Chapter 14
Anna found herself back home in Arendelle, enjoying a stroll in the town. The people bowed to her and she waved at them.
However, a group of men refused to look at her and they turned their backs. Anna felt hurt by this and she walks away.
"To be honest, I don't think the queen is responsible for this," one of the men said to the others. Anna heard this and decided to sit down on a steel chair, pretending to rest.
"I received a visit from the Minister of Finances himself and he told me that my mortgage was not paid on time. I swear I turned in the money long before the deadline," another man said.
"I got a letter from him saying that I have three months to pay up my restaurant's mortgage. I went to him and told him that I sent in the money weeks ago, but he just shook his head and sent me away," the third man replied.
"Do you think someone is stealing from under the minister's nose?" one of them asked.
"I don't know, but I hope they resolve this soon," his comrade answered.
Then, the scene changed, Anna was walking through the palace and she came across the Minister of Royal Affairs' office. The door was ajar and she was curious of what the minister was doing.
Anna took a peek and what she saw surprised her. On the minister's desk, there were bags and the minister opened one, taking a handful of gold coins.
"Your Highness," someone said from behind Anna and she turned to see a servant.
She stepped aside, allowing the servant to step into the minister's office and he shut the door.
The scene changed, again, this time, Anna was in Elsa's office and the late queen was talking to the minister.
"Now tell me, is it true that you took these people's hard earned money that they were using as payment for their mortgage?" Elsa demanded, holding an opened scroll.
"Absolutely not," the minister replied.
"The Minister of Finances said that his employees saw you in their employer's office, where he keeps the payments," the queen said.
"They must be mistaken," the Minister of Royal Affairs replied, but Elsa shook her head.
"Amund told me that he saw coin bags on your desk when he came to inform you about this talk," the queen said.
The minister refused to talk and Elsa gave an angry look. "Return those bags to the Minister of Finances immediately and I want you out of my palace. I'm placing you on suspended leave," she informed him and the servants showed the minister out.
Anna went through the scene change and she found herself in a dark tavern. It was full of men and it was loud. Anna saw two figures sitting in a booth and they were talking to one another, but Anna could see Bernard Simonsen's face in the darkness.
"I'll provide my own weapon, but I want to see the money now," Bernard said to the second figure.
"Here," the man replied, handing Bernard a small pouch.
Bernard turned the pouch and several coins fell onto his hand. "This is less than you said," he said, angrily.
"You'll get the rest when you finish the job," the figure replied and he got up to leave. However, he took a coat off a hook. Anna noticed that the man slipped a bottle in one of the pockets, it was blue and it looked familiar to her.
"Here you go," the mysterious man said to Bernard, handing him the coat.
Anna turned to leave, but then, she noticed that she was outside. It was a cool, clear day and she noticed Bernard, standing in the middle of the cobblestone road.
Then, Anna saw Elsa and herself on their horses. She realized that it was day of the assassination.
Bernard walked up to the two royals and reached into his pocket. "No!" Anna cried out and tried to stop him, but her body went through him.
"STOP!" Anna called out to herself and Elsa, but they didn't seem to notice.
"Your Majesty," Bernard said and pulled out the revolver.
Anna woke with a start, panting and sweating. "Anna, are you okay?" Kristoff asked, having been awakened by his wife.
"We have to go back to Arendelle," she said and she got out of the bed.
"What? Now?" Kristoff asked, again.
"Yes now!" Anna ordered and quickly got dressed and she summoned a servant. "Send word to the captain of The Crocus to get ready to leave," she said and the servant left.
"Kristoff, you didn't find anything in the Duke's house did you?" Anna asked.
"No, nothing out of the ordinary," he answered and he got into his clothes.
"What is going on?" a voice asked from the door. It was Queen Dorothea.
"I'm afraid we have to leave, something's come up," Anna answered and the servants took her belongings.
"Why so soon?" the queen asked.
"The Duke had nothing to do with my sister's assassination. The culprit was in Arendelle the whole time," Anna replied and the queen, Kristoff, and Olaf looked at her.
"Are you sure?" Olaf asked and Anna nods.
The three of them collected Sven and they took the carriage ride toward the harbor. The forest was dark and the only source of light were the lanterns the carriage driver used.
"Anna, what is going on?" Kristoff asked. Anna told him and Olaf the dream she had, only it wasn't a dream. It was more like flashbacks to crucial points before Elsa's murder.
"Are you sure the Minister of Royal Affairs is responsible?" Kristoff asked, again and Anna nods.
"If he hired Bernard to kill Elsa because I think she was going to dismiss him," she replied just as the carriage arrived at the harbor.
The four of them entered on the ship and it headed out to open ocean, heading back to Arendelle.