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Frozen

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Chasing Shadows

By Miracles79.

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Chapter 3: Ice That Does Not Thaw.

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Disclaimer: The characters used in this Fan Fic are owned by Walt Disney Animation Studios. I own nothing but the story that is contained within these words, if that.

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There is an important Author's Note at the end of this page… Please read it after you have read the chapter though as there are spoilers to this chapter in the Author's Note. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy this third chapter of Chasing Shadows.

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*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

Silence fell across the grand Hall. A whispering hint of a murmur spreading throughout the large crowd but the sound never rose in volume. Everyone was watching her. Some in fear - as was to be expected – some in awe – such was her power over them – and some… some even watched her in rage and anger.

Either way… She did not care.

*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

The sound of tapping filled the eerie silence. The figures fingers continuing its repetitive motions, knocking against the throne where she sat, unconcerned with the stares it gathered from those around her. She had no reason to be concerned after all.

She was the Queen. Queen Elsa to be more precise. The last living monarch of this great and powerful Kingdom. And the people that watched her, cowered before her, all of them belonged to her. They were her people, she their protector. And yet, despite this very fact, Elsa could sense an underlying tension within every last one of them.

'Good…'

'Let them fear you…'

'Thin the herd of rebellion…'

'Any who wish to challenge you will be made an example of…'

'For all to see…''

The populace had good reason to be fearful of Elsa. She was different, not human, like you or me, but instead comprised entirely of ice. An ice of different shades and intensity's morphed and claimed her body, reducing her to that of an ice sculpture. But no one would dare say such a thing in public, and especially not to her face.

Elsa had long since given up her humanity. In fact - few new this – but Elsa's humanity was lost on the exact same night that the council had announced the death of the people's most beloved princess, Anna. A night which filled Elsa's dreams with torment and anguish, to be repeated for all eternity.

Many of the populace even suspected that Elsa had some hand in Anna's unfortunate and untimely death. And this was further exacerbated when the Council refused to either confirm or deny the story. Adding further fuel to the fire. The belief that Elsa had killed Anna in a jealous rage had now become fact among the people.

When asked by the populace, the Council refused to reveal the circumstances behind Anna's death and as time raced on… the populace began to forget about Anna. So fickle was their anger that they moved on after only three winters had passed. But, in that time, while the populace gossiped and speculated on Elsa's methods and motives, the last remaining princess began to gradually lose her sanity. Giving herself over to her powers until it all but consumed her.

And now, this sculpture of jagged and crude ice was all that remained of Elsa, the Queen of Arendelle.

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As Elsa sat a dense white fog continued to ooze from her body, trailing and circling her vicinity as if to provide an added layer of fear to her already frightening appearance. Every movement of her head, arms or limbs was met with an eerie, unsettling crunch. The ice sliding and scraping against each other in a most unpleasant way.

And if that wasn't enough to garner fear in the hearts of men then her eyes alone would have done the trick. As they were a deep, disturbing, piercing blue. The kind of eyes that would have silenced all statements of defiance, and invoke fear in even the strongest of enemies.

"My Queen," An old withered man called, a staff used to keep himself up right as he motioned to the crowd. "We are ready to begin, whenever you are."

Without turning her head, Elsa's eyes turned to the man, the Queen's own personal scholar. The man staggered back upon inspection, that familiar look of fear filling his eyes. Although whether the old man was aware of this or not remained to be seen. Either way, she did not care. He was good at his job, informative even. If he was not, then she would not have appointed him to the Council in the first place.

So with one subtle nod of her head, Elsa leaned back in her chair, a hand propped up against her chin, and waited.

Suddenly, the doors creaked open and the sounds of screaming could be heard. The crowd became frenzied, growing disorderly as their fear began to take hold of them. And there was good reason for it too. As, on the other side of the door, stood two massive creatures comprised entirely of ice. Jagged edges complimenting their large and muscular bodies, sharp enough to cut, bleed and kill if Elsa deemed it necessary.

Elsa watched in silence, unconcerned by the rabble who cowered in fear. These creatures were her pets, her children if you will. All were created by her, and served her loyally. The creatures of ice were her own unique weapons of destruction, her vessels of fear. Conceived for one purpose. To eliminate her enemies and bring order to a world that was in need of it.

As the two creatures entered the Hall, the crowd gasped as a bloodied human male was dragged behind them. The man struggled, blood pouring down his face while his breath came out in white puffs of air. No doubt due to the proximity of the creatures, even his hands appeared frozen and unmoving.

"My Queen," The Scholar read, eyes focused solely on his parchment. "I give to you lord Katar, from the province of Catarina."

"Get off me!" The man, Katar, interrupted, attempting to pull himself away from creature's grasp. "You have no right. I am a prince. Not some mere beggar on the street. Release me now! I have diplomatic immunity. This isn't right."

The creatures showed no signs of hearing or even caring. Instead they lowered him before the Queen and forced him to his knees. While one creature kept Katar down, the other looked towards her as if in question. Elsa knew what he asked and she nodded in response. This had happened so many times before and yet the creatures always looked to her for approval. When would they learn?

Elsa barely even heard the screams as the creatures formed ice to spread around Katar's feet, keeping him glued to the floor. The crowd responded in much the way she expected but this too was unimportant. She had seen it, experienced it all before. Nothing ever changed. They were all so predictable, boring.

Gritting her teeth, Elsa looked towards her Scholar and prompted him to continue. The man trembled but continued none the less. It was no surprise to her. He was a good man, after all. A kind and loving husband who came to the City after being scouted by Elsa herself. He was undoubtedly a good man. But time would see to that. He would become like her soon enough.

"Prince Katar of Catarina stands accused of the following crimes…"

"I did nothing," Katar interrupted. "You have no proof. This is not right. This isn't fair. I have diplomatic immunity. I cannot be treated like this!"

"You stand accused of several heinous crimes within the city of Arendelle," The old man continued, outraged, raising his voice in anger. "All of these crimes sexual in nature. We know that you sexually assaulted a number of women within the capital. One no less than fourt…"

"Scholar…" Elsa murmured, eyes never leaving the aggrieved man on the floor. "This is not protocol. Continue to read and do not raise your voice in my Halls ever again. You are a Scholar; your thoughts are not for the public's hearing. Now, continue."

Taken aback, the old man returned his eyes to the parchment, his hands trembling and voice now shaken the Scholar took a moment to calm himself and continued to read. "Prince Katar of Catarina stands accused of the following crimes: One count of thievery, four counts of extortion, six… six counts of sexual assault, three counts of murder and many lesser crimes which have been dropped by order of the Queen. Prince Katar of Catarina, what do you have to say in your defence?"

Laughing, the man looked at the old man and then back to Elsa. "That's it. You don't even know. I thought… I thought… Hahahaahahaha!"

Angered by this the Scholar curled his fist into a ball, every fibre of his being called for him to punch this man into unconsciousness. Until the man bled even more than he did right now. Even the crowd was riled by this, seeing this man, this monster, laughing while his victims still suffered in silence.

Yes, everyone within the hall had grown incensed, outraged by the man's gall. All but for one. The Queen. Elsa's face retained its previous state of passivity, unperturbed by the goings on happening all around her. No emotion could be discerned and in response to the prince's wild laughter Elsa merely watched in silence. Then, when the crowd began to push against her armed guards, Elsa finally spoke.

"Enough," The Queen called, directing her words towards the startled crowd.

All movement ceased and silence prevailed within the Hall once again. With the matter now dealt with, Elsa turned her attentions to the prince. "These are very serious crimes you stand accused of. All carry the same punishment in my Kingdom. So, if I were you, I'd hold your tongue before I cut it off and feed it to my pets."

The prince, now fearful and silent, looked up at the Queen and then at the monsters that surrounded him. A white mist poured from their bodies, the sensation of cold drawing over him even though the mist did not reach him.

"And as for your efforts to overthrow me," The Queen said, the prince's eyes widening further. "I considered that a lesser crime. A stupid crime. A pointless crime. Your actions were clearly those of a man not in his right frame of my mind. Your actions clearly mark you as insane. As is the possibility of you and your ilk one day ruling my Kingdom. You see, your hopes and dreams… were impossible from the start."

"How… How did you… How did you know? How did you know my family was involved?"

Turning towards a servant girl, eyes still watching the prince, Elsa clicked her fingers. The young girl startled in response and picked up a bag that had been deposited behind her throne. The bag was old, covered by a thin sheen of ice… and… and a small unmistakeable trail of blood. Elsa collected the bag and placed it on her lap, unconcerned by the blood that now stained her leg.

"From the words of your King himself," And with that Elsa threw the bag at the prince. The prince and crowd watched its trajectory with a mixture of anticipation and horror. What could be in the bag?

The bag sailed high through the air and then, upon impact with the ground, two heads rolled out and knocked against the prince's knees. As the heads rolled to face the prince, the man suddenly screamed in agony.

"MOOOOOOOOMMMMM! DAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDD! NO! OH GOD NO!"

Queen Elsa sat back and watched the scene unfold, features set, not a flicker of emotions rolling over her as she watched the grovelling man. The man continued to scream, unsure what to do as his dead parent's looked up at him from the floor.

So he did the only thing he could do; he cried and he cried and he cried. The crowd watched on in horror, some even feeling sympathy for a man accused of rape and murder. Something few had believed possible mere moments ago.

"YOUUU! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED MY MOM!" The man screamed, anger rising to his features. "SHE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS! IT WAS OUR PLAN! MY FATHER AND I! MY MOM KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT! SHE WAS INNOCENT"

Staring at the man, Queen Elsa sat up straight and leaned forward. "No one is innocent. Your mother less so. She was simply guilty by association. So she had to die. I made sure their ends were quick and painless though. Which is more than I can say for many others who have attempted similar feats. All have failed."

The Queen stood, surveying the crowd. "The safety of the Capital is paramount. Any who place it in danger will be dealt with likewise. I will not broker peace between nations that scheme our own destruction. I will not grant mercy to those who wish to harm the very fabric of what has been built here. And I will not," Elsa faces the prince. "Allow enemies of the state to exist in my world."

The crowd gasped at this and watched as Elsa walked towards the man, the guard's watching on in concern. Not concern for their Queen like you might expect but for the man. They all knew Elsa's methods and all at once they looked away. Several members of the crowd even hid, eyes covered while pressing children to their breast.

"YOU KILLED MY MOTHER! YOU KILLED MY FATHER! HAVE YOU NOT DONE ENOUGH! YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN THOSE THAT I LOVE FROM ME! NOW YOU WISH TO TAKE MY LIFE!"

Elsa now stood several feet away from the man, eyes retaining their cloud of calm which very few would have in this situation. "Yes but not for the crimes against my Kingdom. But for harming the people that belong to it."

"What…?"

"You extorted money from the disenfranchised, from the poor and good people of this City," The grovelling man tried to interrupt but one glare silenced any and all efforts. She was not finished. "You stole cattle and produce from a farmer who provides food and comfort to many of my people. And if that was not enough you ended the lives of three residents of my City."

"Is… Is that all you care about…? Do you think I will show remorse after what you did to my family, you whore!"

The Queen took a step closer, the grovelling man sensing an opportunity to get in a measure of revenge before his time came to a close. But before he could act, a trail of ice rose from the ground sharply and lowered his hands to the ground.

Screaming in pain as the ice cut into his flesh, Elsa stood before him closer than she had ever been. "You harmed my City. I gave you permission to enter, granted you diplomatic immunity and you threw my kindness back in my face. You have ruined the lives of six young girls who now tremble at the sight of any man who approaches them. You raped them for hours and hours upon end. That cannot be forgiven."

Sniggering, the man spat at Elsa, the crowd responding in gasps while the Queen wiped the substance from her breast.

"The once proud line of Catarina ends with you," Turning, the Queen returned to her throne. "If I find that you have sired any children before your time here then they too will be executed. Your punishment extends to those you consider family as well. I will find them and when I am finished with you I will present your head to all six girls as a trophy. And you will be made an example. A warning to any outsider who thinks they are above my law."

Turning towards one of her hideous ogre's Elsa motioned towards the prince. "Tear him limb from limb. Do what you will with any of his extremities but give the head to me. Make it slow and painful. I give you permission to freeze him in stasis while you go about your work. That way he will feel everything and die slow… as he deserves. Now go. See that it is done."

Terrified the man on the floor pleaded. "Please! Please your Queen! Give me a quick death like you did my father! That's all I ask! I do not seek absolution nor redemption! Just grant me this one thing please! I beg of you! Show mercy!"

…

Head lowered in her chair, an icy mist beginning to form around her figure, Elsa's fists clenched together with a loud crack of ice. All within the hall grew still, even the grovelling man that pleaded for his life. She looked more menacing than ever before. No one could see her face but the mist that surrounded her could be felt by everyone in the Hall. And it was most uncomfortable.

"Did you listen when they begged?" The Queen asked, head still lowered as she spoke. "Did you show mercy when those women cried and pleaded with you? Did you stay your hand when you ended the lives of three of my people? When I welcomed you into my City as an honourable guest, presented you to the Council? Did you laugh while you infected my City?"

"My Queen, I…"

"MY CITY!" The Queen screamed, pushing herself out of her chair and facing the crowd. "You harmed my own. That cannot be forgiven. So you will suffer the worst pain imaginable. And I will watch your final moments with relish. Remember that! Remember that as you remain encased in ice for over a century with nothing but pain as a companion. Now, take him away!"

As the man was dragged away, screaming for clemency, Elsa returned to her throne and closed her eyes. She could feel it. This wasn't good. She was losing control of herself, her powers were becoming unstable. This had happened a few times before but never when she was surrounded by her council or her people. She had to regain control before all those in this Hall suffered a most avoidable death.

'Conceal…'

'Don't feel…'

'Conceal…'

'Do not feel…'

'Conceal…'

It wasn't working. She could feel ice crawling over her, penetrating her mind and body. This hadn't happened in years. It shouldn't have happened at all. Elsa thought she had learned to control it by now… but she was wrong. She could feel it, ice trickling from her fingers spreading to the arms of her throne.

Elsa looked up towards the crowd and the Council, blissfully unaware of her suffering or that their lives were in danger. She had to control it. Had to find something… Something. Anything.

Slowly ice trickled down her throne, the temperature in the room dropping noticeably. All eyes were on her now, the crowd watching her in fear and confusion. She couldn't handle this. Not now. Not while she was being watched by her people. The very people she had sworn to protect.

Her emotions were rabid, Elsa struggling to hold back the tide of magic that threatened to explode within her. The creatures, the ogres of ice, began to emit a white cloud from their bodies. Many of the crowd retreated upon feeling the icy mist crawl up their arms and legs. The Council stood, fully aware of what was happening. What Elsa promised would never happen.

'I have to control this…'

'Conceal…'

'Don't feel…'

'Conceal…'

'…'

'This isn't working…'

'Why isn't this working…?'

'I need help…'

'I need…'

…

…

'Anna…'

Suddenly an image of her smiling, beautiful sister entered her mind and the ice that threatened to escape from her body… dissipated. Looking up, Elsa watched as the icy mist that had descended upon the crowd now extinguished itself. The Council took their seats once more, relief washing through every single one of them.

For Elsa though this was more a victory than a feeling of relief. She had finally managed to best her powers after years of struggle. On previous occasions, when her powers had become unstable, Elsa would lock herself away and let her powers explode while inside a contained room.

For Elsa the tide was finally turning in her favour. She had won a battle in what had been a long, arduous and one sided war. And it had all been because of Anna, her beautiful and charming sister. Even in death Anna could make her feel alive again. Only Anna could do that. Only Anna…

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But this moment of clarity did not last long. As the Queen leaned back in her seat, eyes now closed, Elsa returned to her previous shell. Locking away the memories of her beloved sister, Anna, away for good. Those memories, despite their need, should never have been accessed. It was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened.

"Call the next subject." Elsa called, opening her eyes and returning her attention to the matter at hand. There was still far more work to be done. And this was only the beginning.

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As the criminals filtered into the Hall one by one each were dealt with by the full standards of the law. Even the smallest infractions carried the harshest of penalties in Arendelle. If someone stole food then by law their hands would be cut off, stopping them from every doing it again. If someone stole or tried to steal secret documents then their eyes would be gouged out, their tongue and fingers removed.

This was the law passed down by Queen Elsa. Each transgression would be dealt with in the same manner befitting the crime. For instance, if someone tried to sexually assault a member of the populace in her City then their punishment would be the harshest of all. Katar now knew that first hand, all limbs would be cut including the fifth that was only possessed by man. A most disturbing yet effective punishment.

The crime rate in the City had dropped dramatically since Elsa's appointment. Arendelle was far safer than it had ever been but the people would not know it. They all lived in fear. Fear of Elsa and of the ogres that prowled the streets at night protecting the city from any and all invaders.

Elsa had waged wars against nations and won all in the same night. Her army of ogres always coming back in the same numbers, never falling even by one. This was not a surprise to the Queen, however, as no mortal weapon could even put a dent in the ogre's hide. And these same ogres walked the very same streets that the populace had walked on during the day.

Yes, things were safer now more than ever. But to many this time was the most dangerous of all.

Returning her attention to the pleas of some little girl, Elsa fazed her voice out and heard the unmistakable sounds of the Council's entrance way opening. That could have only been one person. All others were present and accounted for. And only one member of the Council would ever dare be late to matters of state.

"Hello, Elsa." The man whispered, taking a seat behind and to the right of the Queen. "Sorry I'm late. My maid left me a delectable meal and I just had to eat it all up. Hope you don't mind."

Elsa understood the connotations. She was no longer a naïve and simple child. Prince Hans had no doubt been eating out his own personal maid again. As he had done so many times before. Elsa shook her head in exasperation.

The young woman had claimed to like it – when Elsa had asked her personally – but something about Hans made her feel uneasy. But, regardless, she could not remove him from her Council over something as childish as mere squeamishness. Not to mention that they were old childhood friends. And he did have certain abilities that others of her Council lacked, his abilities of deception had proven to be a most important tool in the beginning of her reign.

But he was starting to fall into the trap of many great men before him, he was becoming predictable and lazy. A deadly combination which would seem him ousted from his position if his behaviour did not improve. Hans had not contributed anything to the Council in months and the others were rightfully asking questions. Elsa, in truth, cared very little for Hans but – in memory of her parents who had been close friends with the Westergaard family – Elsa ignored many of his infractions.

"So, what's been going on?" Hans asked, leaning over Elsa's right hand side. "Did I miss anything good?"

"No. Now be quiet. I'm trying to listen." Noticing that the young girl had stopped, Elsa motioned for her to continue. She had not heard much but she got the gist of it. The girl's concerns over the state of her School seemed fair and she seemed to be a learned child. It was only fair that she, the Queen, contributed to this child's learning. The child might prove useful in the years to come, when her current Council members passed on.

As the young girl was dismissed, with promises of support from the Queen's personal coffers, Elsa waited for the next subject to approach. The next subject in question happened to be another old, grizzled man. His beard long and unkempt as was his hair, a common sight among the people of her City. The old man clutched his rags to his chest as the ogres forced him to kneel before her once again.

Elsa looked at the man, her attention now fixed on him, like all other criminals that proceeded him. The man shuddered and trembled in response. Elsa sighed, she could read him like a book. He was guilty, clear as day.

"My Queen," The Scholar said, all in the Chamber remaining quiet as he spoke, including Hans. "I give to you, farmer Asgar. Son of the great Feytar who provided wheat and grain in the great drought forty years ago."

Interrupting, Elsa's eyes remained fixed on the old man. "A man will not be judged by the actions of his father. He has accomplished none of these feats. So speak of the man and not the father. Proceed."

Concerned, the Scholar continued. "Farmer Asgar, you have failed to provide the required supply of food for the people of Arendelle for the second time. You were warned in the last trial that any failure would result in more than the warning you received on your first visit. So, I advise you to speak your mind and explain why this has happened again."

Shaking from head to toe the man struggled to his feet, the guards looked at the Queen in question but Elsa waved them off. He was not a killer or a criminal after all. He deserved to be treated with at least a modicum of respect. But the knowledge that this was his second infraction caused a murmuring of anger to swell in her bosom.

"I… I… I tried, my Queen. After the trial a few months back… I tried everything to provide enough food for the people of the City. But I can't. It's impossible. You may not know this my Queen. But the weather in these part does not promote good farming."

Elsa, ignoring the stupid statement mixed in with his words, looked at the man and placed her palms together in concentration before resting them against her lips. Of course she knew that the weather in these parts made farming difficult, what a stupid thing to say. She knew far more than he could ever know.

She had been taught and schooled throughout her entire childhood and adolescence. Never once having a moment to herself, a moment to play or relax with friends. The insult was not meant to hurt but the Queen felt it and she was very angry.

"Then why was your father able to provide for us during the great drought so many years ago. When the weather was far worse than this. Why was your father able to provide enough wheat and grain to feed the entirety of the Capitol?" Elsa spoke with calm in her voice, but her eyes betrayed her feelings in ways that many could not yet perceive.

Only Hans recognised the tilt in her voice, but that was due to proximity, having spent a lot of time with Elsa during their youth.

"I'm… My father he… He was…"

"Why have other farmers met the very same quota without a single word of complaint? Please enlighten me on this. I'm afraid I am clueless as to the workings of obvious things in my own Kingdom. So, please, farmer Asgar, enlighten me."

Stuttering, realising now that he must have offended the Queen, Asgar stepped forward. Upon this action the ogres grabbed him by the scuff of his rags and pulled him back. Before more could be done, however, Elsa raised a hand for the ogres to stop. The ogres were about to break the man's legs, as they had been instructed to when anyone moved towards the Queen without express permission.

"I… I'm sorry, my Queen. I did not mean to…"

"I do not care," Elsa says, eyes scanning her nails before she looks back at the old man. "I am asking you to explain yourself. Why have you failed where other farmers have succeeded?"

Shaking, the man took some time to think about his next words and when he was even remotely sure… he then spoke. "My Queen, please. I can provide you all the grain and wheat you need. I will make it up to you in the next harvest. I will give you double the amount to make amends for my mistakes. I promise you."

Sighing, Queen Elsa looked down and fiddled with the end of her throne, picking at it with her nails. After some time passed, the Queen looked back at the farmer. "I agree to your terms. You will provide me twice the amount in wheat and grain only. The rest will remain the same. If you had been anyone other than Feytar's son… then I would have killed you as an example to the rest. Thank your father that you still keep your life."

"Of course, thank you my Queen. I will never forget this, I assure you."

"I hope you are right," The Queen says, no emotions crossing her face. "It seems even in death Fayter's reach extends even to that of my Hall of Judgement. You may leave now, return to your farm and prepare for the harvest. I will visit in a month's time to ensure that progress is being made."

As Elsa motioned for the ogres to take him away, unexpectedly the old man spoke again, stopping the remaining crowd who had been preparing for the next criminal. "My Queen. I'm afraid that will not work."

Confused, the first hint of an expression reaching her features, Elsa turned back towards the old man. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," The old man murmured. "I will not be acquiring the goods from my farm. So, if you were to visit my farm then I would not be there. And the crops would also not be there. I thought you should know less you think me a deserter. And I assure you my Queen, I am no deserter."

The crowd became silent, knowing full well what happened to people who tried to escape Arendelle. Many had heard the stories, for once all true, about how the Queen would call on her creatures of ice to find and kill the man or woman who attempted to leave her City. The creatures would first become wolves and track the target and then when they got closer… they would turn into any creature they desired, even dragons if they deemed it necessary, and have their fun.

"I'm confused," Elsa said wearily, scratching her head. "How would you acquire the necessary supplies if not on your farm?"

Smiling at this, the man finally divulged his plan. "I would acquire them from over the mountain's your grace. Where the weather is fair and the crops will grow to a state the likes of which you have never even seen before."

…

…

Suddenly Elsa stood up, her eyes wide and teeth gnarled. The crowd feared the moment the man had mentioned his plans to work over the mountains. That was a mistake, a stupid and ill-advised mistake. He should have left, should have worked on his farm and taken this opportunity for what it was. No other farmer would have received it and yet Asgar had squandered it the moment it was offered.

At the place where Elsa stood ice began to trickle along the floor, rising to climb the walls that surrounded them. A snap of cold descended across the Hall and the crowd of watchers clambered together for heat once more. The old man trembled, confused, watching as Elsa snarled in anger and gripped her fists together. Ice shot out of every direction, the golems trailing ice along the walls as well as Elsa. Hans watched on in amusement, he loved it when Elsa turned dark, it was such a turn on.

"YOU DO NOT NEED TO PRODUCE YOUR CROP ANYWHERE BUT HERE!" Elsa screamed, a sinister tilt to her voice unlike anything the room had heard before. "WE ARE SELF-SUFFICIENT! WE REQUIRE NOTHING FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD! FROM THE FILTH THAT LAYS OUTSIDE OUR WALLS! HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST SUCH A THING! HOW DARE YOU QUESTION THE FUNCTIONALITY OF MY CITY!"

Speechless, Asgar tried to speak but could not find the bravery nor the words to express anything. Opening and closing his mouth - like that of a fish - the old man started to cry, wet tears falling down his cheeks as he whimpered in desperation. Taking a step forward, ice trailing where her feet touched the ground, Elsa walked towards Asgar.

"YOU HAVE FAILED ME! YOU HAVE FAILED THIS COUNCIL! AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL, YOU HAVE FAILED THE PEOPLE OF ARENDELLE," As Elsa moved closer, the ice that tricked along the walls gradually receded back into her. The golems following suit and the snap of cold disappearing from the Hall once more. "That cannot be forgiven. The punishment is clear. You must die."

"Wait! No! Please! I'll do anything! I'll grow crops on my farm! I take it back! I take it all back! I…"

Then, as Elsa spread her fingers and directed her hand at Asgar, ice began to trickle from the floor and rise up Asgar's leg. Screaming in pain, Asgar tried to stand, to get away but he was stuck. He couldn't move. Everyone watched on, the crowd watching in an odd combination of expectation and horror while the Council watched on uninterested in the event transpiring before them. That was hardly a surprise though. They had seen it far too many times to be affected by it now.

As the ice trailed over the old man's legs and torso, Elsa watched on ignoring his feeble pleas with a sneer of anger claiming her face. Elsa did not concede to the man's wishes, making him suffer a long and painful death without a hint of remorse. She wasn't called the Ice Queen for nothing, after all. And this name only solidified itself the longer the crowd watched.

But this was all normal to them by now. This was who Elsa was. A killer, a maniac and yet… the most powerful creature in the entire world. A creature of ice that could not be controlled, could not be over-thrown or even killed. This was the Queen to last many life times.

Queen Elsa.

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As the trials continued and Elsa began to grow bored, a young woman came through the Queen's entrance way and kneeled to speak to her. This was Elsa's personal maid, someone she valued very highly among her order. So much so that Alice – for that was her name – was permitted many privileges that no maid would have ever received from their own masters.

Leaning to listen, the maid cupped her ear and whispered. "Elsa, It's done. She's ready and waiting for you in your bedchamber. I made sure everything was prepared for your arrival. She knows what's to be expected of her and will wait until you have finished, no matter how long that takes."

Stopping the maid from leaving, Elsa grabbed her retreating hand and pulled her close. "Thank you, Alice. I will come up right now. You are free to take the rest of the night off. Do whatever pleases you."

Smiling at this, Alice nodded and left the Hall through the Queen's entrance once again. Taking a moment to compose herself, Elsa stood up and left the Hall just as the man was in the middle of explaining himself. The council nodded to one another, not unused to the Queen getting up and leaving through the middle of Judgement.

They knew that the matters of state had been passed down to them for the rest of these trials. It had happened many times before. They would uphold Elsa's law as if it was their own, their own lives depended on it after all.

…

As Elsa walked through the long corridors of the Palace two sets of footsteps followed closely behind her. Elsa knew who it was immediately and waited by the staircase for the approaching figure. It was Han's of course, following her around like a lost, demanding puppy once again. "What do you want, Hans?"

Coming to a stop, breathing heavily despite his lean physique, Hans spoke. "I was wondering if you had need of me? The Council can deal with the people but, whatever it is you are up to, I'm ready and able. So, what do you say I come up and help you?"

'Hans has absolutely no idea what I intend to do…'

'And if he did well… then he'd almost surely use it against me…'

'He can never know…'

'And, regardless, he is someone that cannot help me now…'

'He is a man, after all… And a man is not what I need…'

Shaking her head, Elsa replied. "No, Hans. I'm afraid this matter requires my undivided attention and cannot wait."

"But I…"

"Goodnight, Hans. Now, make sure you return to the Hall of Judgement as they might have need of your… wisdom," Elsa commanded turning to take the stairs one at a time. "Oh, and Hans. I will know if you return to the Hall of Judgement or not. So do not even think of ignoring my command. You are already on thin ice as it is. And you know what happens when you step on thin ice, don't you?"

Gulping, Hans nodded and returned back down the corridor.

Watching him go, Elsa looked around her vicinity once again and jogged up the stairs. The vision of elegance and perfection sprinted down the corridor at incredible pace until she found herself situated at the foot of her door. Taking a deep breath of anticipation, Elsa opened the door and looked inside.

Inside Elsa's chambers stood a young girl with dark red hair, thin limbs and beautiful, porcelain skin. She was perfect. Elsa smiled at the sight but remained neutral when the young thing finally turned towards her, knocking into the dresser she had been inspecting. "Oh, my… My Queen… I didn't think you'd be here so early…"

Smiling, Elsa closed the door behind her and locked it. This was the one time, the one place where Elsa could allow herself to be free, to be happy. "It is quite alright, eh?"

"Charlotte!" The young red head said, nodding frantically despite her obvious nerves.

"Okay then Charlotte. It is a pleasure to meet you," Elsa reached out her hand for Charlotte to shake and the young girl did so quite gently. The young thing was clearly nervous, Elsa's reputation clearly preceded her. A sudden feeling of doubt crossed over her as she looked into the innocent, soft eyes of young Charlotte. Did she really know what was about to happen?

"Um, Charlotte, I…"

"Yes." Charlotte called, accidently interrupting Elsa which caused an embarrassed flush to crawl down Charlotte's face. "Sorry. I didn't mean to… I mean I would never… I'll just shut up now."

Smiling, Elsa moved a hand to stroke the young girl's face. "How young are you. Charlotte?"

"S-Sixteen, your majesty. I-I know I may not always act it but I am honestly sixteen."

Nodding, Elsa continued to rub the skin under her fingers, the ice around her hand melting away to reveal white alabaster skin underneath. "How long have you been sixteen for, Charlotte?"

"For…" Charlotte stuttered, trying to remember the correct number as she had always struggled in the orphanage. "For nine…? For nine days, your majesty."

Sighing, Elsa smiled fondly at the young girl, eyes rising to the one feature that drew her in like a moth to a flame…

…

Charlotte's vibrant red hair.

"Am I to understand," Elsa continued her fingers curling through Charlotte's luscious locks as she spoke. "That you have been told about this… arrangement that will exist between us."

"Yes, your majesty." Charlotte replied, blushing as Elsa moved into her personal space.

"If you are… then please, tell me of the arrangement. So that I am sure you know what you are getting yourself into before we start."

Nodding, her bottom lip gripped between her pearly white teeth, Charlotte looked at Elsa's beautiful face which was now no longer encased in ice. "From this moment on I will be your own personal mistress. I will do whatever you wish, how many times you like and without umbrage. And I will not speak a word of my position to anyone. I will keep my hair long and never change its colour. If I see you with another one of your mistresses, then I will not grow jealous. I will feel nothing but love and compassion for you."

"And…" Elsa motioned on, sitting down on the bed before placing the young girl on her lap to encourage greater intimacy.

"And… I will wear whatever you desire, fit any roll you desire without question. I will tell no one of what… of what…"

"Transpires." Elsa breathes, a hand opening Charlotte's legs while the other rose to cup her breasts underneath her shirt.

"Transpires! And I will accept any instrument you wish to use or insert into me. My wishes are no longer my own and have been claimed by you. Whatever you wish I will comply. No matter how… No matter how tiring or painful it may be. I renounce my name from this moment on, only within our private chambers, and will be called… be called… I'm sorry my Queen. I cannot remember the name again…"

…

…

"Anna. Your name is Anna."

"That's right, Anna. From this moment on my name is Anna and I will refer to you as Elsa. I will not use your title while alone together and will only speak the words 'Elsa' when addressing you. From this moment on I am yours, and yours alone. My existence in this world will extend to this room and my own personal quarters. No one will see me or be aware of my existence, except for those that you trust."

Smiling as she pushed her fingers into Charlotte's core, Elsa detached her lips from the nape of the redhead's neck to sleep. "Now seal it! Seal it and become mine."

Nodding, Charlotte turned in Elsa's arms, fingers still plugging away inside her, and spoke the words. "I Anna Arendelle belong to you, Elsa. May our love never die."

And with that Elsa pushed 'Anna' down onto the blankets and began what would be an exhausting night for both parties. This night would no longer be about when Elsa popped 'Anna's' cherry but about how many times Anna was brought to orgasm in one night. Only six hours later would Elsa find out the answer… as 'Anna' had long since been unconscious by this point. Not that Elsa minded, she rarely needed a captive audience to do the deed. All she need was sleek red hair, and the thought of Anna fresh in her mind.

.

.

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Author's Note: Wow! Eight hours later and I have finally finished this god damn chapter. I have to admit that the final part between Elsa and Charlotte was a complete spur of the moment decision. It was never supposed to even be included but after some deliberation I decided to write up as I went along and… well, here it is.

As you can see Elsa is still head over heels for Anna, someone she believes is long dead, and is now collecting look-a-likes to take her sister's place. I don't know how that thought even entered my mind while writing but I ran with it and find the results satisfying. Fingers crossed that people like it, and that they also like my version of Elsa. Anna's absence and her previous life have culminated in the creation of this darker Elsa, I'm hoping you'll like it or can at least see sense in it as she will be like this for a while.

Now, as of this moment, the next chapter will be the last one and after that I will reassess whether to continue this story or not. The reason for this is that I will be working a lot in the next couple of weeks, and have already promised Harry Potter fans that I will continue my lesbian Hermione story. So if you really want me to continue this story then please show your support, it would mean an awful lot to me because I really want this story to get off the ground. I have big plans for it but obviously if there is not a following then I will need to move into something more productive. I hope it doesn't come to this but we will see.

Furthermore, I am unsure, if I do continue, where exactly I am going with this story. I know major events and how they will transpire but I do not have the connectors quite yet. So it will be interesting to hear your ideas. I may even incorporate them into my story and give your proper acknowledgement in my Author's Note, so people will know who come up with the idea.

Also, apologies for the writing on this one but please understand that I spent eight… No, make that nine hours… writing this story in two sittings. The first one was six hours and the second one was three hours. Which is somewhat of a relief because I have a lot planned over the holiday and won't be able to write for the next two weeks. So, once again, apologies for the writing and lack of a coherent sentence structure but I hope to improve in the future and possibly stream line some of my writing to make it easier to read.

Any way. Thank you all for reading and I hope you look forward to the next chapter. Byeeeeee.