"People talk about a living snowman that appeared in Arendelle after the coronation, when Queen Elsa revealed herself as a witch. It used to walk through the streets of Arendelle, but disappeared a few months ago before the beginning of the conference. It seems that it used to speak about the Queen as his mother. So, she is also a mother of monsters " Filippo conspiratorially said, sipping his wine.
"Anyway, you are supposed to marry Princess Anna." Von Leep replied in the same tone of voice.
Both man were having their breakfast with the other members of the Imperial delegation who were going to take part in the bear hunt. They were, with the members of the other delegations, in a long wooden building which was the main hall of the hunting pavilions used by the Arendelle's Kings. The place was in a mountainside, overlooking the fiord and Arendelle. Over the nearby ridge, a narrow and winding path headed to a great valley behind the mountains which was renowned for its abundance in game.
"Yes. The Duke Adrian is a brave man, marrying such an icy witch." Filippo, count of Verona, finally replied.
"Well, you would get the best part of the deal. Princess Anna seems perfectly normal."
"Nobody knew a year ago that the Queen was a witch. Who knows what the Princess could be? This is a strange land! People talk about trolls living in the mountains and it is said that the Princess have deals with them. In fact, her supposed lover is said to be a half troll."
Eric raised her eyebrows at the comment. He had had his breakfast while talking with the lieutenants of the Imperial brigantine. When the navy officers had left the table to join their hunting group, the young hussar had leaned back on his chair as he sipped a cup of tea, overhearing the comment about Olaf between Leep and the Veronese Count, who were taking their breakfast behind him.
"Then this Kingdom will need a man like you to keep it in order." Leep encouraged the Veronese Count.
"Yes, but it won't be an easy task."
"Berganza has done you a great honor. It's a great improvement for a Count to marry a Princess."
"Truth to be told I didn't have any choice."
"Take it by the bright side! Queen Elsa will go to Vienna with the Duke, and Anna's husband will be the regent of Arendelle. That implies a great honor... and a great profit."
"Are you sure of that? There's a rumor going round that Queen Elsa has made a commercial pact with England. It seems that Queen Elsa is moving. Who knows what a witch could do?"
"Come on! Do you believe that the pact has been done on her initiative? I'm sure that it is an English maneuver. I suppose that Lord Halkett had led she to believe that she has been the instigator of the pact, but I'm sure that the pact has been tailored to meet England interests."
"Then if the English moved, would the Empire have a chance? Have we made such a long travel just to see how the English candidates marry both sisters?"
"Maybe the English will get Queen Elsa, but I'm sure that Princess Anna will be ceded to another power to compensate. And this give you, as Imperial candidate for Anna's hand, a good chance. You would just have to agree how to share Arendelle's wealth!."
"But the Queen..."
"Don't worry about the Queen!" Leep interrupted. "Anything she could try will be useless! They are condemned to marriage." Leep finished, laughing.
Erick was fed up with the afraid count and the obliging cuirasseur. He drank the cup in one swallow and headed towards the door of the hall. Before leaving the room he caught a glance of both Imperial Officers. Maybe, the Veronese Count was really afraid of marrying Anna, but it wasn't obvious. They had an animated talk and laughed as old friends sharing a private joke.
After he had fallen out of Adrian's favour, von Leep had been very friendly with the Veronese Count who was one of Berganza's trusted men. "He is quick changing sides." Erick said to himself while gazing at both men clad in Imperial Uniforms. Von Leep wore the white uniform of the cuirassers' Guard and the Count was clad in a light cavalry uniform from the Imperial Army of Italy. Both of them wore Imperial insignia over their shoulders. Erick was suddenly aware that he also wore the same insignia over his shoulders and felt the necessity of fresh air.
Erick went out and took a deep breath in the cold air of the morning. Everybody had woken up early and had reached the hunting pavilions before sunrise. Once there, Arendelle's menservant had served a hearty breakfast.
The sun was rising over the mountains, it was the best moment to start a bear hunt, when the animals were looking for a place to sleep, tired after a night wandering through the woods. Erick strolled through the little buildings that surrounded the main hall, beholding the breathtaking views over Arendelle and the fiord whose waters shone under the first beams of the morning sun. It was the first time, since he had reached Arendelle, that he didn't felt encaged.
Beholding the landscape, Erick noticed a small house, isolated from the rest of the pavilions, near the peak of the mountain. "The view from that house must be even more impressive. " He thought as he started to come back through the buildings, looking for the stables.
While coming back, he looked at the busy menservant who were preparing everything for the returning of the hunters and his trophies. The buildings seemed well constructed and maintained, but it was obvious that they hadn't been used for a long time and the men were very busy setting them up.
Vladimiras came out of the main hall as Erick walked past it. The Prince wore at his back a long sword almost two meters long, Erick couldn't help touching his right temple while a shiver went down his spine. It was the favorite weapon of the Lithuanian Prince in battle and he was deadly skilled using it. Many Imperial soldiers have suffered that, a good deal of Erick's comrades among them.
Lord Halkett was talking with the Lithuanian. Erick supposed that they would hunt together."He is working the English." Erick thought, giving the Lithuanian a wave. Vladimiras replied raising his right hand as he went on with his friendly conversation with Howart Halkett.
"He would have to hurry up, if he wanted to win the bet." Erick said to himself. On arriving, he had seen the French departing without having breakfast. Erick supposed that He planned to eat bear for breakfast. Anyway, the French would be an outstanding bear hunter if he was able to best Vladimiras.
Erick reached the makeshift stable, where the horses have been placed. Almost all the animals have been already recovered by their riders, therefore it was easy to locate his mount. It was a light and spirited mare from a 'hot blood' Italian breed. He gently patted its neck. "Hi Ice. We have made a long way from the Apennines. Eh?" Erick said to the beautiful animal remembering the icy night, from which the animal had took its name ten years ago, when he and his father had helped the mare to born. That night had snowed in the Apennines and the Norwegian mountains, with snow on their peaks, looked similar.
"A long way." He repeated as he produced and apple from his pocket and offered it to the animal. While the horse ate the apple, Erick let it loose and the mare started to walk on its own. The stroll from the castle had been its first long ride since they had arrived at Arendelle and he wanted to see how the mare walked in order to check whether the animal was in good condition... Erick took the saddle from the ground, by the place the horse had been, carried it over his right shoulder and followed the animal.
While Erick walked by his horse, he noticed that the different hunting groups were being organized and an Arendelle's hunter guided each one to the valley behind the ridge. Princess Anna was near the long hall, supervising the depart of the last groups. One of them was the Spanish group with Madam Gonzaga clung to her son.
They were a sad spectacle to see. Elias was not used to ride and his mother wasn't a great help. She was giving him contradictory instructions all the time, consequently the poor Spaniard was utterly confused. Erick would have been worried about the young Spaniard, but at his side rode a tall man clad in green who was obviously a skilled rider and was watching Elias.
Erick thought that it was strange to see Madam Gonzaga without Mullon. She was always near the French diplomat. Some people had discreetly joked about the difficulties to negotiate with Mullon, who supported against all odds the Spanish candidature to Elsa's hand, and Elisa Gonzaga always at his side.
"Queen Elsa would have a more difficult task than with the Englishman if she wanted to play the diplomat." Erick said to himself. Thinking about Elsa, Erick realized that Anna was alone, Kristoff and the Queen haven't come to the pavilions. He remembered seeing both together in the castle before departing to the pavilions.
"As the French is alone, maybe the Snow Queen is playing the diplomat with him." Erick said to himself as he looked to Anna who was leaving with the last main groups."Taking into account Anna's efforts to replace her, I hope that the Queen will care for her younger sister while she is playing the diplomat. "
While Erick was following his horse, Corrado appeared from behind one of the buildings. "Erick, are you talking alone? You are going to miss the last group."
Erick turned to face Corrado. The Italian engineer was responsible of the pavilions and he was checking that no hunter was being left behind.
"Hello Corrado. I'm not interested in hunting. I just want to test the condition of my horse. Has the Queen already talked with the French?"
"Who had told you that?" Corrado asked in surprise.
"During the breakfast I have heard that some kind of pact was in progress between England and Arendelle. I supposed that the Queen would also try with the French, and today is a good moment with Mullon alone with a pretty obliging hunter who starts to work before the others and Queen Elsa disappeared with an expert guide like Kristoff. " Erick answered amused.
"I see that you are so quick as you were in the plains." Corrado warily replied.
"The only reason my colonel hasn't court martialed me is because I'm good reading other people intentions. Chess, a battle or a Queen playing the diplomat there's no difference."
"I hope you will stay calm and don't explain it to anybody."
"Don't worry. I don't care for the Imperial success in this nasty issue. I only want a good ride." Erick replied putting the saddle on the back of the horse. Suddenly Erick turned towards Corrado. "I want..." The young hussar hesitated for a moment, but then he saw Anna helping Elias to cross the ridge and finally took a decision. "Since I haven't received any formal communication about it I'm going to suppose that I can explain this to you. Although a court-martial could have a pretty different opinion. You must tell something to your Queen about Mullon and his family before she makes any pact with him."
Erick explained to Corrado all he knew about Mullon regarding his contacts with Noel D'Arbanville and the part played by Elisa d'Arbanville also know as Madam Gonzaga.
"Are you certain about that?" Corrado asked after Erick explanations.
" I'm sure that Mullon is a relative of a great noble French family and his father was related with the revolutionaries. I worm it out of Ladislas. And I trust the source of the rest."
Corrado grimaced. "The Queen must be informed, but all the riders have gone!" He was right. The last able riders had left with Anna, but one who was waiting for the last group of hunters composed by people left behind. The remaining menservant weren't good riders; besides, the horses left in the pavilions were reliable but slow animals which were only good to pull a cart.
Corrado hesitated while looking at the hunter who was gathering the last group, but Kai was with him and he wouldn't t allow Corrado to left a group of guests without guide. He would have to quarrel and hadn't got time. Corrado looked again around and saw Erick who was saddling his horse. "You!" The Italian shouted.
"What?" Erick replied in surprise as he stopped fastening the girth and looked at his friend.
"You will go to explain it to the Queen!"
"Are you joking?"
"Why not? You were an outstanding scout."
"I'm an Imperial captain, I'm not supposed to give sensitive information to other nations. Specially if that nation is dealing with the Empire."
"Then why have you told me that?"
"I make myself the same question!"
"Erick you said that the Empire has been entangled in this nasty issue only to defend your brother interests. Arendelle shouldn't be involved in Imperial politics."
"But it is now involved and Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are also involved whether you want it or not."
"Please Erick, I know your dislike for Queen Elsa, but you like Princess Anna and her elder sister is also fighting for her."
"Yes. She is fighting to the bitter end according to her own words, but these are only beautiful words."
"I beg you." Corrado said putting his arm over Erick's shoulder.
Erick thought for a long while before shaking his head. "Anyway, anything she could try will be useless! They are condemned!" Erick stated. In that moment both men heard a loud laugh. Von Leep and the Veronese Count had left the main hall and were guided by a manservant to join the last group of hunters.
Erick stared at the two Imperials, his mouth twisted into a grimace of disgust. At his side, Corrado was talking but the young hussar was not listening to him. As Erick gazed at them, both Imperials joined to the hunting group laughing and joking until they disappeared following the path to the valley behind the ridge. Finally Erick took a deep breath, finished off saddling his horse and mounted.
Corrado give up and, with his eyes on the ground, started to think who could carry the message to Queen Elsa.
"Where is your Queen?" Erick asked from the saddle.
Corrado raised his eyes in surprise. "will you go? "
"Yes! As you always say, I'm not very reasonable and I don't see any valid reason to change. Where is your Queen?"
Corrado hesitated. "I don't know where she is. She departed with Kristoff in the morning."
"Great!" Erick exclaimed. "Then I must locate the French and try to find the Queen before she has a talk with him. Do you know where is the French at least?"
Corrado pointed at a distant hill."There is a forest behind that hill. The hunter guided Mullon there. Don't tell the Queen that I send you. He doesn't like that I have dealings with any imperial."
"Wonderful!" Erick said, curving his mouth into a wry smile.
"Be on guard!" Corrado added, holding Erick's stirrup."A complete squad of Arendelle's light dragoons guard the place. They won't allow you to go there."
Erick smiled as he swerved his horse. "I'm sure that they will try!" He exclaimed as he rode away at a fast canter towards the path to the valley.