Chapter Two: The Illness
They told Olaf at dinner that night. The snowman was ecstatic and hugged all three of them before doing a happy dance around the dining chamber and whirling one of the maids off her feet. Anna blushed. Olaf was a bit of a chatterbox, and she knew the story of her incipient marriage would be all over Ariendelle by morning. Then Kristoff took her hand, and she saw him blushing too. That made her feel better.
The next few days were a whirlwind. Anna was so happy she felt she could float, and Kristoff admitted that he felt so overjoyed that he felt he could have cleared the ice fields alone. He didn't even put up a token protest about sending the message to his family, though he did insist on telling them that he intended to have a traditional human wedding, not a troll wedding.
The guest list included most of Ariendelle, plus rulers of neighboring countries (minus Weaseltown). Kristoff invited the trolls, whom Elsa was only too happy to welcome, and the ice haulers he worked with, most of whom were thrilled to be invited to the palace.
The servants fairly bustled with excitement. The cook popped in every other day to discuss more of the menu. Maids spruced rooms while the steward considered room and seating placements. Anna and Kristoff spent an entire afternoon considering cake decorations, before Elsa offered to do something for them in ice sculptures. Olaf bustled around, chattering happily and trying to help everyone with everything.
Anna felt lost, trying to handle all the details. It took most of a day for her to even figure out what style dress she wanted, and what colors, as well as doing the fitting. Elsa helped where she could, but she had as little experience as Anna did with planning a formal event, and she was frequently busy with the day-to-day work of running Ariendelle. Kristoff, having been raised by trolls with only a reindeer as a close friend, was even more clueless than both of them put together.
By the end of the second week, a rough outline of ideas had been put into place. Colors and guest list had been decided. So had decorations. Anna had chosen a dress, and Kristoff a wedding suit, and a general idea of a menu for the formal dinner and reception had been suggested and approved. Anna dropped into her bed that night with a sigh of relief.
The following morning, she woke early and joined Elsa for breakfast. Elsa had always been a sparing eater, but Anna had no problem helping herself to eggs and bacon and hash-browns and a steaming cup of hot chocolate before addressing her sister. "So...what's on the schedule for today?"
Elsa smiled. "There aren't any more wedding plans for the moment. This morning I'm scheduled to have an open audience session in court." She paused. "You should attend."
Anna blinked. "I...why? I mean, not that I'm not honored, it's just...you usually handle the kingdom business. And you're really good at it."
"I was trained for it, as the heir to the throne. But that's my point, Anna. Until I marry and have a child, you're the heir to the throne of Ariendelle. And with you getting married, that makes you the Crown Princess, and Kristoff your Consort. And any children you have will inherit after you." Elsa set her tea down. "Besides, the people of Ariendelle like you a great deal. I think a lot of them would be pleased to see you taking a more active role in the governing of the kingdom."
Anna blushed. "I...well, thank you. But you know, I'm not really one for all the meetings and the paperwork and all that. I like being more...unstructured with my time." She twisted a napkin around her finger.
Elsa smiled, and a small laugh escaped her. "I know. But the open audience only lasts for two hours. And it's very informal. I promise. All I'm going to do is sit in the throne room and make myself available to anyone who wants to see me and make a petition. And that's all you have to do too."
"Just sit there? Do I get to make suggestions or anything like that?" That did sound interesting. She'd learned, over the last two years, that a great deal of Elsa's time after their parents deaths had been taken up with governing, with listening to and giving advice in council, but she'd never really seen her sister in action, or had much chance to contribute her own ideas.
"Of course you do. That's part of what learning to rule is all about."
Anna grinned. "Okay then. I am totally there."
Elsa smiled and rose from her seat at the table, setting her plate and napkin to one side. "All right. Meet me in the main reception hall at nine o'clock." She turned away and left through the dining room door that led to the private apartments.
Anna glanced at the clock. It was just chiming eight, which meant she had just enough time to eat and change into a slightly more formal dress before joining Elsa. She dug in with a will, determined to make a good showing.
She made it to the reception hall with two minutes to spare. Elsa was already seated on her throne. Servants had set up a smaller chair on Elsa's right for her. Anna took her seat and smoothed her skirt. Now that she was thinking about it, she was a little nervous. She shot Elsa a half-hearted smile. "So...what happens now?"
"We wait." Elsa smiled reassuringly. "I think I saw a merchant from the flower sellers and a few other townspeople. It's important, but I haven't received for any ambassadors, so it should be fairly simple." She might have said more, but the herald opened the door to announce the first supplicant, and Elsa's attention was instantly on the man striding up the carpet.
The first few applicants were easy. A flower seller wanted permission to import roses. A baker had a new type of bread he wanted to sell. Elsa and Anna both tried the samples he brought, and pronounced it delicious. An artisan in worked glass was presenting his wares, seeking royal patronage. It was all easy, and interesting. Anna had been down to the shops before with Kristoff, but she'd never thought about the day-to-day lives of the shop-keepers.
There were forty-five minutes left when a woman came racing into the hall. Anna sat up straight, the boredom that had begun to plague her vanishing. Unlike the previous claimants, this woman wasn't dressed in anything that could possibly be termed her best clothing. Nor did she stride calmly up the carpet to kneel in front of Elsa. Instead she all but ran up the wide aisle, to collapse at Elsa's feet. "Your Majesty...please..."
Elsa came out of her seat immediately. Anna joined her as she moved to crouch beside the woman. Elsa waved a servant over. "Get this woman some water." The servant bowed and left. Elsa turned her attention to the woman. "What is it you need?"
The woman bowed, then looked into Elsa's face with anguished eyes. "My husband...Majesty...my husband..."
"Slow down, and tell us what is wrong." The servant returned with the water.
The woman took the glass, and took a few sips. The water seemed to calm her. "It's my husband, Your Majesty. He works on a trade ship that came in last week. One of the other sailors came down sick, but we didn't think of it. It's not uncommon for sailors to pick up a mild illness or two, or even just exhaustion sickness, what with the work and the hours and the storms. But then my husband took ill, and now they've all got it. Worse, now others are falling ill. Including my kids." She swallowed hard, and there were tears in her eyes.
"What are the symptoms?" Elsa's attention was focused.
"High fever. They get hot, then they get the sweats, chills, and those raving fever dreams. All the sailors have those. My kids only have the fever." She grasped Elsa's hands."Please Majesty, we need a palace healer, or your magic to cool the fever." Her grasp tightened until Elsa winced. "Please Majesty...the first man to fall ill...he died this morning."
Elsa's expression turned from compassion to resolve. She gently freed her hands, then rose to her feet and summoned the steward. The man appeared within seconds. "Summon the Castle Healer, and tell him to bring his portable kit. Assemble a guard to escort me to the city. Anna..." She turned.
Anna snapped upright. "Yes?"
"Get Kristoff, and have him load a half shipment of ice to bring down to the shipyard district, as well as a hammer and chisel to break it."
"Right." Anna gave the woman a quick look, then raced off.
Kristoff was with Sven in the stables. Fortunately, that meant it took only ten minutes to saddle Sven and hitch him to the sleigh. Within half an hour, they were back at the gates. Elsa, the guards and the Healer met them there. The woman was ensconced at the Healer's side, talking quickly and softly. As soon as Kristoff and Anna arrived, Elsa gave the order for the gate to be opened, and the entire cavalcade marched into the streets.
At any other time, Anna would have been thrilled. Now though, her stomach was churning with nerves. She'd never seen a summer sickness, but she'd heard they could be bad. That some of them could be epidemics. She only hoped that this wasn't one of them.
Author's Note: Short Chapter. Big Consequences.
