Chapter 10

Populace

The coffee was bitter, just as Elsa liked it. Bitter, hot, and darker than the smoldering ashes that fell into the fireplace as she watched the flames slowly consume the pine logs, bark crackling atop. Odd that I like to watch fire so much. She took another gulp of coffee. If she was dreary before, she certainly wasn't now. How did I survive mornings without this?

Anna was still blind to the glories of the coffee bean, as Elsa liked to put it. Normally, at this hour, Anna would be sipping her tea while telling Elsa everything she did the day before and what she was planning on doing that day, even though Elsa'd already heard it from her already. Anna loved to talk, there was no denying that, and Elsa loved to listen. Elsa would comment on her often grandiose daily plans, while letting the caffeine work its magic on her sleepy morning head. The mornings were Elsa's favorite way to spend time with her sister, usually.

But today the queen drank alone. Gerda had lit a fire for her, a needless precaution against the increasing chilly morns of Arendelle. Elsa hardly noticed the dropping temperatures of autumn, but she appreciated the fire for a solemn company if nothing else.

Anna, Elsa knew, would be down in the dining hall, nervously sitting with Kristoff and attempting to entertain the guests. The two foreign rangers, and her. Anna had told Elsa all about their excursion the day prior, the tour given by an enthusiastic Kristoff to various places of interest in Arendelle. Elsa felt bad about leaving them for Anna to handle. I needed a day. Just one day.

Elsa had been thinking about the visitors. The old man, the young man, and Lea. Images of the withering fern crept into her mind. She heard the words the woman spoke. The season of death. She'd said them with such certainty, such conviction, that even after she'd doubled back Elsa was frightened. Elsa took a sip out of her coffee to find it had chilled.

She had wanted to turn them out, revoke any hospitality offered and have them out of her mind. But she'd had an almost morbid curiosity. Someone, someone who claims to be like me seeks me out. The prospect was too fantastical for her to simply reject. But even beyond this, there was something about the sorceress that made Elsa want to keep her within arm's reach. There's more to her than I know.

This uncertainty is precisely, however, what made her so reluctant to reach out. Anna's words rung in her ears, yet again.

"I don't trust them Elsa. There's something… off about them."

I can't disagree.

Kristoff, Elsa was told, held no such reservations, and in fact had become fast friends with the old one. Elsa hardly used him as a gauge of trustworthiness, but it was worth considering.

Still, she had promised to breakfast with them today, and here she sat in her quarters alone, while they were most certainly finishing their morning meal. Why can't I do it?

Elsa thought about the repercussions of her actions. They'll think me rude. Shunting them aside. A thought occurred to her. Maybe they'll be offended and leave! Problem solved. Elsa took a sip of her now iced coffee. She wasn't smiling. Why aren't I smiling?

Elsa thought for a minute, then laboriously exhaled. I don't want them gone.

The mantlet was tight around her throat, and the gown was too heavy.

"...Queen Elsa, Protector of Arendelle, Lady of the North."

Finally.

Through the doors she came, in the colors of Arendelle dressed, and with the pace of a monarch. Her face a practiced stone carving that was a perfect mixture of aloof and shrewd. Her platinum hair was bunned tightly, not a hair out of place, Gerda had helped her make sure of that. She was the image of Arendelle royalty, excepting the noticeably absent tiara.

Elsa called the session to order and promptly sat on her throne. The room was quite full, as it often was on these days, because the people of Arendelle loved nothing more than to voice their complaints to the Queen herself. In addition, since her household guard had insisted that she cut these meetings from twice to only once per week for security, there was nearly twice the usual amount of bodies stuffed into the room.

The first one to step up to the steps of the throne was some merchant lord, rich and influential but not enough so to be amongst the emissaries and diplomats that receive their own time. Lucky him, I pay much more attention on these days. Elsa knew that she should be giving her full consciousness to all matter put before her, but she also noticed a significantly higher percentage of hot air in those meetings. The merchant likely would have felt more at home amongst the dignitaries, as he was spending far too long introducing himself and explaining why he was important. You'll make a noble yet. The queen took the time to survey the room. Anna wouldn't be there, as she was with Kristoff entertaining the guests. Elsa missed her already. But as she scanned, she saw the usual faces of the older Arendellians that never missed a time to see the queen, a gaggle of school children, probably on a class outing, various angry looking civilians, and… her.

Lea, and only Lea, was sat in the front pew, center-side. Almost directly in front of her. How did she get that seat? How did I not notice her? She was dressed in one of Anna's formal dresses, a muted green without any of the usual garnish that made it fancy enough to wear to court. She looked a proper commoner, especially since the dress fit so poorly. She looked comfortable, and calmly watching her. Elsa realized they were making extended eye contact. She looked away a bit too quickly, and was startled to find the merchant looking expectantly at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm… thinking about it. If you would, please run the crux of the issue by me again, it's an interesting one."

The man looked like he could end himself. "Your majesty, I was asking if the royal family was in need of mercenary services. I've recently become affiliated with a group called the Thirteenth Company, who offers services not only in mercenary work, but in intelligence gathering and-"

Elsa had heard enough. "Thank you, but no. Arendelle has no interest in such ventures at this time."

"Very well", the man huffed as he walked away. She had no sympathy for the man. Soldier peddling will not be indulged in my court. As several people jostled for the next opportunity to address the queen, Elsa looked to Lea again. She was in the same position, still looking intently at her, but with a sly smile now.

The next man who shoved his way to the front was a farmer, or at least Elsa assumed from the rural attire.

"Y'majesty, the harvest continues to disappoint. Me'n my fellows are worried that there won't be enough food to satisfy the need for all of Ar'ndelle. We'll keep workin', but it's a scary thought."

He looked the queen defiantly in the eyes. He didn't say what he wanted to, but his pupils implied louder than his throat ever could. My winter. You don't have to remind me.

"I know that certain… events have made yours and other farmer's work difficult these past weeks, and we all know that agriculture is the backbone of Arendelle. Please, speak to our treasurer and we will make sure that you are well equipped for the rest of the harvest. And if need be, we will import food to meet demand."

The man nodded a thank you, but Elsa doubted it was sincere. I've ruined a harvest and possibly starved Arendelle. Small crystals of ice formed under her palms, resting on the throne's arms. She pulled her hands away when she realized what she was doing. Elsa's little gasp caught the attention of Lea, who suddenly looked concerned. The queen, however, smoothed her dress and pretended nothing had happened, even as rivulets of melting ice dripped from the gilded throne.

The day dragged on with complaint after complaint, petition after petition, request after request. My poor scribe. The bespectacled man who sat just feet from Elsa had been writing ever word spoken, and she could only imagine the immense pain his hands must be in. I sign things for a few hours and my hand feels like it's going to come off.

There was nothing really of note, trivial matters to Elsa. She did her best to look engaged whenever one of her subjects would rant about whatever minor violation his neighbor was committing and how it was the worst thing to ever happen to the small kingdom's capital. Elsa would do her best to settle what she could, and offer what she could to ease the tensions of her people. Gods know I need that.

Lea continued to watch, seemingly rapt, the court affairs. It looked like the foreign girl was genuinely fascinated by even the most mundane of issues brought forth, though Elsa was not unaware that it was her that Lea was looking at most. She wants something from me.

More vandalism had happened in the towns, Elsa knew. Her guards were bringing back new examples of dissent almost every day, though since the riot on the gates, none had dared assemble publicly. Even in these meetings she was reminded by the populace that her rule was not by a universal writ of the people.

A shopkeep had hobbled forward as the day was winding to a close, brittle grey hair falling down to her waist. "Your majesty, vandals attacked my store window and destroyed a portrait of your late father and yourself that were hanging there. I lost so much stock in the attack. I don't know if I can recover from this."

A tear rolled down the wrinkled cheek of the woman, and it didn't take long for Elsa to authorize a large transfer of funds from the Crown of Arendelle, (which had become a very ironic name for the personal bank of the royalty), to Frithunn's General Goods Store.

It wasn't until the dying sun washed the room in a warm red glow that she finally decided the conference could end. Not everyone had their chance to speak, but Elsa would not have it extending into the night, the only rest she'd had all day was a short break for lunch. Mmmm, lutefisk.

After her short closing ritual, and Kai's official farewell of royalty, Elsa was almost running to change out of her stuffy clothes. She pushed the door open, and heard it swing behind her. But then she noticed, or rather, didn't notice something. Elsa expected the door to make that familiar click as it closed on the hinges. It didn't though, and Elsa took several seconds before turning around.

Somehow she wasn't surprised to see Lea standing there. She was more surprised to see her at least attempt a curtsy. Etiquette. That's a new trick.

"Queen Elsa."

"Leanora."

The tension was thick enough to choke on.

"I'd like to apologize for what happened that day, again." She drew breath. "And to hopefully talk to you again. It's not urgent, but I feel I need to."

Decision time.

Elsa stood there looking at the princess of wanderers. She wasn't wearing the sly smile from earlier, but rather a stoic not-quite-frown, one that exemplified the weight she put on this discussion. The amber jewels that were her eyes told a story of self-doubt, and Elsa took the time to explore the pools of emotion before snapping back to reality.

"Not, not at this moment. I'm sorry, I can't do it."

Lea's face fell. Her mouth drooped into a frown, her eyes weakened and swiveled to stare at the carpet, and finally her neck let gravity take it's toll. Oh. Elsa was not expecting such a reaction, and not knowing what to do, she turned and started walking away. Say something. Say something.

Elsa stopped walking, and turned around just enough to look at the crestfallen Lea that had started shuffling away in Anna's ill-fitting shoes.

"You'll... You're not going to leave, are you?"

Lea stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Elsa. She shook her head almost violently.

"Good."

Good?

…

Good.