Hearing the loud cheering from the village, and seeing her sister returned and appeared to be fine as she saw her through the window. Anna could only assume the demonstration went well.
Not long after Elsa returned, Anna's bedroom door open and in came Gerda who had promised Anna she would tell her what happened since Anna could not be there to watch.
"Gerda," Anna cried. "What happened?"
"It was wonderful your Grace," Gerda gasped as she was a little out of breath from running to her room. "The Queen made an entire mountain of ice, I couldn't believe it."
"And Elsa, how is she?"
"She is alright, your Grace. In fact, I've haven't seen her look so happy in a long time."
Anna collapsed on her bed in relief. She was still hear broken about her and Kristoff, but she was glad to hear the demonstration went well, and that her sister was fine.
But then Gerda's smile dropped. "But I'm afraid there is some bad news. The Queen of the Southern Isles has demanded that you be put on trial for murdering her son, and Elsa has agreed."
Anna's shot up from her bed. "Elsa agreed, why?"
"I'm sorry your Grace, but that is the law. And as Queen of Arendelle, your sister has to agree to it."
"Where is Elsa now?" asked Anna, remembering seeing walk into the castle with Hans and the other dignitaries.
"She is in the counsel room with the dignitaries to discuss their trading planes and to prepare for your trial in three days."
"Three days?" Anna looked at her feet as she thought about this. "I hope Elsa knows what she's going."
"Out of the question!" said the Duke. "Queen Elsa can hardly be the judged for her own sister's trail."
"I feel I must agree," said the French dignitary looking at Elsa. "Putting your Grace in such an position where your personal feelings for your sister, might make it difficult for you to pass judgment if she is found guilty."
"But if not her Grace. Then who?" asked the German dignitary.
"It must be someone of an high authority," said the Irish dignitary. "One of us perhaps?"
The room was silent for a moment, as the men at the table stared at one another, till Hans stood up, cleared his throat. "Queen Elsa, I volunteer myself to be the judge of your sister's trail, if you wish it."
Since she could not be the judge, and no one else offered to be it, Elsa answered. "Yes, Prince Hans. I would like you to be the judge of the trail."
Hans sat back down. "Thank you your Grace. And I think it would be better if the trial's jury be members from outside of Arendelle, since all the people here love Anna far too much to let them decided."
Elsa had to agree with that, and it was decided that the dignitaries and a few other royal guests in Arendelle, be the jury.
"Now then," said Hans. "The trial will also need two representatives, one for the Queen of the Southern Isles, and one for Princess Anna. My mother will choose hers but who shall defend Anna?"
Elsa looked at Kia standing at the door. "My Head Steward Kia, could be the one."
However, Hans disapproved. "Princess Anna will need someone of a higher status to represent her. No offence Kia."
"I perfectly understand, Prince Hans," Kia replied.
But then who?" asked the Duke. "If all of us are going to be the jury, who else is left to defend the Princess?"
At that moment, the doors to the room open and in came Eugene, still in his common and ruffled cloths. "Your Highness, and the rest of you, please forgive me for being late. I was just sending letters to Corona, informing the king to send his ships here as fast as he…"
He stopped talking when he saw everyone staring at him oddly. "What?"
Everyone was thinking it, but Hans was the first to speak it. "Ambassador Fitzhurbert, we were just discussing the trail for Princess Anna, and have agreed that I shall be the judge, while the dignitaries be part of the jury."
Eugene walked to his seat. "That sounds like a plan."
Hans nodded. "Yes, and we would like it if you would be Anna's representative and defender at the trial."
Eugene's mouth gapped open. "I'm sorry, but did you just say, you would like me to be defending the princess?"
"Yes."
"And you really think that's such a good idea?"
"I agree," said the Duke to Hans. "Selecting an former outlaw to be defending the Princess, seems wrong."
"Yes," said Eugene. "I'm with the Duke of Wesel Town on this one."
"It's Weselton!"
"Ambassador Fitzhurbert," Hans spoke. "The Princess requires someone of a high position for such an honorable task. And since the other dignitaries have agreed to be the jury, you are all that's left in Arendelle."
Eugene looked at the dignitaries. "Any of you gentlemen want to trade places?"
Hans frowned. "You do not believe the Princess to be innocent?"
Eugene saw how the men glared at him and how Elsa looked a little hurt, and tried to explain himself. "No. But if you recall, I spent most of my life tying to escape from justice and the law, not upholding it."
"But you said it yourself, you are a reformed man," Hans pointed out. "And I'm sure your be more and able for the task."
"I still don't think this is such a good idea," said Eugene.
Hear, hear." Said the Duke.
Hans was going to say something, when Elsa stood up and faced Eugene with her sad blue eyes. "Ambassador, I know you do not feel comfortable with this. But my sister's life is at stake, so I ask you to please accept this offer of defending Princess Anna."
Eugene stared at Elsa, glanced at the other men, then back at her, before sighing. "Very well, I shall defend you sister at the trail."
Elsa breathed. "Thank you," she sat down again. "The trail will be in three days."
Eugene almost choked. "Three days! I don't know if I can be ready in that time."
"My Head Steward Kia, will help you in anyway he can, and I'm sure Prince Hans shall provide all the information he has gathered the last few days, is that correct?" Elsa looked at the prince.
"Of course, your Majesty," replied Hans. "He will have what ever he needs to prove Anna's innocence."
"I highly doubt it," the Duke mumbled.
The meeting soon ended after that, and Elsa waked down he halls of her castle, with Hans besides her. "I'm sorry about this. For what my mother has done."
"I understand. I only wish there wasn't a need for a trail.
Hans sighed. "Forgive me, your Grace. I've have tried my best, but I still don't know who it was that framed Princess Anna."
"it's alright Hans," said Elsa as they reached her office and she began to step inside. "Please, continue on and help Ambassador Fitzhurbert as best you can."
Hans bowed. "As you wish," then walked away.
When he was alone, he grinned. This is going better than I expected. And all I had to do was slip to mother the idea of a trail. Now, once Anna is found guilty, Elsa will do anything to save her. Putting her under my power.
"We have many books concerning the laws of Arendelle, Ambassador Eugene," said Kia as he, Eugene and another servant where in the library, gathering all the law books and placing them on a round table.
"So I've noticed," said Eugene looking over the books as well as the notes and documents Hans had made concerning the investigation. He was now in his formal wear of dark, purple, and gold.
"I will help you in going over these books and notes," said Kia as the other servant placed the last book on the table than left. "Shall we begin?"
"Actually," Eugene then spoke. "I would like Princess Anna to be here with us as we go over the notes concerning the murder."
Kia faced him questionably. "And why may I ask, do you wish that?"
"I'd like to hear her own opinion and her side of the story as I review the murder. Plus, I think it would be easier to defend her if I got to know her better."
Kia thought a moment. "Yes, I see your point. I'll have the princess escorted here, but it will take time for her to prepare."
"Alright then," Eugene took a seat at the table. "And lease have someone bring me ink and paper."
"I've never meet a thief before, especially the most famous thief in the world," said Anna, as Gerda was just about finish with her hair.
Although Anna preferred to dress and prepare by herself. Gerda insisted, she and her other handmaidens, help the princess get ready to meet the Eugene.
"Ex-thief, your Grace," Gerda corrected her. "He is now an official Ambassador from our sister kingdom, Corona."
"What is he like?" Anna then asked her handmaidens.
"Well…" said Jane with big dimples on her cheeks. "For an outlaw, he seems quite the gentleman. Very polite, and friendly."
"But what does he look like?" with her hair done, Anna stood up and faced her.
Jane's eyes looked to the side. "Well, tall…lean, but he looks strong, and.."
"Jane," said the other handmaiden. "Just show here the wanted poster."
Jane turned bright red, and Anna asked. "Wanted poster?"
Jane sighed, then pulled put the wanted poster she found in the counsel chamber, and showed Anna the face on it.
Anna stared. "Whoa, he looks...nice."
"I know!" Jane giggled as she looked at Eugene's face on the poster again. "And he's the one who found and rescued the Lost Princess of Corona."
"Really?" asked Anna. "That sounds, very…"
"Romantic!" Jane burst out.
"Alright that's enough," said Gerda. "Anna, you can stand her talking about him, or we can go now and meet him. He is waiting for you in the library."
"Alright," said Anna, taking a moment to look at her tall mirror. She was wearing one of her less formal dresses of light blue and green, with her hair tied into two braids.
Kia waited outside her room and escorted her to the library. When the doors opened, he said. "Presenting, Princes Anna of Arendelle."
A little nervous, Anna walked in to see a single man sitting at a round table, overflowing with books and papers. The man was in the middle of writing something when he stood and knelt before her.
"Princess Anna, it is pleasure to meet you. I am Ambassador Regent Eugene Fitzhurbert of Corona. I have been assigned to defending you at your trial."
Never very good with introductions, Anna awkwardly curtsied. "Thank you Sir. It is also nice to meet you and also nice that you are defending me."
Eugene stood up. "Yes it is," he then gestured to one of the seats at the table. "Please, take a seat. I will be with you in a moment."
Eugene went back to his writing and Anna saw he had written a letter addressed to Corona. Eugene then put it in an envelope and handed it to Kia. "Please, have you messenger birds deliver this."
Kia left to call a servant. With Anna's guards standing outside the room, she was now alone with the ex-thief.
Curious, Anna couldn't help but ask. "What was that letter?"
Surprised, Eugene replied. "Oh, just for someone very important and very special."
"Someone special, like a princess?"
Eugene faced her. "You certainly ask a lot of questions."
"Sorry," Anna shrunk in her seat at his stare. "It's just that, I guess I'm a little nervous. I mean, I've never been on trial for a murder before. Not that I've ever been on trail at all, it's just that, being a murderer is a terrible thing in Arendelle. At least more terrible than something else like a thief."
Anna's eyes grew big as she realized she might have just insulted Eugene. "Not that I think being a thief is bad, I mean, thieves are bad, but you're an ex-thief so it's okay. I mean, you used to be a thief, but you are no longer. So you're no longer bad. Right?"
Eugene, staring at her oddly, cleared his throat. "Ah… yes, I am no longer a thief, so I guess I'm no longer bad."
"Oh great!" Anna breathed in relief. "So, have you ever been in a court before?"
"Several times actually," Eugene as he began to examine one of the books on the table. "But never as the defender."
Really?" the princess asked. "Then what as?"
"The defendant."
"Oh," Anna looked down and stared at the books. "Who did you have defending you?"
"No one," said Eugene as he turned the page. "There never was really a trial, just the sentencing, which was always the same, death by hanging."
Anna thought a moment confused. "Wait, how could you have been sentenced to death more than once?"
"Simple, I escaped each time before they could pass out the sentencing. Then I get captured again in a different kingdom."
Anna couldn't help herself. "Wow! You've escaped from so many deferent kingdoms across Europe? You must be very amazing."
Eugene also couldn't help but smile cockily as he put the book down. "Well yes, I am very amazing. But enough about me," he leaned across the table at her. "Lets talk about your trail, starting with asking you this. Did you poison your husband?"
"What?" cried Anna. "Why would you ask me that?"
"Because I want to know the truth," he was leaning so close, his eyes were locked with hers. "I want to hear it for your own mouth. Did you or did you not, kill Prince Haldor."
Anna felt startled at first, but she summoned her courage and stared back into his eyes. "No, I did not kill him."
"Do you know who did?"
"No."
"Did you know he was going to be murdered?"
"NO!"
"Ambassador Fitzhurbert, I have delivered your letter…oh," Kia walked in and saw Eugene leaning close to Anna. "May I ask what are you doing?"
Eugene sat back in his seat. "Nothing, I was just asking the Princess a few questions, but now I'm ready to defend her as best as I can."
"Oh," asked Kia. "And why is that?"
"Because I know she is completely innocent."
"You do?" asked Anna. "How?"
Eugene gave another one of his smirks. "I have my ways. Now, I shall go over the details of the murder. Kia, I would like you to research these books, while I do."
"As you wish Sir," said Kia.
"What about me?" asked Anna.
"You are going to go over the these papers with me and tell which ones are true," Eugene then looked at them both. "Shall we begin?"
