Thank you so much for reading! I am so sorry that today's chapter was a little late. I usually post it in the morning so that everyone can read it throughout the day. This chapter was full of new information and more complicated economic and political talk, I hope I managed to write it well ^^"
Kristy
Chapter 38
With her heart in her throat, Elsa turned her head to the door. The lock clicked and large figure pushed the door open.
"You're going to be a king, Rider," Rainer said with a grin. "Your title will be so long that it will take ten historians to record all of it."
"Rainer!" Elsa exclaimed but didn't manage to say anymore. She knew that the situation had just become far more complex than before. Just hours before, her key advantage was neither the Count nor Rainer knew that she knew about their plans. But now that Rainer and Flynn Rider knew that she was the one who was eavesdropping, Elsa knew that they now would be able to accurately estimate extent of her knowledge.
Elsa considered her options. Or rather, a lack thereof. Right now, her hand had been completely played. Since Rainer knew that she had been eavesdropping, there was a strong chance that her seduction plan wouldn't be able to go any further, since that plan played on the key advantage that she had the upper hand in terms of information.
Of course there was still the chance that Rainer's feelings for her are sincere and the seduction plan could continue if she managed to play her cards right in this tense situation.
The biggest question was how Flynn Rider fit into the equation. Depending on his role and his agenda with Rainer, Elsa would have to change her stance drastically.
"Elsa," Rainer called by her name and walked closer. "I am so sorry about the rough treatment you have received, but we weren't sure who you were until we saw you."
Displaying a lack of knowledge was a major reveal of weakness, but in this case, Elsa had no options.
"What is going on here?" she asked.
Rainer took a chair and sat down in front of her. He took a breath, preparing to explain things to her.
While he did that, Elsa's eyes scanned the room. She saw that Rainer did not lock the door. Flynn Rider had shifted his position slightly to the right, half a step further away from the door. Neither of the two men was in a good position to block her way if she tried to run.
Either they were ignorant of that, or they were confident that whatever explanation Rainer had in store, it would be enough to convince her that she was safe and that there was no need to run.
"Elsa, I suppose that Count Fidenza has told you that I was supposed to be colluding with Prince Hans of the Southern Isles to buy up Arendelle's ice and ruin the continental price for ice," Rainer began and looked for a nod from Elsa. She however remained silent and motionless, which was a signal for him to continue.
"The truth is that Prince Hans is not involved at all," Rainer said, which caused Elsa to raise an eyebrow. "After his attempt to murder you had been revealed, the foreign relations of the Southern Isles with the other kingdoms turned so tense that they are on the verge of becoming a completely isolated kingdom. They are far too worried about their own trade relations than to think about meddling with Arendelle's."
"I understand. Go on." Elsa refused to make eye contact, her voice layered with ice.
Rainer continued to "After my father died, Count Fidenza approached me with a deal. I would come to Arendelle and offer an incredibly lucrative deal for Arendelle's ice, while you will reject it because the Count will tell you that I am colluding with Prince Hans to bring down the price of ice. I will act as decoy, shifting all perception of threat to me. Count Fidenza on the other hand will come and offer you an almost identical deal that will sound as if he will save Arendelle from me and Prince Hans, but in fact it would make no difference who you sell it to because we were working together."
Letting the information sink in, Elsa continued to remain silent for a few more moments. She was amazed at how much of their multilayered scheme Anna and Kristoff had managed to uncover. But there was just one thing that wasn't clear.
"What is Corona's role here?" Elsa asked and shot a sharp glance at Flynn.
"Well," Flynn stepped forward and cleared his voice. "You see, if the price for ice collapsed and the Kingdom of the Southern Mediterranean held most of the stock for ice, it would turn the Count's kingdom into an economic powerhouse, shifting the power balance of the entire continent to the South."
"Why would that shift all the power to them?" Elsa asked.
"Has Count Fidenza told you that the one of the main export items of the Kingdom of the Southern Isles is salt?" Rainer asked.
Elsa nodded.
"And has he also told you that their exports have not been going well in the past five years?"
Elsa nodded again, not understanding what the Southern Isles had anything to do with this anymore.
"At least he has told you some of the truth," Flynn Rider laughed, but Rainer silenced him with a sharp glance.
"Because after Prince Hans' blunder is Arendelle, most other kingdoms have decided to break off trade relation with the Southern Isles. No one would buy their salt anymore," Rainer said. "Then Count Fidenza stepped in and offered the royal family a deal where he would buy up all of their salt...at a very low price of course."
Still confused, Elsa shook her head. So what if the Count brought up all the salt?
Rainer continued. "There are two main ways to store and preserve food for long periods of time. Salt and ice. Salt is more effective, but Arendelle's ice has an almost magical quality to it. Arendelle's ice is special Elsa, it refuses to melt even when placed directly under the sun."
After a moment of thought, the puzzle pieces finally clicked together in Elsa's mind.
"Y-you couldn't mean...," she said, but dared not finish her sentence.
"Yes," Rainer nodded. "If Count Fidenza has a monopoly on all ice and salt, then that would mean the Kingdom of the Southern Mediterranean would become a major economic force, shifting the large majority of the power to the South. Every kingdom in the north and south that would need ice and salt to preserve meat and vegetables to make it through the winter, and would have to beg the Count to supply them with the ice and salt necessary so that the population doesn't starve to death."
Her head spinning at the magnitude of the consequences, Elsa felt the need to sit down, only to find that she was already sitting.
"That is why Rapunzel has sent me to Arendelle, to prevent this deal from going through," Flynn Rider said.
"But what can you possibly do?" Elsa said, feeling that she still knew something they did not.
"A few days after you came back and lifted the eternal winter from Arendelle, just when Rainer's father had died, Rainer sent me a letter informing me of Count Fidenza's intentions and how he needed two other kingdoms to help him buy Arendelle's immense amount of ice.
"I then traveled to the Kingdom of the Southern Mediterranean and offered the Count my help. From there, I traveled on his ship to Arendelle."
Elsa thought about this for a moment. It was true that Count Fidenza's plan was a big threat to not just Arendelle, but to all the Northern kingdoms, but there was just one part that did not make sense to her.
"Why are you two revealing all of this to me? If what you said was true, then the Kingdom of Weselton and Corona would be the winners along with Count Fidenza."
Elsa balled her fists, ready for combat.
After a few tense moments, it was Flynn who answered. "There are several reasons, but I'll tell you the two biggest ones. The first is that it is in the best interest for the Germanic kingdoms to have a moderately powerful North. Right now with the Kingdom of the Southern Isles weak, it is a perfect opportunity for one of the Southern kingdoms to invade it. But the only thing that is stopping them from attacking is that by doing so, they would be coming in direct contact with the Northern kingdoms. There is a very high chance that the North will retaliate at a military invasion so close to home, and as the North is right now, the Southern kingdoms would lose on the battlefield."
Flynn took a breath. "If the Southerners conquered the Southern Isles, who do you think is next, hmm?"
Elsa understood. A powerful North was what kept the Southern kingdoms from exercising their desire for more territory. And if they took one of the Germanic kingdoms, then Corona and Weselton might be at threat too. It would be in their best interest to keep the status quo and maintain peace.
"And the second reason?" Elsa asked.
"Second reason," Flynn said and paused for a moment. "Is that Rapunzel is your cousin and friend. She does not want to see her friends and allies ruined."
"Friend..." Elsa mumbled to herself. She was very close to her sister Anna, but she didn't think that there was anyone who had considered her a friend before.
"If all of this is true, then what can you two possibly do to help me?" Elsa asked.
"I can act as a safety net," Flynn pointed at himself. "If bad goes worse, I can escort you and Princess Anna to Corona for safety."
"And as Count Fidenza's allies, can't you do anything to stop him?" Elsa asked.
"If we decided to not lend the Count our money, then he will find another kingdom to work together with him," Rainer said. "The only way we can continue to receive the latest information from him is if we do not back out of the deal."
"That is why we were hoping that you would banish the Count from Arendelle using your authority as the Queen," Flynn said. "We would provide the evidence that you need as an excuse to outlaw him"
It was then that Elsa felt that there was something that she knew, but these two men did not.
In theory, it would be easy for her to banish the Count if Flynn and Rainer provided the hard evidence, but it seems as if they did not know about the insurance the Count brought with him.
"Yes...but it's not that simple," Elsa said and she explained to the two how Anna and Kristoff had discovered an arsenal of weapons and cannons inside the Count's trade galleon.
Elsa could see the color drain from their faces. This must have come as a surprise to them. Now they realized too that Arendelle was essentially being held hostage.
"How come you didn't see what was stored on the ship on your way here?" Rainer shot Flynn a glare.
"I- I don't know!" Flynn said and raised his hands in defense. "Honestly, I didn't know! I guess it just never occurred to me to check..."
Outside, the church bells were ringing, signaling that half of the second day was over.
One more day until the deal would have to be signed.