Chapter 13: The Promise
"Anna…" Aunt Elsa whispered so softly that only those of us beside her could hear. She followed her sister helplessly with her gaze. Mama didn't even look back. She stomped to the castle with her heels clattering soundly across the cobblestones. Each step she took felt like a defiant jab at the Admiral and her sister.
A moment later, I felt a movement shift beside me, and Papa followed after her. His eyes were downcast so he would not meet my aunt's pleading expression for support. His exit was not as dramatic as my mother's but I felt the same level of animosity with him towards Admiral Westergard. I knew everyone else in the kingdom felt it.
As soon as both my parents disappeared, I felt hundreds of pairs of eyes reverted to me. I knew they were waiting for me to make a move. Was I going to follow in my parents' footsteps or will I stay beside my aunt? I don't know my parents' reasons for distrusting the Admiral so much they would insult him by walking out of his honor ceremony. But I trusted my aunt's judgment and I did owe the Admiral my life. So my feet stayed and I kept my head up and my expression even.
Admiral Westergard made his way up the dais, seemingly oblivious to the crowd's stares. Aunt Elsa met his eyes and gave him an apologetic expression. He returned it with a rather reassuring glance that communicated that he understood.
My aunt continued the ceremony as if nothing happened. As she shook his hand I could see people whispering to each other though I couldn't hear what they were saying. When he moved down the line to me and offered me a hand, I took it and tried to ignore the whispers I knew were growing among the crowd.
"Congratulations and welcome home Admiral," I said to him in my most diplomatic tone.
"I appreciate it Prince Fredrik. Thank you," he said warmly. I knew he wasn't thanking me for the praise but rather for staying here.
"No, I should be thanking you," I replied. "You saved my life once. I remembered."
"It was nothing," he said. "You helped me more than you can imagine."
I wanted to ask him why but he moved down the line to shake hands with my sisters who were unfazed by the little drama that just unfolded. He stepped off the dais not a moment longer than necessary and returned to his place with the other soldiers.
"Thank you all," Aunt Elsa finally said. "The sacrifices of all our soldiers and citizens have bought us our peace. As Queen, I cannot ask for more. We shall have feasting throughout the night. Let the celebrations begin."
She conjured up a cloud that created a long ice show that distracted the crowds while she stepped back. She hugged my sisters who were too busy watching her little ice display to return her embrace. She didn't seem offended and turned to me. I had a million questions to ask her but something held me back when I saw her face. She looked incredibly tired and sad. I settled for hugging her instead.
"Oh Fredrik, I've missed you," she said as she held me tightly. "I heard you were keeping things running while I was away."
"It's nothing," I replied. "Mama and Papa are doing most of it. I was just helping along."
"But you're helping keep spirits alive and that's important. I see you've improved on weaving your ice. That was an impressive display earlier and you've even managed to bring down the Marshmallows."
"Thanks Aunt Elsa, I've been practicing really hard."
She held my face with her hands and kissed the top of my head. "We'll talk later, alright? Go and have fun tonight with your sisters."
I nodded and she went off to follow Mama into the castle. I was curious as to what exactly was going on. I waited for half a minute then followed my aunt. The castle halls were nearly empty as everyone, including the servants were busy with the celebrations outside. I caught up with her just outside one of the drawing rooms—our favorite one where we often gathered for family conversations. I heard her speaking to Papa.
"She's in there. She wants to talk to you," Papa said evenly.
"Give us a minute," Aunt Elsa replied.
"Elsa, I know it's not my place to question your decisions and you have your reasons, but please… please do listen to Anna."
"I always do Kristoff."
I heard the door open followed by footsteps. I quickly hid behind a curtain until I was certain my father was gone. The door to the drawing room was left ajar and I had no trouble slipping into it without being seen. My sisters and I were used to sneaking into this room for surprise birthday parties. There was so much furniture to hide behind that we could do it easily without being detected by the people that were already within. However, I need not even worry about being seen. My mother and aunt were too caught up in a heated argument to even notice me there.
"You promoted him!" My mother's words were sharp and accusing. It was the first time I ever heard her speak like that to her sister.
"Yes, I promoted him. I need him to lead the fleet and plan us a way to win the war. That's exactly what he did."
"There are others. It didn't have to be him."
"Who else is there to promote?" Aunt Elsa argued. "Kaj is dead! Anbjorn is too old and he's injured. Gulbrand? The man wanted to surrender without a fight and couldn't even plan a way for us to get out of the predicament we were in. No one else has the experience or the seniority. I've delayed his promotion long enough. I've had other people with lesser skills promoted over him for years."
"And rightly so. Aren't you forgetting who he is? Or what he's done?" Mama shouted. I was startled by the intensity of her voice. I've never seen my mother this angry before. I wondered even more what Admiral Westergard had done to make her act this way.
"Anna, I've never forgotten," Aunt Elsa said calmly. "But it's been sixteen years. He's worked hard for this. He's served Arendelle countless times. He's won us two wars. Isn't that enough?"
Two wars? What other war did she mean? Was it the conflict five years ago with Gormund? But I've never even heard of Admiral Westergard back then.
"It will never be enough!" Mama broke through my thoughts with her firm opposition. She fixed a steady gaze at her sister. "Why are you doing this Elsa? How can you trust him so much that you would place him as the head of Arendelle's military?"
Aunt Elsa turned her back on her sister and looked out the window into the moonlit fjord below. "It's not about trust Anna. It's about protecting our people and doing what's best for them."
Mama stood behind her. "How do you know he will protect our people and not his own interests?"
Aunt Elsa was silent for a long time and all I could hear were faint traces of the celebration songs of the peasants that filtered into the room. She seemed to be listening to their joyful voices and a tiny smile lit her face at the thought. "Because his interests and mine are the same."
"What do you mean?" Mama asked.
Aunt Elsa turned to face my mother. "He defends Arendelle the same as I do."
Mama scoffed. "I have trouble believing that. I know he's been trying to build that reputation of reform for years. He's not fooling me one bit. Not again. Underneath his display of courage, he's a selfish man who would commit murder to get what he wants."
"So am I!" Aunt Elsa thundered that I was startled. "I'm just as guilty as he is!"
Mama too looked taken aback. "What are you talking about? Whatever it is he did, Elsa, you're innocent."
Aunt Elsa shook her head sadly. "No, I'm not. Not anymore. Not since the war council in Tastris."
"What do you mean?" Mama asked.
Aunt Elsa's lip quivered and then she began to speak…
I stared out into the ocean beyond the wall that enclosed the castle of Tastris. I let the salty air dry the tears that fell down my cheeks moments ago when I left my captains in that drawing room. The moon was full and cast a golden glow on the waters and the bubbly froth of crashing waves.
I shut my eyes and imagined the coast of Arendelle. I can almost see the many faces of the peasants, the servants, my courtiers and family looking up at me from the shoreline. Their expressions begged me to come home and save them. How long could they possibly hold out in a siege? I trusted Anna, Kristoff and Fredrik will do everything they can but there was no assurance they will ever come out of this alive. I had to do something soon or everything I love will die.
Hans' plan was sound, it was true, but it was also cruel. Would I trade off the lives of my people for the lives of the people in Weselton?
I heard footsteps behind me and I knew it was him. It was time to confront him head on.
"Why did you save my life?" I asked without turning around. "You could have let that pirate kill me."
"Your Majesty…" he began but I didn't let him finish.
"Why it's a ridiculous question, isn't it?" I said sarcastically. I faced him and eyed him from head to toe. He didn't flinch. "We both know exactly why."
"Queen Elsa, if I may—"
"Call me Elsa, Hans," I told him as I met those pair of green eyes that looked so innocent. I knew the danger that lurked within those depths and I was ready to call him out on them. "I think the formalities ought to end when we're alone. Let's be honest with each other. You saved me because I was a weapon you needed."
He dropped the innocent look and I felt a slight satisfaction at this more open version of him. "You're quite right, Elsa. I do need you," he admitted. "I'm not going to lie to you. I've never lied to you before and I'm not going to start now."
I was about to protest that he did once—when he told me Anna was dead because of me. But then I realized that from his point of view he wasn't lying. He thought Anna was dead by then by my hand and not his. I wondered if maybe he had been truthful at least to me all along. A strange uncomfortable sensation went through me at this puzzle of a man.
"So yes, I saved your life because I need you. I'm asking now—begging if need be—to help me save Arendelle from Weselton."
"Why do you even care? Arendelle is my kingdom. They're my people, not yours."
He flashed me a hurt look as if I slapped him. "They're just as mine as they are yours."
That was the last thing I expected him to say and I was confused. "What are you talking about?"
He gave a bitter laugh. "You still don't get it, do you?" He paced for a bit but without dropping his gaze at me. "I am a man without a country, Elsa. After I was stripped of my title, my citizenship to the Southern Isles and even my very blood relations, I had nothing left. You can't imagine how that feels. All my life I've tried to grasp at a place to belong to and suddenly even the country I was born in didn't want me."
"You deserved it," I said harshly. "You tried to take away something that wasn't yours and tried to destroy our lives in the process."
"I don't expect you to understand. You never had to fight for something you didn't have. You're the heir, just like my oldest brother. You take for granted things that were given by virtue of being first born. I wasn't so lucky. And when I got a second chance in Arendelle, I grabbed it. And you know what I found out?"
"That you had another chance at power?" I mocked.
He shook his head. "Quite the opposite. It didn't even matter to me that I wasn't a prince anymore. As a common soldier I was needed, I was accepted. I felt like I had a home for the first time in my life in Arendelle. I know it's hard for you to believe and I don't blame you. You have no reason to trust me. But you don't need to, to know I'm on your side."
"And why is that?" I asked.
"What could I possibly gain by betraying you? No other country will take me. I'm already branded as a regicide across the region. My brother Sigurd made sure of that. For the last eight years since I came back to your shores I've done nothing but try to build my life back and make it mean something. Everything I have is in Arendelle. If it loses this war, I lose everything. Those soldiers in there are not just my crewmates. They're my brothers like my real brothers were never to me. The citizens of Arendelle are all the family I will ever have. I would do anything to keep them safe."
I was astonished at his revelation. Was it possible that Hans found love with the very same people I cared for? I've kept my eye on him for years. Despite granting him citizenship, I never trusted him. I had Admiral Rochport and my other advisers report to me on his activities on a regular basis. One wrong move, even a hint of him being out of line, I vowed to send him out of Arendelle. But he never did. He was everything a good loyal soldier was and he was even better than most, though I never acknowledged it despite Rochport's recommendations. I kept telling myself it was all an act, but was it possible his efforts were genuine?
"I'm asking you again," he said with his voice choking. "Help me do this Elsa, please."
"By murdering possibly hundreds of innocent civilians?" I replied. "I can't."
"We are at war," he emphasized. "Weselton will not hesitate to strike at our own civilians back home once they breach your wall. We need to act soon. We have an opportunity now—and it's most likely not going to come our way again. This is the only way."
I knew he was right, but the idea of mass murder was something I couldn't think I could live with. I turned my back on him again and faced the sea. "You once told me not to be a monster that other people fear I am. Now you're asking me to be a monster."
"I'm not asking you to be a monster. I'm asking you to be a mother. A mother who will protect her people at all costs."
"Even if it means killing other mothers' children?" I argued.
"A she-wolf will not hesitate to kill a nest of little birds to feed her cubs. It's the law of survival."
"We're not animals, Hans. Certainly we're more civilized than that."
"Are we really?" he asked. I felt his hands on my arms. His touch was warm yet hinted of danger but I did not shrug it off. He whispered to me ever so gently though his words were menacing: "Elsa, would it be more civilized for us to let our people die if we let ourselves lose this war by not acting on the way we can save them?"
I remained silent for I was afraid to admit that he was right. I thought of Anna and Kristoff and their girls, Fredrik and Olaf and all the rest of my citizens. Would I ever see them again? I knew the answer to that. The price of their lives was my soul.
"Elsa, if this is something that your conscience cannot take then I will gladly absolve you from it. It's my plan and I take full responsibility for any deaths."
I turned to face him. "You cannot absolve me. I will be the one to do it."
His words were calm but his eyes flashed with danger. "You can just be my weapon, Elsa. A weapon bears no guilt to what it kills. It's the man that pulls the trigger who does. I can be that man if I have to be."
He was threatening to force me. I knew exactly what this dangerous man is capable of. He could stage an insurrection against me and most likely the other captains would back him up. I should be afraid of him. His body was so close to me he could seriously hurt me right now if he wanted. Yet I felt no fear of him and met his gaze with my own steely one.
"What you're suggesting is treason. I could have you executed," I hissed at him.
His face was so close to mine I could feel the warmth of his breath. "Then execute me. I'll even surrender to you once this is all over. I'd gladly forfeit my life if I can secure the safety of Arendelle." He said it with such a firm resolve that I knew it wasn't a bluff. He already attempted a suicide mission before to save our fleet once. I was sure he would do it again.
"I'm already a murderer, Elsa," he continued. "I've killed before and I won't hesitate to kill again—even civilians if I need to. There's no salvation for me. I've known that all along. I will sell even my soul to protect the ones I love."
He said it in a way that disturbed yet touched me at the same time. If there was one thing I was sure about Hans was that he had an unbreakable determination to obtain what he wanted. Now I realized what he wanted so much was also what I wanted—the safety of the people I loved and sworn to protect—even if it means sacrificing himself. A surge of shame came over me. I was Arendelle's leader—it was my duty to ensure their survival. Yet here was a man who would willingly do that for me. How could I let this man take upon himself the burden of guilt in protecting Arendelle? Does my innocence matter more than my own people?
No, it does not. So heaven help me, I'll burn in hell for this. But I'll do so next to the man who loved my people just as fiercely as I did.
I took his hand in mine. "I don't want your life or the sacrifice of your soul Hans. I'll do it willingly with you."
His face lit with relief. He fell to one knee in front of me and brought my hand to his lips. I closed my eyes as I felt a warm sensation from his kiss spreading through my entire body. It felt much like the love I experienced when I first thawed my icy kingdom.
Silence kept on long after Aunt Elsa stopped speaking. I understood my mother for not knowing what to say. Even though I already knew from the stories I've heard all afternoon of the decisions my aunt had to do, it was still unsettling to hear her admit that she willingly agreed to commit the murder of innocents to save her people.
"Elsa…" Mama finally uttered as she embraced her sister tightly. Aunt Elsa hugged her back and I thought that maybe Mama would finally relent and accept Admiral Westergard but her next words convinced me otherwise.
"He threatened you, Elsa. How dare he!"
"Anna haven't you been listening—" Aunt Elsa began but Mama pulled away.
"No! Can't you see, Elsa? He's an even bigger threat than before! He's wormed his way back. He has power now and he's a lot closer!"
"Anna, I don't believe that."
Mama stared at her as if she was insulted. "You don't believe? Elsa, just because he says he doesn't care for your crown, doesn't mean it's true. For heaven's sake, open your eyes!" She gasped as if she realized something. "Elsa, is he trying to… are you two… people were saying you two are…"
I didn't exactly know what Mama was talking about but Aunt Elsa seemed to understand. She looked horribly uncomfortable. "No, of course not."
Mama didn't seem convinced by her reply. "Elsa I know he's charming, but he's not what you think he is."
"We're not!" Aunt Elsa insisted. "We have a professional relationship, nothing more."
"Then end even that."
"I can't. He's my Admiral and my adviser."
"Un-promote him then!"
"It's not that simple! And I already told you he's the best man for the job. I'm not going back on that decision."
"You're putting our lives in danger, Elsa. Fredrik is starting military training next year. I won't have my son under him!"
"He's not going to hurt Fredrik!"
"How would you know?!"
My aunt breathed a heavy sigh. "Look Anna, even if you don't believe that Hans isn't after the throne of Arendelle anymore, he has nothing to gain by eliminating Fredrik. He isn't the way."
Mama seemed to ponder about that for a moment. "You're right," she finally said. "Not when an easier direct one is there." She took her sister's hand and stared at her intently. "Swear to me now, Elsa. Swear to me, for my son's sake."
I didn't understand. What was my mother asking my aunt for my sake?
Aunt Elsa seemed to hesitate for a moment but nodded. "I promise that way will be forever closed to him."
"Thank you, Elsa." Mama hugged her again. "But if he tries to harm any of us…"
"He won't," Aunt Elsa hugged back but her face showed serious determination. "I assure you. But if he does, I'll take responsibility. I'll have him executed."
Author's Note: I apologize for not being able to update last week. But I'm making it up with a nice long chapter with Elsa's POV. Hope you enjoyed it. Hit review and tell me all about it.