La Critic: What spelling mistakes? Think I'll a look over and see. Thanks for pointing that out!
Winterswhisper98: Don't worry I remember you. It's nice to read from an old reviewer. Thanks, I do find that as I write more, I do improve. Question and Answer time, no Jack probably won't have any duties unless Elsa gives him some (like how Prince Albert, Prince Consort to Queen Victoria did, Victoria gave him many duties such as in charge of the royal household and one of her trusted advisors). Oh Jack could never become King as Elsa is the reining Queen (you can never have a king if the reining monarch is a Queen). He will only ever be a Prince Consort.
Guest Reviews: Ah thanks for clearing that up. My day in question was good (I got Omega Ruby so I've been playing it non stop). Hope you had fun visiting your Aunt. My next fanfic idea, wow, so far I have a few in mind. I have a HP/Frozen crossover that needs to be finished and I may post that. The other two is a potential rewrite to my story Asylum or this other magic AU one. I haven't yet decided which one I will write first but hopefully they all will be written and posted. Hmm, in terms of reviews, I would go on but I would like a few reviews per chapter though. It is nice to read people's thoughts, questions and suggestions. In terms of personal questions, I don't mind answering them, only a few things I find personal (like details about my life such as school, university, name etc.) oh and you are right, I am a girl (I agree with you, a lot of Jelsa fans are girls but I may have found a couple who are boys). Your story idea is interesting but I have a few problems with it (my issues only) such as making Anna the older sister, this doesn't go in line with the Frozen storyline and I don't like things like that (again my problem only). Plus I don't like Anna with powers, kind of takes away the point of Frozen a little. Yes make an account and by all means, write this story if you want to. The plotline actually does sound a little interesting but if I was writing it I would do it a little different to how you're doing it but that's just me.
TPATFan16: I hope this fulfils your request for Jelsa fluffiness.
GeeklygirlJelsalover: Ah, so your staying in another country? That's cool. Is it for a holiday or school or something. Ah, I'm sure everything will work out with your crush. There is plenty of fish in the sea.
L.M.H: No he didn't.
Chapter 37: A Little Secret
"So if we move our troops to this position," Elsa said moving the figurine that represented an army of Arendelle, "we could isolate the Fellen soldiers at this position?" Elsa tapped the position on the map with a large pointer that she was carrying.
"Indeed, your majesty," Anton said.
Elsa was currently in the council room with her advisors and Prince Edvard. They were drawing up their latest battle plan in order to do one last final assault on Fellen so that they could finally stop the war. It was tricky though. Fellen had eyes and ears everywhere, so formulating a battle strategy without them watching would be tricky indeed. Elsa also had to contend with keeping an eye on Prince Edvard. She wasn't sure if she trusted him yet. She still didn't know if his quest to aid Arendelle and pull Fellen out of the ashes when the war was all over was a noble one or one that was fuelled by greed. Besides, Elsa did think that Prince Edvard, himself, was the eyes and ears that Fellen liked to have around Arendelle. You could never be too careful when you're dining with a potential enemy. She and Anton, a man she fully trusted, were building up other plans just in case something happened during their current one. She had no particular reason to distrust Prince Edvard, apart from the fact he was a prince of Fellen which just happened to the kingdom their at war with and the fact that the rulers of Fellen haven't been quite so nice to Arendelle in both the past and the present. But so far, he had done nothing to warrant any suspicions of treachery, in Elsa's eyes anyway. He had been quite a fine guest and his input was invaluable. But that didn't mean Elsa wasn't going to keep her eye on him. He was betraying his own cousin to help them. But the reason he gave seemed like an honest and honourable one. He was concerned about his own country and he wished it was once the fine place it once was before this whole vendetta thing got kick started. Elsa thought that if he was truly guided by that, then she had nothing to worry about with him. But that didn't stop her instructing some guards to keep an eye on him for her. You could never be too careful.
"Hmm," Elsa tapped her fingers on the table which the map was situated on. "But then that would leave our rear flank exposed and allow Fellen to sneak up on us, like so," she pushed some figurines that represented Fellen's army forward towards the figurine that represented their troops.
"That may be a risk we may have to run, your majesty," Magnus said. "If we could isolate the Fellen main army, then a small set of our soldiers could infiltrate the town and storm the castle and win that way without having the need to worry about Fellen having backup coming to their aid."
"I don't know," Elsa said, stretching her arms across the table and placed her knuckles on top it. "It seems an awfully large risk to run."
"Your majesty seems to forget that I am here," Prince Edvard said cheerfully. "If her majesty allows, then I could advise his majesty, my cousin, on a different approach. I could convince him that the Arendelle army would be more likely to attack the docks on the north side of the army in order to cut off Fellen's supplies. Then Arendelle's main force will go in, isolate the main army before another force enters Fellen, undetected, and attack the castle. That way, no risk would be run."
"That does sound better," Elsa said. "But how would the army get inside the castle without detection? According to reports from our spies, Fellen has their gates locked up tight with eyes everywhere."
"Do not worry about that milady," Prince Edvard said. "I will give the order that the guard must change at midnight on the night of our choosing. That will give Arendelle a small amount of time to enter the gates that I will have gotten unlocked for all of you."
"Seems risky," Elsa said.
"The risk is minimal," Edvard said.
"You could also be discovered."
"That is highly unlikely. No one would suspect a thing."
"If you're sure it would work…"
"I'm sure it would work. If my part of the plan goes off without a hitch, which I am sure it would, then Arendelle would be able to pass through the streets at night without anyone any the wiser. I will have the castle unlocked and the guard will be minimal. Arendelle soldiers would be able to sweep inside and take control of Fellen and the castle in one short and small assault."
"Alright," Elsa said. "If this all goes to plan, then Arendelle would win the war in a single night with no loss of life."
"Exactly," Edvard smiled.
"Alright, looks like we're all on the same page," Elsa said. "I think that's all we needed to discuss today. Everyone is dismissed."
Everyone else in the room started to pack up their things, all their notes were tucked into folders. They each gave a bow to Elsa before they left the room.
"Lord Anton," she called. "Wait a moment."
Anton hung back. Elsa waited until everyone else in the room had gone before she spoke.
"So how's our guest doing?" she asked him. They both knew who Elsa was talking about. Anton didn't need that to be further discussed.
"Fine," he said.
"And the other thing?" Elsa said lowering her voice slightly.
"Ah," Anton knew what she was talking about. She was obviously talking about whether or not they believed that Prince Edvard was here at their benefit or King Diederik XII's benefit. Elsa had asked Anton to look into that matter for her as she knew he would be the only one who was both capable and trusted enough to complete the mission. Elsa's trust of people wasn't bought easy after the fiasco that Hans caused. He reminded her that people can be deceiving in looks, intentions and actions. "Yes, well I have made some enquires into that, your majesty."
"And?" Elsa said looking expectantly.
"Well we have some well-placed spies in Fellen and they have verified Prince Edvard story. Apparently King Diederik XII is running the kingdom into the ground, not that we needed that verified as we knew that, and people are getting a little sick of it. The monarchy is losing some support over there and it seems Prince Edvard is desperate not to let that happen."
"And for that to happen, King Diederik XII will need to step down as king?" Elsa asked. "And for that to happen, Fellen would need to lose the war?"
"Exactly," Anton said. "The next choice of king both in support and succession line is indeed Prince Edvard."
"Do we know what he would do once he got the throne?"
"No," Anton said. "But I do believe that rebuilding Fellen is his main goal."
"Yes but I wonder what he will do to Arendelle. I mean we're putting a lot of faith in this guy and we don't even know him that well."
"True," Anton said. "But I don't think that he wouldn't help us if it wasn't important."
"So you're saying to trust the guy?" Elsa's eyes narrowed slightly. She still wasn't very sure where she stood on that but she didn't have a reason to distrust Anton's advice.
"I'm saying we should have a backup plan, just in case."
"Which is?"
"Well Prince Edvard wouldn't expect it if some of our ships causally went off course for a few hours."
"Huh?" Elsa was getting lost.
"There is a small dock near Fellen's castle," Anton said speaking quickly and quietly in case they got disturbed. "If we disguise a few of our ships to make it look like Fellen ones, we could sneak into Fellen that way. That way we don't have to trust Prince Edvard to call a change in the guard or have the gates open. The men could sneak onto the boats and regroup with our men at the gates. They could open the gates for them and then together, they could take on the castle together."
"It sounds even risker than what Prince Edvard suggested," Elsa said. "It relies too much on not getting caught."
"It is the risker option," Anton agreed, "but then this way we don't have to rely on someone else especially when that someone may not be someone that we should be trusting."
"I see," Elsa said sounding a little grave. "Then no one apart from those who absolutely need to know can know about it. We can't risk Prince Edvard to know about it if he is really a danger to Arendelle."
"I agree with her majesty," Anton said.
"Good, then I'm putting you in charge of the whole thing," Elsa said.
Anton gave a short bow to her. "I'll get on that right away."
"Excellent."
Anton turned to leave but then he paused. He turned back around and he opened his mouth to speak but he hesitated. It seemed as if he was fighting with himself to say something. Elsa waited for him to speak but it didn't look as if there was going to be any sound that would escape Anton's mouth.
"Yes?" Elsa prompted him.
"Your majesty," Anton said. "I have watched over you since you were a little girl, since the moment of your birth, I knew you would grow to become a phenomenal ruler and your parents agreed with me on that front. I've watch you do many things and when your parents died, I believe I've sort of become a surrogate father to both you and your younger sister, Princess Anna. I have grown to care about you and your family very much. I'm worried that something is the matter with your majesty. I have been informed that you have not been very well recently and this troubles me. It is so dangerous to become sick, ignore it and a simple cold becomes something much, much worst."
Elsa smiled at him. It was sweet that Anton cared and worried about her that much. It was true what he had said. He had become like a second father to both her and her sister. It was also true that Elsa hadn't been feeling too good recently, she had been sick quite a bit. Elsa knew that Anton was a man that she could turn to for anything.
"Everything is fine," Elsa said. "Trust me Anton, you do not have to worry about me."
"I'm afraid I do quite often, although your sister more than yourself," he added as an afterthought.
"Like I said," Elsa smiled. She took Anton's hands and gripped them affectingly. "All is well."
"You would tell me if I needed to worry about something?"
"Absolutely," Elsa said.
This made Anton look a little happier. He thanked Elsa before giving her a short bow and then he left the room. Elsa sighed as he walked away from her. She wasn't lying exactly. There was something up but it wasn't anything anyone needed to worry about. Elsa left the room and immediately bumped into Anna. Elsa gave her a disproving stare. She knew that Anna had been eavesdropping on the meeting and potentially on her and Anton's private conversation. Well she would rather it was Anna eavesdropping and not someone else who Elsa was unsure where his or her allegiance lay. Anna looked a little guilty as Elsa glared down at her with her hands on her hips.
"Anna, we have talked about this," Elsa said. "If you want to know something, all you need is ask."
"Yeah like that worked before," Anna rolled her eyes.
"Anna there are just some things that don't concern you," Elsa said. "So what did you hear this time?"
"Something about a boat and a gate and using that boat to get into some castle," Anna said. "It was really muffled. Could you tell your advisors to speak louder and to annunciate their words so I can listen in properly?"
Elsa supressed a laugh. "Well just don't go telling anyone you've been spying or what you've learnt. There is a reason why those people don't know the plans."
"Okay," Anna and Elsa set off down the corridor together. "So the conversation with Anton seemed intense."
"We were just discussing alternate methods of getting into Fellen," Elsa said.
"Then he asked you about your wellbeing didn't he?" Anna asked.
"A lot of people have," Elsa said. "Jack has been too. I keep telling him that everything is fine but he won't listen."
"Then tell him," Anna suggested.
"I want to be sure," Elsa said. "I don't want to jump to any conclusions not before I've seen a doctor and also it's too early to be sure."
"You told me," Anna shrugged.
"That's because I trust you one hundred percent and you're my sister," Elsa said, "and also because you forced it out of me when you found me being sick in the bathroom again."
"Hey I can't help it if I happen to walk in at the right moment," Anna said. "So when are you going to tell Jack?"
"Tell Jack what?" Jack, himself, had just appeared carrying Leif. He had his eyebrows raised and he was looking at his wife expectantly.
"That there is chocolate pudding in the kitchens," Elsa said thinking very quickly on her feet.
"Papa," Leif was tugging on his collar. "I want some chocolate pudding."
"Then you shall have some, oh sweet prince," Jack said. He gave one last look at Elsa before walking off with his son in his arms. Elsa felt a little guilty. She had a feeling that Jack knew that something was up.
"Okay," Anna said looking a little lost. "That was totally your cue to tell him."
"I didn't want to tell him like that!" snapped Elsa. "Besides I told you. I want to be sure before I tell anyone else."
"Okay," Anna threw her hands up in the air and started walking down the hallway. "Don't blame me when Jack becomes suspicious."
Elsa rolled her eyes but didn't actually say anything.
Jack was in the kitchens with Leif. They had found the chocolate pudding that Gerda had made and right now Leif was going to town on it. He had chocolate pudding all over his hands, face and clothes. He looked a mess. Gerda was going on about having to wash both the clothes and Leif later. She knew it was going to mission to get those chocolate stains out of Leif's nice blue shirt. Jack did have to admit that Leif could be quite messy when he wanted to be. A trait, that according to his sister Pippa, Leif inherited from Jack. Jack thought this was absurd but when Jack looked at how Elsa ate (who ate very neatly and used her knife and fork properly unlike Jack sometimes), he had to give up. Although Jack may have a contender with Anna as Leif's Aunt.
Thinking about Elsa made Jack think about her recent behaviour. She was acting a little bit more secretive than he liked. It wasn't just about the war, he knew that there was a limit to what people could know and Jack knew that he may or may not make that list of people that are in the know. He knew that, as Queen, Elsa had to keep secrets that concerned the running of her kingdom. It was the fact that he had this feeling that Elsa was holding something back from him. He didn't know what it was but he did feel like she was keeping something from him. It could be nothing and Jack could be paranoid for nothing but he couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that something was wrong. Elsa had been quite sick recently and that scared him slightly. He remembered his grandmother getting sick when he was just a young boy. She would tell him that nothing was wrong and for him not to worry. Of course that made him worry even more and of course his grandmother grew more and more sick until she was confined to her bed. She never recovered and she eventually passed away which devastated Jack and his family. Jack just hoped that the same thing would happen to Elsa.
Maybe he should go talk to her. That did seem like the most logical thing to do. She had never lied to him and if he was insistent enough, Elsa would tell him what was going on. Jack had been so absorbed in his thoughts that Jack didn't realise that Leif was finishing up his chocolate pudding. Jack soon realised that Leif was looking up at him and Jack could see that he had licked his bowl dry and that he was looking at Jack as if he was wanting more. Jack knew that if he did, it would ruin his dinner and Elsa wouldn't want Leif filling up on chocolate pudding. Jack knew that Leif was also going to need a bath. He looked quite messy with chocolate pudding all over his face, fingers and there were stains over his dark blue, high collar shirt. Gerda came back into the room, she took one look at Leif and suddenly she looked a little disproving. She then told Leif to go upstairs and get ready for a bath. Leif did so, running as he went. Jack tidied up after Leif and then went to go find Elsa. He just had to ask her what was going on, that was all. She would probably tell him the truth or just ask for a little bit more time before she could tell him. Either way, Jack would happy with the answer as long as she didn't lie to him. He didn't like lying much. Jack knew that Elsa would never lie to him. She would tell him the truth, he was sure of it.
He found Elsa sitting in their room, reading a book. It was one of those books that she loved so much but that Jack couldn't stand. She looked tired and looked like she was thinking about having a nap. She didn't often have naps in the afternoon but recently, she had been quite tired and Jack put that up to having to deal with the war. But maybe, if he combined it with her being sick, it could be something else. Elsa looked up when he walked in and she smiled at him. Jack smiled back down and laid a gentle kiss on her lips.
"Hello," she said.
Jack wasn't quite sure how to approach this. He just decided to go for it. He was worried about her. She was sick and she wasn't telling him what was going on and that scared him, a lot.
Elsa watched as Jack sat down on the bed and then she put the book away on her bedside table. She pulled herself up so she was leaning against her headboard and pillows while Jack sat at the end of the bed tickling her feet gently.
"I had the feeling that there was more to that conversation we had earlier," he said.
"Ah," Elsa said. She had a feeling that was going to come back to haunt her. Anna was right. Jack had gotten suspicious. Well she didn't blame him. She had looked rather guilty before and she hadn't done a very good job at covering that up. "Yes, about that…" she let her voice trail off. She wasn't sure if she should tell him or not. It was still quite early. She hadn't even seen a doctor but all the signs were there. A part of her told her to wait until she got the doctor's confirmation but the other part of her told her to tell Jack. After all it was his right to know and she was bursting to tell him. She was so excited to see the look on his face when she would tell him.
"Elsa, you don't have to tell me what's going on," Jack said. "I just want to know if it is something I should know because with this recent sickness you've had, I'm getting a little nervous. Actually a lot nervous. I'm getting a little scared that your falling ill and that you're not telling me about it."
"Ah yes," Elsa said. "You should know what is going on but I just don't want to get your hopes up and then if I'm not, have them crushed."
"What?" Jack looked a little confused.
"I just want to be sure before I tell you."
"Elsa, I love you, but you're not making an ounce of sense."
Elsa took a deep breath in. It was time. She should tell him. He deserved to know.
"Okay," she smiled. "Jack, honey, I think I may be pregnant."
A/N: I hope that everyone enjoyed this update. Please review =)