Treason
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
The pendulum swung steadily, marking time. Such is the task of a clock, to measure time. To determine if one is early or late, to make demands on when a person should be here or there. Clocks hold great power, in that sense, and bend people the world over to stringent demands.
But in truth, it has always been time itself that holds power over the rest. The clock, like so many other things, is only a tool. Time is the true master. Working for a man one day and against him the next. Time is consistently inconsistent in its benevolence, something the Queen of Arendelle knew well. All the time in the world could not make up for the thirteen years she'd lost with her sister.
Tick. Tock.
Queen Elsa stood behind her desk, peering out of her window. The last of the ships was slowly but surely disappearing on the horizon. No more guests in Arendelle. The coronation was long since over, and her lords had sworn fealty as they gazed at her with awe-struck eyes. It was all over.
Except it wasn't.
Her heart was heavy with what she knew was going to happen over the next few days. What had to happen. Time was her enemy here, drawing out the inevitable. She might be a queen, but her hands were tied. As the sovereign queen, it was her duty to uphold the law, even if it meant outing herself as a victim. She prayed for strength. She prayed for courage. She needed both, desperately.
Tick. Tock.
A sharp knock. "Enter," she called, not moving. She heard a shuffle behind her, a slight limp. Her spymaster, Leif. He was a good man, having served her grandfather for a few short years before her father, and serving her now. "Report."
"I've looked into the matters you requested, Your Majesty. I've the list of guards that accompanied Prince Hans when he went to capture you, as well as those who served him when you were imprisoned."
Tick. "How many?"
"A baker's dozen in all," he replied. "Six that helped him retrieve you, and them plus an additional seven that kept you locked up. Thirteen more than I should like, but better than expected. From what I was able to gather, most outright refused, some even resigned their posts rather than turn on you. After your return, they reapplied for their positions. The Captain turned them down."
Tock. "Why?"
"Likely because he was one that went with Prince Hans, one who kept watch over you in the cell. From what I have gathered, he even told the prince about the cell to begin with."
The cell, the one her father designed, with the manacles that covered her hands like the gloves she'd worn through her adolescence and into adulthood. Not that it mattered in the end. The gloves had not stopped her magic, she'd only thought they had, and subconsciously controlled her magic. What a foolish little girl, to think mere gloves could contain the storm inside.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
"So he is attempting to make himself look innocent by surrounding himself with the guilty," Elsa murmured. "Find the men he turned away. Rehire them. I will give them a reward in a private ceremony. Something personal. Learn what you can about these men, about what they value so I can give them an appropriate gift. I want full reports on each of them. Who else joined the errant Captain?"
"None of the Old Guard. Mostly young bucks out to make a name for themselves. One was the Captain's son. From what I've heard, he didn't like it, but felt he could not disobey his father. Blood and water, and all that. I am not sure. He seems too jumpy for that. He is hiding something. He's got a weasel's eyes, too, and the stink of the guilty. He did something, something I don't know about just yet. You've my word that I will find out what happened."
"Ah."
Silence. Tick. Tock.
Elsa drew in a slow, deep breath. "Imprison all thirteen men, in separate cells and spread throughout the dungeon and castle. I don't want them to be able to communicate. They shall be interviewed by clerics and by yourself, again separately. I want to see if they change their stories. From there, trials will be held. Of the men who resigned, you will need to consider each of them and select the man you feel most appropriate to be promoted to Captain, effective immediately. He will assign further promotions as he sees fit."
"Very good, Your Majesty. I will see to it." He bowed. "Do you require anything else?"
Elsa hesitated, closing her eyes against the sunlight. Tick. Tock. "Do you know how long I was in the cell?"
"Altogether? Thirteen hours. You were awake for about two."
Tick. "And do you know if anyone entered my cell when I was unconscious?"
Tock. A heavy silence. "Your Majesty?" There was a plea in his voice.
Elsa turned to look at the grizzled man. His hair was whiter than hers now, his fingers gnarled with hard work and age. He walked with a limp, but refused a cane. His boots were plain but good quality, just as the rest of his clothing. He wore simple brown traveler's gear, which was less notable than the green of those in Arendelle's service.
She'd known Leif her whole life. He was one of exactly five adults who'd known about her powers after Anna's memories were taken away, the other four being her parents, Kai and Gerda. After her father's passing, he would come to her room and give her reports on how her kingdom faired, and warned her about different people she should be wary of, including the princes of the Southern Isles. Elsa wished he'd also shared those reports with Anna, but that was of no consequence, not any more. The past was in the past, after all. It was also a shame that he'd been away during her coronation. She doubted Prince Hans would have succeeded in any fashion if Leif had been present.
Tick. Tock.
She looked away. "After gaining control over my powers, I elected to take a long, hot bath." Her face flushed, and she looked at the North Mountain, longing for the peace and quiet, for the safety and solitude of her ice castle. "I discovered dried blood." She didn't say where. She didn't need to.
He sucked in a deep breath. "My sister was a midwife," he said. "She stopped seeing patients long ago, because of her hands, what with being older even than me, but she can hold her tongue. She certainly taught me to hold mine. Shall I fetch her?"
Tick. Tock.
Elsa considered this. "I think that would be the best course of action at this point," she replied. "And Leif? My sister is not to know. I will tell her if something comes of the situation. If not, then she need not bear a burden that is not hers. Should my sister learn from you, it will be considered an act of treason—and I have dealt with enough betrayal these last few days."
Tick.
Leif bowed. "As you command, Majesty. I will collect the clerics and question the guards. I will also determine if anyone visited your cell when you were unconscious. For the sake of discretion, my sister will not be here until the evening, unless Your Majesty requires her presence sooner?"
Tock.
"Nothing will change within the next few hours, Leif," Elsa replied softly. "Well, with the possible exception of my paperwork. Hopefully, I will have less of it upon her arrival." She gave him a thin smile. It was cold, unfeeling, false. "Dismissed."
Spymaster Leif bowed deeply, then backed out of the room. Elsa took her seat at her desk and picked up her quill. Gently brushing the feather against her cheek, she picked up a piece of parchment and began to read.
After all, she was a queen, and there was much work to be done. Paperwork to finish, cases to hear, treaties to sign. She'd abandoned her people before on a selfish whim, she could not do it again. Her people deserved better, and she would give them what they deserved, regardless of the cost to herself.
Tick.
Her hand went to her stomach.
Tock.
She clutched at the fabric of her gown.
Tick.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Tock.
A sob escaped.
Tick.
A mournful whimper.
Tock.
A gasp.
Tick.
Sniffles.
Tock.
Silence.
Tick.
A calming deep breath.
Tock.
The steady scratch of a quill on parchment.
Tick.
-Fin-
A/N: So I thinking about how much I am dreading Frozen 2 and how an excellent movie is very likely going to be destroyed because of the sequel, and this happened. Not a prediction, per se, but this is something I can see happening if this was not Disney. Plus I was a little miffed that Arendelle Guards basically committed treason against their new monarch.
I have no intentions of continuing this story at this time, but if anyone find inspiration to this story and wants to continue it, go for it.