vines, Elsa felt little of the warmth. Her magic was strange. It forbade her to feel the effects of the cold upon her skin, and yet she could barely register the warmth of the candles. It was only during the night, when she could cuddle near the fireplace in the library was she able to feel anything remotely warm. She had learned to control her magic, yet there was so much she did not yet know, and a small whisper of her mind and heart despised that. The magic had been a blessing at one point, another a curse, and now a blessing once more, but she had nightmares, cold and dark and twisted, where she had lost control once more; all sense of love and affection and familiarity had been stripped of it. She had burned, but it was cold and frosty and she had choked in that dream until she had woken up, shouting, trembling. Those were often her dreams, and Elsa had gain little sleep because of it.

The hall was silent, with the occasional flicker of sound that came from the dancing flames. It was late, she realized, as she peered through a window, staring out to the vast open sea, cradled with gray mountain and green grass that crawled up its sides. Trees dotted the land, and she could see the walls of the port shining a dim gray under the crescent moon with the occasional glow of a city's guardsmen patrolling the ramparts. Elsa pushed the curtain back into place, it was heavy in her hands, and the softness of the gloves prob at her pale skin beneath. A smile formed on her lips. It was good to see her kingdom return to a sense of sanity. Her people had pervailed, and she was proud of it, proud of them. They had accepted her more than just their queen, but as her true self. She could never thank them enough for their loyalty. She did not see herself worthy of it. How could I? She thought. I was not the only one who was suffering from the Great Thaw. Some of her subjects had died during the Great Winter, and she could never forgive herself for that. A sick, little girl name Arne and a old man name Agnarr, like father.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She took a breath and leaned away from the curtain, her fingertips grazing over it as she slid away. The trek to her study was long. She had to pass her bedchambers, resist the urge to curl up in her bed and rest, and walk down the hall, turn left and then right and there she would be, her royal study. It was well past six, she assumed, for none of the servants had rang her down for dinner, and she had not heard a complaint from Lord Aran, as of yet.

The hours merged as she wrote and read letters from the different rulers of Europe and abroad. She left the Ottoman letter last, intrigued, but not intrigued enough to ruin the set routine she had in place. The normal letters would be finish first, the new laws that she crafted would be sign second, and any new messages from her ambassadors or other foreign leaders would came third, and the process would continue again the next night and morning. She heard a knock at the door, and commended them to enter, gently. She was tired, Elsa could feel it in her bones. She blinked it away and starred up to see one of her royal guards, dressed in the formal green with the emblem of the Royal House of Arendelle upon his breast. "Queen Elsa, it is time for dinner."

Elsa nodded and rose from her chair. She find it amusing, seeing her guards, so serious and statuesque, retrieve her for dinner. Than again, she had started to give most of the castle's servants the nights off when it was near time for sleep, and that left most of the guards and garrison and some of the cooks and Kai and Gerda left for Anna and Elsa to speak too, if they want. "Thank you," Elsa replied. The boy, who looked no older than eighteen, if Elsa would have to place an age, flushed. Freckles lightly dotted his cheeks and over his nose, and shaggy bangs of brown locks fluttered passed his eyes. It was not entirely handsome, more boyish than anything, but he was not ugly either. Comely, would have been a better word for Elsa to describe him. She was not surprised by his shyness and enamored gaze. Half of her garrison was seemingly half in love with her. They are equally in awe and in love with me, she thought, sadly.

Lord Aran was sitting at the sit nearest to the door when Elsa walked in, and Anna was sitting at the right side of Elsa's sit, half-glaring and half-stuffing her face with her salad. Elsa resisted the urge to sigh, and coughed back a laugh softly. Elsa bid Lord Aran a good evening as she walked to her seat. A guard, a man name Ermik, pushed out her seat for her, and Elsa thanked him gently. Lord Aran taken to dress himself in crimson sat lined with golden trimming with his golden hair pulled back. He smiled as he sipped his wine with an elegance that only a noble could wield. "Good evening, Your Majesty," Lord Aran greeted as he sat his goblet down on his napkin. "The Princess and I have been getting well suited together, haven't we, Your Highness?" He sent Anna a charming smile that revealed white teeth and made his emerald green eyes flash like a cat's.

"Yeah, yeah. Wonderfully suited," replied Anna, stuffing her face and munching rather loudly. Elsa flinched as she clasped her hands on top of her skirt, and gave the dignitary a smile.

"I hope the servants has been treating you well, my lord," said Elsa, sending a smoldering look to Anna. She really did not need this; Anna's munching and annoyance with the Southern Isles' diplomat, of Lord Aran's sly smiles and flashing eyes that oozed with treachery and gleamed far too closely like Hans.

"Wonderfully," Lord Aran replied chirpy. "Arendelle is a wonderful kingdom, and her people are gracious, and she holds many wonders." He raised his cup to his lips, his eyes flickering behind the rim like two green fires. "Like her beloved queen."

Elsa's jaw clenched but she smiled and bowed her head in thanks. She was accustomed to this; princes and nobles, fighting and trying to outdo one another in hopes of wooing her. Most she had politely refused, but others had been more persistent, demanding even. They had been troublesome and an annoyance. An inkling formed at the back of her head, and she believed that Lord Aran was the latter. "You have our thanks, my lord." Elsa thanked the servant who placed her plate upon the table: a plate that was filled with roasted mutton with a basket of harden bread beside it. A bowl of red tomato soup was placed beside it, to soften the bread if Elsa so desired. She did.

Elsa tore a piece of the hard bread, dipped it into her soup and flicked the bread gently into her mouth, savoring the delectable taste upon her taste. The same was served for Lord Aran, and the three of them sat in silence for a little while. Lord Aran sipped his wine and smiled at Elsa. "A delicious meal, Your Majesty."

Elsa forced a tight smile. "I shall inform my cooks in their success, my lord," she replied curtly. The fireplace was lit behind her, softly flickering and chirping. The heat rolled over Elsa, soft and gentle, and she desired her bed more than ever. Anna snorted beside her, and from the corner of her vision, Elsa noticed the non-subtle roll of her sister's eyes. Elsa fought back a smile.

"Yeah," Anna murmured, stabbing her salad with her fork viciously, and Elsa had resist the urge to give her sister a look, and to laugh, but mainly the look. "Thanks for the compliment."

Lord Aran's smile flashed. "It is my greatest honor to eat with the lovely ladies of Arendelle's crown. House Westergaard only seeks to rekindle the great friendship that once prospered during peacetime. Prince Hans' actions have been permitted outside of the Crown's knowledge." His smile grew. "I hope Her Majesty will understand His Grace's worry over such manners."

"His Majesty does not need to worry," responded Elsa. "Arendelle understands that Prince Hans actions does not reflect those of the Southern Isles."

"Oh, how wonderful! His Majesty will be ecstatic once he hears that Her Majesty bears him no ill-will."

Elsa sipped her red wine before placing it back on the table. "However," she said. "All will truly forgiven once Prince Hans returns back to the Southern Isles. What the Southern Isles and Their Majesties do with him, we do not care. As long as he will be punished justly. We do not desire the man, not here, not so soon, after all."

Lord Aran's eyes were widen, like the eyes of a emerald-eyed owl. "Return...Prince Hans...back to the Southern Isles?" asked Lord Aran slowly, seemingly confused by Elsa's demand. "Your Majesty, I-I am confused, truth be told, His Majesty assu-"

"His Majesty assumed, and I gave my answer, my lord," Elsa replied as politely and courtly as she possibly mustered. "Hans will not return back to Arendelle, under any circumstances. In return, the Crown will forgive many debts that House Westergaard personally believed that they owe to us. Perhaps only a few hundred thousand will do, compared to the five hundred thousand that was originally offered."

Lord Aran's mouth laid open, gaping like some fish out of the water. "Y-Your Majesty…" All bravado seemingly left the man, Elsa noted, and she had to fight back the urge to smile. She would have to send Kai her gratitude, again. He had been the one teach Elsa how to reign in authority and others during dinner conversations.

She could taste Anna's amusement, radiating off her like a wave. "My lord," Elsa said. "You don't need to say anything. Please, enjoy the rest of your meal." Elsa ate another piece of tomato-dipped bread and held back a smile that was verging on her lips. "I'm afraid I have other business to attend to. Please excuse me"

Anna decided to jump in. "Uh, so do I!" Elsa swore she could hear the laughter threatening to bubble out of her sister's throat. She jumped out of her chair, dusted off the fake dust that Elsa knew was not there, and smiled. "Good evening, Lord Aren." Anna's arm wrapped around Elsa's, and the queen was practically dragged out of the dining room by her sister. Lord Aren sat there, gaping and blinking absentmindedly.

Anna was a giddy mess when they exited the dining room, giggling madly to herself. "Elsa—wow. I mean. You were you, but you weren't you. You were like a whole different person, but also the same!"

Elsa smiled, and her shoulders began to slug. "Practice with Kai." She felt the tiredness eat and nipped at her bones, dragging her down. "He's been training me in the political sphere of Europe. You get used to wearing a mask, after a while." It was still daunting and terrifying for her, however. To slip out of a mask, to go from smiling to betraying. It had made her sick the first few weeks, but Kai had been supported and understanding. Even her father had to wear a mask, he had told her. He did not like it, but it was his duty to survive. Elsa wondered if her mother had to wear a mask among her friends, and her aunt, and all of forebears as well. Theses masks were heavy, stiff, and everything that was not Elsa. She had grown up with a mask, during her coronation, but nothing like what Kai had taught her. Her's was pleasant. She was relatively safe in Arendelle, her people's loyalty seemed to have no bound. Arendelle was her realm, her checkerboard, but sooner or later, she would have to leave for a different nation, and those were their spheres, their checkerboard. Their rules. A shiver shot up her spine, and she gave another soft smile to Anna. "I'm sorry, Anna. I'm tired, and I still have work to do."

Anna's eyes widened and a determined look flashed in her eyes, for what, Elsa did not know. "Right, sorry. Didn't mean to keep you from your royal duties." She giggled, and Elsa smiled softly at that. She cleared her throat, her cyan-blue eyes shining under the torchlight, like a thousand open doors that Elsa worried for.

Elsa blinked, the tiredness crawled all around her. She pushed back a yawn. "Can you check on Olaf for me, by the way? I haven't seen him all day. Lord knows what he's been doing in the meantime."

Anna grinned, her arm shot up in a salute, and she winked at Elsa. "Aye, aye, Ma'am!." And with that, Anna was gone, her skirts up her legs as she rushed the opposite direction to God knows where. Soon, however, she heard a crash and a "sorry" echo across the hall. Elsa chuckled. Anna is certainly something else, she thought with a soft smile.

She found her way back in her chambers. Her fireplace had dwindled down, flickering orange and weakly with its last embers. Elsa grabbed some fresh logs and threw it and waved it back to life, though it had taken her a few tries. Elsa turned to her desk, riddled with the many letters of the monarchies across the world that begged for her attention. She sighed, pushed out her chair, and nestled back into it, throwing her braid over her shoulder as she grabbed her pen and dipped it into ink.

This is going to be a long night.