Chapter 9

"Urgent message Your Majesty!"

The butler's yell jerked Elsa out of her sleep. The incessant knocking at the door that followed made it all the more irritating, especially as Anna was blissfully slumbering and drooling on the bed. Sunrise had barely lit the curtains - had it been only a few minutes more, the eventual brightness would have made her awakening pleasant. The knocking continued as Elsa tried to rouse herself. "What is it?" she asked.

"Your Majesty, Schmidt has escaped!"

Anna bolted upwards. "How!?" she asked.

"It appears he unlocked the cell door and-"

Elsa and Anna burst out of the bedroom, slamming the butler aside as they raced towards the prison. It could not have occured at a worse time - today was when the Hammerfall army was to return Schmidt home. Upon arrival, the Commander was conducting an investigation as he and his men interviewed those who were present that night. He was just as baffled at this predicament when he noticed the sisters.

"Your Highness! I thought you'd come here."

"How could anyone not see him?" asked Elsa.

"Tell her, trooper."

The guard was visibly shaking in the knowledge his punishment was inevitable. "I'm so sorry Madame! We were just doing our duty. It was just like any other night, nothing out of the ordinary. Well, besides your presence and..."

"Don't hesitate!" cried Elsa, "Time is of the essence! What happened?"

"It's unbelievable, but hear me out! We didn't notice then, but looking back, the place was very slowly getting warmer. It became so comfortable we, as in us and the inmates... we fell asleep! That's what everyone else will-"

Schimdt would have used his powers in heating the area, that Elsa knew as she hurried to his cell. On inspection, there was nothing to suggest him burning his way out. Leaning on the bars, she delved into her mind finding any other method, but doing so made her recall how she tried to romance him, making her giddy at the fun of seeing him try to hide his feelings for her. It did work, she thought, for he would not have revealed his secret otherwise. She yearned to evoke the moment he caressed her hair, but it never felt the same even as she stroked over the precise spot he had done, where that upended pin was...

She groaned. Of course he would be looking for any means to escape, cursing herself for allowing her feelings to take over and let him get close, providing him the opportunity. Elsa hung her shoulders as she dipped into depression; even Anna's calls were mere background noise, about something she had seen. Only when her arm was being tugged did Elsa face her, and she was pointing at the bedsit. Underneath it was the wineglass - and it was empty.

It seemed so petty, but the notion Schmidt had taken the drink restored a little of Elsa's hopes to save him. "Get yourself dressed," she told Anna, "We're sticking to the plan."

Hours passed since everyone prepared themselves, but the whole town was on edge as the Hammerfall army had yet to appear. Their worries appeared to become corporeal, a mist which descended on that cold midday, darkening the royal manor. Anna clutched her winter cloak as she tried to keep her mind from thinking of the worst outcome. The only thing that kept the tedium and tension lingering in the cool air at bay was watching Elsa in her Hammerfall dress. Anna wondered what went through her sister's mind as she paced back and forth in the corridor, her face changing so subtly one would not notice without his full attention.

Occasionally Elsa would turn to a window, but with the mist, she could not be looking outside. Anna imagined they were portals, allowing Elsa to heed some philosopher or military leader lost in history, her ancestors, or even gods from some ancient religion. Perhaps they revealed a set of branching paths leading to countless outcomes based on the decisions she made. Or maybe they were showing her enemies, how they would be acting now. It was as if she was playing chess- no, thought Anna, there is no luck in that game, and Elsa needed all the luck she could get.

How appropriate, she thought, that Elsa, who some began to call the Queen of Diamonds, was gambling against phantoms, risking everything for the wild card who stole her heart- no, Schmidt was not a joker, he deserved something more fitting for a commoner who was worth more than even a king... the Ace of Hearts! Anna grinned at her spark of creativity as she visualised him standing with Elsa looking equally determined. Never before did she appreciate just how well the two fit together.

Suddenly the air was rocked by a low, bellowing and unbelievably loud noise, as if a demon had possessed a church organ and heralded the beginning of the end times with its roar. Elsa, Anna and Kristoff rushed to the harbour where the sound came from. Everyone had gathered there, terrified children huddled behind their parents, saying a sea monster had come to swallow Arendelle whole. Even the waves seemed submissive in its calm as a giant tusk slowly pierced through the veil of the mist, followed by an imposing dark mass that resembled a bloated whale, belching thick fumes from the top and gargling water behind its steep wings.

What made it truly fearsome was that as it neared port, Anna noticed, among a manner of strange little protrusions and geometric shapes, the almost hidden profile of a chimney, and tucked under the "wings" were paddles; this beast was born not of Heaven or Earth, but of Man and steel. It was a steamship, an evolution of the experiment she witnessed at the state visit, and painted along the bow was its name: Regem Aquilonis.

The vessel came to a halt as it reached the pier. A squeaking sound was heard from a tall rectangular shape on portside, before hinging outwards, and dropped onto the pier with a metallic bang. This was a set of steps that allowed access to the ship, and from it, a company of soldiers marched onto the harbour, their dourness evident in plain olive livery and peaked caps that covered their eyes. As the last unit completed its formation, a lone figure stepped out. He was an officer, standing apart not just from his tall, confident stance, but also from his uniform and overcoat, black with mauve trim and a chained collar, and hung from his side was a horsewhip. His cap was adorned with a large metal symbol of the republic as he approached the sisters and introduced himself.

"Captain Peinwald of the Hammerfall expeditionary force. I must say, it's an honour to set foot on Arendelle, the fairest of the royal states, and it is most considerate of you to wear your gloves, Madame Elsa! The Grand General sends his regrets, but the insubordinates have gotten more restless since news of Schmidt's capture reached Hammerfall, and preventing them from openly revolting requires his full attention. He's placed me in command of the operation."

As he removed his cap, the top of his head was bald as a bean, broken by a thin strip of dirty blonde hair. The rest of it seemed to have migrated to his thick, briary beard. Dark rings surrounded pale blue eyes that sunk into his gaunt face. "Now," he added, "Do you have Schmidt ready?"

"Unfortunately," answered Elsa, "He's escaped. Our army is searching for him as we speak."

Peinwald stroked his beard, showing hints of what was either pensiveness or annoyance. To her surprise, he chuckled to himself. "I'd be amazed if he couldn't. Always a slippery one, he is, but I'm sure the Commander and his men will redeem themselves."

"So you're going to just wait?"

"Far from it. As a token of our appreciation for your support, Hammerfall invites you to a tour of our latest and greatest innovation! What stands before you is the very first Schildkröte frigate, apex predator of the seas!"

"Pardon me Captain," noted Anna, "But Hammerfall is nowhere near a sea!"

"That's besides the point Madame. To further strengthen the goodwill between us, the ministries have a proposal: When we have Schmidt, not only will the insubordinates stand down, but we will gift the Regem Aquilonis to you. We await your decision after the tour. Shall we?"

The first thing they noticed upon embarking was that the main deck was entirely enclosed, with steel on the outside and curved timber within, and the huge box funneling towards the top was only part of the engine. Anna was struck with both awe and fear, that it was more like being inside a giant's ribcage. "It's quite an unusual shape." she remarked.

"It has to be when you want a ship that can take a pounding," Peinwald replied, "The armour's shallow angles are designed so that the enemy's shots will harmlessly bounce off it. The inner wooden lining further dampens both its impact and noise."

Kristoff studied one of the guns. It was quite an advancement over those of other ships, most notably the spiralling grooves inside the barrel, and the ammunition was similar to bullets used in the army's rifles; elongated and housed in a brass casing of propellant. This did not escape Peinwald's attention. "Oh yes," he said, "This vessel can dish it out as well as take it! Allow me to demonstrate!"

Peinwald led them to the ship's wheel. Three rectangular chutes hung from the ceiling in front and to the sides. "These are periscopes." he explained, "They allow the pilot to see where he's going whilst under the ship's protection. There's also one above us at the lookout which can rotate, giving us better vision from all directions and- Madame!?"

Anna had already flown to the lookout as she swung around the device with gay abandon. "I can see everything from here!" she shouted, "Our home, North Mountain, even Weaseltown!"

"Weselton!" corrected Elsa. "Forgive her, Captain, she can be a little excited with new things."

Peinwald took a few moments to supress his ire. "Anyway," he said, "Take a look through the middle periscope, and may Madame Anna steer hers towards the front. See that large rock off the coast? It has stood there since time immemorial. It would take millions of years for nature to make even a crack, and the most powerful weapons would leave nothing more than a chip - until now. Fire!"

The bang from the cannon shook Elsa's body. In an instant the rock was engulfed in a fiery blast, hefty chunks flying and crashing into the sea, and as the resulting smoke dissipated, its remains were barely above the water.

"Impressive, Captain."

"Oh no Madame, it's the engineers who deserve the praise! Now, this ship is about to make a runaround, if you will, just so you can see the engine room in action. Come."

No sooner did they step through the door, the air was hot with the smell of metal and oil, so thick it felt as if they had to wade through it. Of the three, Anna was a little less bothered by it; Elsa wondered if all Hammerfall was like this. The room was more like a cavern, open and dark, mottled with a sickly yellow of lamps. Some were fastened to the engine, like sigils in worship of the beast's heart; two huge vats covered in a menagerie of pipes, cylinders and pistons, which were connected to other large moving parts, whirring, humming and hissing from the occasional vent of steam.

"The use of steam power was first discovered in ancient times," said Peinwald, "But nobody could figure out how to make it effective beyond novelty value. Thanks to our innovative spirit, Hammerfall has found the means to fully harness its potential. These boilers are heated so when the water inside evaporates, it's forced through to produce kinetic energy, which in turn powers the mechanisms that propel the entire vessel, before condensing back into the boiler as water, and the cycle begins again."

"That must require a lot of heat and pressure." said Kristoff. "In fact, it sounds dangerous!"

"Well observed Sir! That's why we employ only the best to work it."

Anna watched those who were in charge of the engine's operation, tirelessly keeping watch of countless dial and gauges, dripping in sweat as they also fed the firebox which provided the heat. The flames within were bright and furious, but it made her wince, for she imagined this was Hell, what Schmidt saw at the Red Morning, and reminding her of the nightmare. Elsa too peered in, but in contrast she appeared utterly enthralled, her face placid and eyes glazed over. Anna could not attain why she was like this, or why the vision touched her. Whatever it was, she had to step away from it - and bumped into a crewman, spilling coal onto the floor.

She picked up the lumps and apologised profusely, but in doing so stained her hands. In a fit of panic, she attempted to wipe them off, only to spread it to her arms and dress. Kristoff intervened, putting her in his hug until she calmed down. Elsa remained cool despite the embarassment of Anna and her husband covered in soot; she was more concerned with Peinwald's reaction, and his face was stiffer then usual, keeping himself from venting his own steam.

The ship was returning to port as they moved back to the main deck. "If our enemies are stupid enough and attempt to sink this," Peinwald said, "They will only fail, and they will keep failing until they learn not to mess with us again. Consider it further proof of the unbeakable bond between Arendelle and Hammerfall. But before your decision, do you have any questions?"

"How's Mr. Holstein?" asked Anna.

"He died."

Anna gasped in shock. Elsa was more constrained, but she was actually paralysed from the shadow that crept inside.

"None of us saw it coming. Said to have been a freak accident with his new farming equipment, that he was so excited with how the machinery worked."

That would be the official statement, thought Elsa, though she could not shake off the possibility it hid a more sinister explaination...

"Is that all Madame?"

"Yes."

"So I ask: Do you accept the offer?

"No."

Peinwald was startled as his face tightened, looking elsewhere in finding something else to say, but before he could, she added

"Forgive me Captain, but as queen, I must adhere to Arendelle's traditions, and since Schmidt is in my land, he is also subject to its laws. Having trespassed on royal grounds as well as absconding, he will face our punishments."

Peinwald's patience was beginning to wear thin, evidenced in how he was stroking his beard harder. "You do know Hammerfall won't take this kindly." he said quietly.

"Don't worry. I'll arrange the Red Morning trial to take place here as well. Like you said, ours is the fairest of the royal states, and we will ensure he recieves just that. I'm sure the citizens will understand."

"Are you absolutely sure about that?" he said with a pilfering glance, "Because if those rumours about the two of you are true, they'd be very understanding. Enough, perhaps, to side with the insubordinates."

Elsa remained unfazed by his threat, and continued to stand her ground. "And if what I hear is true, those same insubordinates want him dead. With the Grand General having to remain, that sounds like it's getting more dangerous over there. As a fellow soldier, shouldn't you be concerned with Schmidt's safety too?"

In the face of this impasse, Peinwald became visibly agitated, and paced around the trio. "Growing up," he said, "I was told House Arendelle has been lauded throughout history for standing by its ideals - to a fault, some would say. It seems each generation of your family has suffered some major mishap as a result of this, as what happened to your father."

His words struck Elsa's heart; it was only the gloves that prevented her true reaction being revealed. If he was referring to the duel, her acknowledging it would give him more leverage. She had to divert him with something equally relevant.

"Are you suggesting his dedication resulted in his death?"

"My apologies Madame! I didn't mean to sound like that! What happened to your parents was most unfortunate, but had they survived, I think they would have instilled some restraint to your sister."

"What has Anna got to do with this?"

"You say Schmidt is subject to Arendelle's laws did you not? Well, the Regem Aquilonis is currently in possession of the Martial Ministry, and as such, anyone on board is subject to their rules. As Commander, it's my duty to enforce them, so Madame Anna should be treated for her misbehaviour the same way my men would - with discipline!"

A crack was heard, followed by Anna yelping in pain, clutching her backside. Elsa was shocked and disgusted seeing Peinwald's smirk as he caressed his horsewhip. "That was uncalled for!" Kristoff said angrily.

"And what will you do, good Sir? Defend your wife's honour, pauper?"

Kristoff closed his fist and aimed at Peinwald's face, but was stopped by Elsa, her steeled eyes telling him not to play into the captain's game, and slowly he backed down. "Wise choice Madame," Peinwald snided, "You laying a finger on me would not only cause further embarassment, it could also be seen as an act of war. Will you still risk Hammerfall's wrath in keeping Schmidt for yourself?"

In the silence, Anna noticed the crew stopped working and watched with grave concern as Elsa and Peinwald stood like mountains, neither willing to compromise. She could almost taste the tension, as if each knew there was something about Schmidt, that he was instrumental to something, but she could not fathom why, and held onto Kristoff to hide her trembling. It was finally broken by Peinwald's curled lip.

"I hear you enjoy card games Madame. Well, I'm sure you'll enjoy this then."

He gestured elsewhere, and from the shadows came a soldier. His uniform was in the same colours as Peinwald, but his body was abnormally tall and thin, a walking beanstalk. Peinwald whispered to him as the walkway opened, and as soon as it hit the pier, the soldier sprinted outside like the wind. "Who's that?" asked Elsa.

"Glad you asked!" answered Peinwald. "Madame, you say your men will recapture him, did you not? That trooper is only one card from my hand, and I'll wager my reputation against yours, for I will showcase another of Hammerfall's innovations. I guarantee they will get Schmidt in my custody first, and you'll be unable to do anything about it."

"Who are they?"

"The Jagdhunde."

Looking outside, the mist had cleared, yet it only appeared more bleak as heavy snowfall took its place. Deep down, Elsa prayed Heaven was on her side.