Chapter Four: The Epidemic Spreads

The next few days were like something out of a nightmare. Everything was put on hold while they tended the sick in the Town Hall. Kristoff and the other ice carriers in the city were kept busy fetching ice for snow-packs. Elsa attended to what matters of state she could, but these were interrupted by frequent, almost hourly reports of the conditions in the city, brought either by town officials, or by the palace physician and his attendants.

The number of those ill increased by the day. Attendants of the sick were first to fall, with the odd exception here and there. Then reports came from the dock area. Neighbors, friends, even fellow sailors and workers who had helped with unloading the stricken ship had begun to fall ill as well.

The end of the second day saw the numbers at three dozen. Then the numbers jumped, the count hitting eighty. By the end of the week, nearly a hundred people had fallen to the scourge.

The town physicians were working round the clock with the palace physician, each applying their own remedies to a handful of patients. Nothing did more than slow the illness. As the count of those stricken with illness rose, concern mounted.

Even worse, eight others died, in spite of Elsa's attempts to stop the fever, and the physicians attempts to concoct a remedy. The news broke Anna's heart, and Elsa's as well.

Finally, at the beginning of the second week, Elsa took action again. She summoned the court, including the servants, guards, and ambassadors to the Throne Room. "People of Arendalle, and esteemed visitors...as you know, tragedy has come to Arendalle. A virulent fever is even now sweeping through the lower quarters of the city. The Town Hall is overflowing with the sick. And so, as the ruler of this country, I have decided to take action."

Anna watched as her sister straightened to her full height, shoulders back, every inch of her emanating the grace of the queen she had been raised to be. "All those who have been afflicted, and all those who have had any contact with them, will be brought to the Palace and installed in the Great Hall and the Grand Ballroom. These places will be placed under official quarantine. No one is to enter or leave them without specific instructions, or without taking the precautions demanded by the palace physicians. Any who wish to assist in the care of the sick should be advised: You will be required to take an extensive bath, using healer's soap, before entering or leaving the sick room. Any clothes you wear into the sick rooms will be laundered in lye before being returned, or burned. Because of this stipulation, there will be clothes provided by the merchants. You will be required to wear gloves and masks at all times."

Anna grimaced. It sounded extreme to her. But then...this was an epidemic.

Elsa clasped her hands together. "I understand, this is a terrifying time. If any of you wish to leave Arendalle and seek safety with our neighbors, I will be more than willing to provide passage. In fact, I urge everyone to consider it, for your own safety."

There was a stir, but Anna felt a surge of pride when no one left. Not even the dignitaries. Several of the servants even frowned and planted their feet, as if daring their queen to try and send them away.

Elsa continued. "Three days from now, Arendalle will be placed under official sanction. To keep this plague from spreading, no ships will be allowed to leave, or dock at our shores until this matter is resolved. I know this will disrupt trade, but we have no other choice. Furthermore...because the plague seems to spread with warmth, I will be inducing a cold spell. Arendalle will be reverted to early winter temperatures, so please, make what preparations you must for these conditions. Stable your horses. Gather your warmer clothing. Collect your firewood. Bring out spare blankets. Lay in what stocks of food and supplies you can. And pray. Pray that soon this scourge is ended. Those of you who are willing to help nurse the sick and maintain supplies in the sick hall, report to the physicians for assignment and instruction. That is all."

There was a rustle of cloth as everyone bowed, then dispersed. Elsa heaved a sigh, then slumped into her throne, looking suddenly weary. "Anna."

Anna moved closer. "Yes?"

"I need you to promise me something." Elsa sat up, then took Anna's hands in her own. "Promise me you won't go near the quarantined areas."

Anna jerked back. "What? But...the sick...we should help them. I can't just leave people, our people, when they need help."

"And I can't afford to risk you and Kristoff. Please, Anna, listen to me." Elsa's hands tightened over hers.

Anna bit her lip, but stilled. "Okay."

"Right now, I'm the only one who can keep the spells going to slow down this illness. I have to be there, to keep our people alive. My ice magic is the strongest weapon we have against this scourge. And that's why I can't let you volunteer. If I succumb, if something goes wrong...Arendalle needs a leader. They need a Queen. And right now, you're my only heir. We have to keep you safe."

Elsa's argument made sense. Anna didn't want it to. "But...these are our people. I can't just sit back and watch."

"But you must. One of us has to stay safe." Elsa's eyes were sad. "Please, Anna. I know you don't want to. I understand how hard this is for you. But it has to be this way. Please, don't fight me on this."

Anna's jaw set. "Fine. But you are not shipping me out of the country on a boat. I don't care about the quarantine. If you try to put me on a boat...I'll swim back."

Elsa actually managed a weak smile. "I know. I wouldn't dream of it."

"I can help." Elsa blinked and turned.

"Olaf."

The snowman looked unusually serious. "I think you might need to tell the healers to let me in, cause they're kind of not sure. At least they weren't when I volunteered yesterday. But I'm really good with kids, and I bet I can help the adults too. After all, I'm just a snowman. I don't think snowmen can catch diseases. And if you're keeping it cold, I won't melt, even if I didn't have a flurry, so that's okay. I really think I could do some good."

Elsa looked taken aback, then thoughtful. Then she smiled. "You might be right. I'll tell the healers as soon as Anna and I are done."

"Okay. Then I'm gonna go wait for the people to arrive." The snowman bounced away. Then he stopped. "You know...I heard they're treating for mountain fevers. But if it isn't working well, maybe the problem is that it's not a mountain fever. Maybe...maybe you don't know what it is. Or maybe it's from somewhere else. Someone should really be looking into that. You know, just in case." Then he trundled out of the room.

Anna and Elsa both blinked. Anna frowned. "He's right. He's totally right. What if it is something else? I mean..." Her eyes widened as the thoughts came together. "The first people were all sailors. What if it's a disease from somewhere else? What if it's something else entirely? What if it's something we don't have medicine for? We might never find a cure."

"The healer has apprentices combing the Palace records for any clues."

"But that could take forever! And the apprentices need to help the healers." Anna rocked back and forth. "Research...I can do research. Or...or maybe...Grandpappy might know!"

"The trolls? You think they might know something?" Elsa frowned.

"They know all sorts of things. About magic and, well, everything! We could ask. It couldn't hurt. I could go ask. And it gets me out of the Palace, which is what you wanted, right? And I can help this way." Anna clutched her sister's hands. "Please...if I can't help tend people, then I can help look for a cure. I mean, that's important too."

"It is. Of course it is." Elsa sighed. "All right. I'll give you permission. In fact..." She let go and drew herself up, transforming from sister to queen once more. "Princess Anna, as your queen I hereby give you this order: I want you to search for a cure. Wherever you think you must. You and your betrothed, Ice Master Kristoff, will seek out the mountain trolls for information and bring whatever you learn to me, to deliver to the healers. And then you will do whatever is required to find answers and medicine to end this epidemic."

"Of course." Anna swept her sister a curtsy, heir to liege. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"I know you will." Elsa softened suddenly, then stepped forward and swept Anna into a bone-crushing hug. "Just be careful. I want you to come home safe."

"I know. And I will." Anna returned the hug, then broke free and raced for the doors.

She needed to find Kristoff and Sven. And then, they needed to go find Grandpappy.

Hopefully, the trolls would have answers.

Author's Note: Next time...Grandpappy delivers a clue, some help...and a warning.