Chapter 2
Anna looked at her sister, who lied on the operating table. Elsa's eyes were closed and when Anna touched her hand, it was cold as ice. Of course, Elsa's hands were always cold because of her powers.
Anna did not look at the bullet wound as it was covered with gauze and a white sheet had been pulled up to Elsa's chest.
"Elsa, you didn't deserve to die, but I swear I will avenge you. I'm going to make that man pay," Anna said to her sister's corpse.
A guard came into the room, "Your Highness, the Minister of Royal Affairs is here," he said.
"Bring him in," Anna replied.
The minister came in, followed by the bishop who crowned Elsa at her coronation two years ago.
They went down on one knee and the minister says to Anna, "My dear princess, as of now, you are queen of Arendelle. And your husband, Kristoff is now prince of Arendelle."
"Minister, I wish for all of Arendelle to mourn the loss of Queen Elsa in peace," Anna said and continues, "My sister's funeral will be held in three days and I want her to be buried beside our parents. As for me and my husband, I wish to wait for the coronation."
"Of course, I understand," the minister said.
Anna called for the royal morticians and they took the queen's body in a carriage and they headed back to the palace. Elsa's body was dressed in her best gown, cape, and crown and she was placed on a stone table on a bed of crocuses.
Elsa's coronation portrait was draped over in black and the royal staff dressed themselves in black. Outside in the square, the people held a candlelight vigil and those who wished to see their late queen were allowed to see her and they placed bouquets of flowers on the floor, surrounding the table.
Anna went down to the dungeon to meet her sister's assassin. She wanted him tortured, but she needed to know why he killed Elsa.
"Has he spoken a word?" Anna asked the guard outside the cell.
"No Your Majesty," the guard answered, "We recovered his personal effects. There was a bottle of poison in one of the coat pockets. We suspect he planned to commit suicide after murdering the queen."
"I want to see him," Anna said and the guard unlocked the cell door.
The nameless assassin was chained to the wall and he wore plain cotton prison garments.
He looked at Anna, his eyes were black, and they were empty of emotion. He had black hair and beard, but it was now a mess due to the scuffle he had earlier with the royal guards.
"Tell me, why did you do it? Why did you kill my sister?" Anna demanded.
The man did not answer, instead he turned his face away from Anna. "Tell me!" she shouted in a loud voice, but he did not flinch.
Anna decided that the best thing to do to make him talk was to threaten him. "If you don't tell me now, I will have you executed tomorrow morning. No trial," Anna said.
The man looked at the new queen, "Try as you might, but I will not speak of my motives," he replied.
Anna was angry, so angry that she slapped him. It left a red mark on the man's cheek. Anna got up to leave and headed to the door.
"If you want to know my name, I am Bernard Simonsen," the man said and Anna looks at him.
She left the cell and speaks to one guard, "Go to the records office and tell the record keeper to find any information on Bernard Simonsen."
The guard bowed his head and went on his way. Anna turned to another guard and says, "Keep an eye on him, make sure he does not do anything stupid."
Anna went to her room to dress herself in black and she went to the balcony that overlooked the square. Kristoff and Olaf were waiting for her, Kristoff also wore black.
They held lighted candles and the bishop spoke to the crowd about their late queen. Tears were shed, heads were held low, and a bell rang a mournful tune.