Chapter 21 / Polite Society
As they approached the front gate, a guard with a rifle slung over his shoulder stepped forward, signalling for them to stop. Kristoff slowed to a stop and rolled his window down as the guard stepped up to the driver's window.
"Here for the auction," Kristoff said casually, handing the guard the two invitations.
The guard accepted them from Kristoff's hand, inspecting them carefully. He glanced up to Kristoff, then to Elsa who was sitting in the passenger seat and then peered into the empty rear seat.
She was holding her breath, nervous under the guard's watchful gaze and kept her eyes forward. A second guard approached from the right with a large German shepherd on a leash, sniffing intently all around the car. He opened the trunk and upon doing so the intimidating beast leapt up on its hind legs and sniffed around the interior. Finding nothing, the guard shut the trunk then gave a thumbs up. The first guard nodded sternly, then handed the invitations back to Kristoff before waving them through.
"That wasn't so bad," Kristoff said jokingly.
Elsa let go of the breath she was holding, sighing deeply in relief as they drove on towards the castle.
... ... ...
Anna pushed herself onto the battlements, then cast a wary look around her before dropping down to the soft earth. She rose, brushing off her legs and dusting her hands.
"Piece of cake," Anna said to herself. "Now, to find that breaker room."
From where she had infiltrated the estate, Anna was in a small courtyard somewhere between the main castle and the breaker room. The sun was setting behind a notch in the mountains, and as the dull orange light of the day faded to blue twilight, the shadows lengthened and darkened, giving Anna more cover.
She crouched by a low wall, peering over the top to study her surroundings. Ahead of her, in the center of the courtyard was a tall fountain. To her left and right, tall rows of columns and archways stretched on before her. Nothing around her stirred, and Anna was alone. She knelt back down, and withdrew the blueprint that she was using as a map.
"Okay… I'm right about… here. And I need to get… there," Anna mumbled quietly to herself as she planned her route.
Finally decided, she put away the blueprint and vaulted over the wall, setting off in the direction of her goal.
... ... ...
Kristoff pulled up in front of the main entrance and set the car in park. On Elsa's side, a valet opened her door and offered his hand as Elsa stepped out. She accepted it gracefully, nodding her thanks as she did. Kristoff also exited the car, and tossed his keys to the valet who caught them easily. He stepped up to Elsa's side, and behind them the valet stepped into their car and drove away.
"Milady," Kristoff offered his arm.
"Milord," Elsa replied, accepting it. "You clean up well."
"Whenever I have to."
In the back of her mind, Elsa wished that she was walking arm in arm with Anna instead. She could imagine the dress she wore, likely something green and resplendent. Anna's favorite color was green, but even then no matter what she wore, Anna would look radiant to Elsa. She imagined her in different colors; blues, like Elsa favored; purples, befitting royalty; until eventually her mind settled on white, calling to mind wedding dresses.
That would be nice, Elsa thought dreamily. Except in her mind, when she pictured Anna walking down the aisle, she was walking towards Elsa and she was also wearing white. Wait…
All around them were guests dressed in similar fashion. Ladies wore refined evening dresses or gowns, and the gentlemen wore neatly pressed suits and tuxedos.
"Look at all of 'em. Buncha high class criminals all gussied up for the prom," Kristoff muttered under his breath.
"What does that make us, I wonder?" Elsa chuckled softly.
As they walked up the tall steps to the front doors of the castle, another guard stopped them. Again, Kristoff withdrew his invitations and handed them over. The guard appraised them silently, glancing up at Kristoff and Elsa before handing them back.
"Enjoy your evening," the guard recited politely.
As they crossed the threshold, Elsa and Kristoff were greeted by a scene of complete decadence and luxury. Elsa's heels and Kristoff's dress shoes clacked on immaculate, black and white marble flooring. Red and gold tapestries adorned the high walls, stretching all the way up to the domed ceiling, which was decorated with paintings of intricate scenery. In front of them, two large stairways rose up before meeting at a landing on the second floor. Hanging in the center above them was a large crystal chandelier. All around them, guests in regal finery conversed with one another or in small groups. Meanwhile, waiters and waitresses passed among them, holding trays piled high with all manner of drinks and food. Somewhere, a string quartet and a piano played an elegant tune that Elsa recognized as a piece by the Jewish composer, Gustav Mahler.
"Holy moly," Kristoff whispered.
Elsa simply gasped in awe.
... ... ...
Go away. Go away. Go away, Anna repeated to herself internally, willing the guard below her to finish his smoke and leave.
Anna was clinging to a wall several meters off the ground, flattening her body against the stone as much as possible to appear invisible. It was a precarious position, and if the guard below happened to glance upward, she would be seen. She could not risk moving, for fear of being heard and so Anna was stuck there until the smoking guard left.
Her muscles, conditioned as they were by years of climbing, were starting to burn from the exertion of maintaining her posture high off the ground. If the guard didn't leave soon, there would be trouble. Thankfully, after another minute, the guard flicked the butt of his cigarette away, then turned around and disappeared from sight.
"Whew. That was close," Anna whispered as she clambered up to the roof and away into the night.
... ... ...
"Alright. The auction should be starting soon and I still need to get in costume," Kristoff said in a low voice so that only Elsa could hear.
Elsa nodded, and sipped her ice water. She had refused flutes of champagne to keep her wits about her.
"I'll see you in the ballroom. Good luck," she whispered to Kristoff as he set off down an empty hallway.
She finished the rest of her water, placing it on the tray of a waitress as she passed by. People were beginning to file into the ballroom now for the auction, and Elsa followed suit with them.
... ... ...
Kristoff turned down the hallway and down another until he found a washroom. Quickly, he peeked inside to ensure it was empty, then wandered around for several minutes until he spotted a waiter of about the same size and build, clearing away empty trays in the abandoned foyer.
"Hey buddy! Need your help, I've got a big time situation going on in the washroom over here. The bloody sinks leaking and flooding all over the place," Kristoff said urgently. "You better come quick!" He added.
"Of course, sir. Show me the way," the waiter replied politely as Kristoff led him down the hallway towards the washroom.
When they entered, Kristoff quietly locked the door behind them and stepped quietly behind the waiter.
"There's nothin he-" he was cut off by Kristoff's strong arm wrapping around his throat, pressing it into the crook of his elbow while he pushed the waiter's head forward with his other hand.
"Sorry, pal," Kristoff said as the waiter struggled in his arms. "I'm really sorry about this, you seem like a really nice guy."
After another few seconds, the waiter ceased struggling and fell limp. He was unconscious, and would wake up relatively unharmed, albeit naked as Kristoff began to strip him of his uniform.
As soon as Kristoff was dressed in his new clothing, he deposited his own evening wear in the wastebasket and exited the washroom. He broke off the handle, while whistling a jaunty tune to mask the noise, then stashed the handle behind a potted plant as he set off towards the ballroom nonchalantly.
... ... ...
"Darling, you're the picture of loneliness," said a reedy and slightly abrasive voice from behind Elsa.
She turned to respond to the stranger and when she did, her gaze initially found nothing, before she looked down and saw a rather old, short, grey-haired and mustached man peering at her.
"Now, who would leave a woman like you, alone in a place like this?" The man said, smiling genially.
Elsa chuckled politely, and a little nervously as she was taken aback by this odd man before her.
"Ah, blast it, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Henrik Weselton. A pleasure," Weselton said, bowing slightly as he extended his hand.
Elsa's eyes snapped to the short man in horrible recognition. This was mom and dad's rival? She thought to herself.
"Elsa Drake," she replied stiffly and accepted the gesture. Weselton shook her hand, before turning it over and planting a soft kiss on the top of her hand.
She pulled away slightly, casting an uncomfortable glance around her as she tried to escape this strange fellow.
"My, what a lovely name. And what is a lovely woman such as yourself wanting to do at an auction of this nature, if I may ask?" Weselton asked, peering at her shrewdly.
"I'm a… collector. Of sorts," Elsa answered noncommittally, trying to find a way out of this uncomfortable conversation.
"Ah, as am I. Though my tastes are a bit more… particular," Weselton replied, eyeing Elsa up and down lecherously.
Elsa laughed nervously. She was truly unsettled now, and backed off slightly. She opened her mouth to mutter an excuse to leave when another voice cut in.
"Weselton! What the devil have you done this time?!" said a handsome, auburn haired man dressed in a crisp, white tuxedo as he approached the two. "You aren't harassing this poor woman are you?"
"Nothing of the sort! I was simply making introductions," Weselton bristled, waving his hand in the air in a dismissive gesture.
"You'll have to forgive my associate. Sometimes he forgets himself," the auburn haired man said to Elsa apologetically.
"Only in the company of stunning women," Weselton added mischievously.
Elsa had to swallow down the bile that had risen in her throat.
"I am sorry. I'm Hans, Hans Westguard. You've already… had the pleasure of meeting my associate," Hans said as he extended his hand towards Elsa. She noticed that he wore white gloves over his hands.
Elsa didn't accept this handshake this time, and Hans withdrew his own gracefully. "Westguard… you wouldn't happen to be…" she started.
"Yes, of the same Westguard family company. The private security firm I own however, is an independent entity that I run separately from the family business. And you are?"
"Elsa Drake," she said again, more coldly and in a tone that would suffer no further questions. .
"A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Drake. Again, I apologize for my associate's behavior here," Hans said. Behind him, Weselton was fixing Elsa with a shrewd and piercing stare. "I hope he hasn't ruined your evening."
"Not at all. Thank you," Elsa replied.
"Then I shall say good evening. Ms. Drake," Hans said, then turned to leave. As he did, Weselton stepped forward and whispered low enough for only Elsa to hear.
"Yes, good evening, Ms. Drake. If that is what you are calling yourself these days. I know who you are, and for your sake I certainly hope we aren't eyeing the same prize. Give up, this quest killed your father and mother, and it will kill you," Weselton said, his low voice dripping with venom. At that, quickly as it had happened, Weselton stalked away into the crowd.
Elsa stood stock still, stunned beyond belief and at a loss for words.