Spirals
The grey overcast weather of the day before had thinned out into isolated grey clouds with a web of open blue visible around them. Far above, the blue sky hosted feathery strands of white. The thick humidity of rain past, or rain to come, persisted. In the courtyard on the west side of the castle, the traveling group of men, horses, and attendants had begun their noisy assembly. Horses whinnied and stomped, harnessing jingled, men spoke over one another, and wagons and carriages creaked. It appeared chaotic, but behind the scenes there was a kind of order with which Elsa was familiar - guided by the hand of the king's chief of staff. It's just that the order itself was unfamiliar.
Elsa stood on one of the balconies watching the activity. She was ready to travel, but until it was time to go, it was wise to stay out of the way. She sipped the cup of tea which Heinrick had brought her earlier. He had been unable to keep her company as she drank it though - there was too much going on that he had to participate in since he was catching up on his two-and-a-half-week absence. Victor was expected soon, but it wasn't clear whether he would arrive before they departed or not. Elsa could sense king Reginald's unease regarding this. Even though his sons were capable confident grown men, he still wanted to see them come home safely.
Elsa felt a twinge of jealousy.
"Your majesty?" Ambrelle's voice cautiously interrupted her reverie.
Elsa turned, and then smiled in satisfied surprise. She had fashioned a dress for Ambrelle the night before, one she had had left in the wardrobe in Ambrelle's room with instructions not to open until the morning. It had been a minor ordeal since everything she tried to do with her powers was overstated, but she had persisted. Ambrelle was wearing it now. It began with a deep purple skirt with enough girth to straddle her horse. Atop this, riding on her hips, was a sequined purple velvet bodice that rose to just below her armpits, drawn to fit at the back with white lacing, although this was completely covered by her black hair. She stood with her hands clasped behind her and a shy smile.
"Good morning, duchess Ambrelle," she said warmly. "Do you like it?"
Ambrelle turned in a circle, causing the skirt to billow outward slightly. "It's beautiful," she said.
"That's not what I asked. Do you like it?"
"Well," she hesitated. "Perhaps some kind of a vest..?"
Elsa smiled. "Very well," she said. "Hold -" she stopped short, her jaw tight. "I - I'll bring it to you in a bit, okay?"
"Yes, your majesty." Ambrelle walked to the railing and stood at Elsa's side.
"Are you sure you want to ride a horse the whole way there rather than ride in one of the carriages? They're not as comfortable as Bubble, you know."
"Absolutely," she answered right away.
Elsa noted the unusual decisiveness in her reply. She stood looking at her expectantly until Ambrelle noticed.
"Oh. It's just that ... well, now that I'm no longer being hunted, I want to readjust to the open spaces." She glanced up with a nervous smile. "The water has always been where I felt safe, and I want to feel that way on the land again too. I used to love it as a child. For the last five years my only time on the land has been hiding and sneaking around."
A swirl of emotions swept over Elsa: sadness at the childhood Ambrelle had lost and the horrors she had endured, pride at this glimmer of determination, and mirth at hearing a fourteen-year-old speak of when she used to be a child. "Okay," she said lightly with a supportive smile. "I've been assured that there's room in the carriages if any of us get tired."
By mid-morning everything was in order and the entourage was ready to depart. There were three carriages, five wagons, each with a four-horse team, and a hundred mounted men between Elsa's queen's own guard and king Reginald's. The king had insisted that his men be at the front. Elsa's guards had discreetly expressed dissatisfaction regarding this, but she had instructed them to defer. The compromise had been for a few of Elsa's guards to ride at the front bearing Arendelle's standard alongside the Mittergaard standard bearers, and for a few more to ride at her side. The rest would take up positions behind the wagons. It was just a big show, after all.
As Ambrelle passed her to approach her horse, Elsa called out to her. "Ambrelle! Here's your vest!" Ambrelle came over and Elsa handed her the off-white long-sleeved vest with deep purple edging that matched her dress.
Ambrelle slipped it on. "Thank you," she said as she inspected its hip-high length and then stretched her arms out in front of her to appreciate the sleeves. She looked up, and her genuine smile told Elsa that she was genuinely pleased.
Elsa mounted her white horse wearing the same purple and green dress she had worn upon her arrival. The contrast was striking. She took up the reigns with one hand as she adjusted her platinum blond braid with the other. Glancing down, she saw Heinrick who was smiling stary-eyed back up at her. She smirked, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Coming?" she teased.
"Oh! Uh, yes. Excuse me." He swung up onto Vanguard, his chocolate brown stallion, wearing his navy riding suit. He patted the horse firmly on the side of the neck. "Here we go again, old friend," he said. He gave Elsa a nod, and the pair began to guide their horses towards a position amidst the group of lead guards.
"Take care up there, you two," king Reginald called from behind them as he ducked into the last of the three carriages.
The two gave him a nod, and then smiled at one another.
"He prefers carriages to horses?" Elsa asked.
Heinrick looked thoughtful. "Yes, he was never much of a rider. My mother was, and it was something they would do together, but after her death he no longer had the motivation."
"Not with you or Victor?" Elsa asked.
Heinrick chortled. "We rode crazy," he said as he looked at the back of Vanguard's neck. His smile gradually faded. "Now he's at the point where it bothers his back too much. The carriage does too, but not as badly."
"You still ride Vanguard, even after he threw you?" Elsa asked.
Heinrick nodded. "Yes," he said. "It had never happened before, and he's been true since - with others, that is. I just can't hold it against him."
Elsa nodded in understanding. "Victor hasn't returned yet, has he?"
"No. My father has instructed a runner to bring us word when he arrives."
Someone gave a call, and the west gate doors groaned as the guards heaved them open. With a bustle and a jingle, the procession began. As Elsa passed under the rampart, she caught sight of Lotus perched at its top. They proceeded out the gate and turned immediately south.
The weather continued to clear as they traveled. The pace was slow, so there was much time to chat, enjoy the surroundings, and enjoy Ambrelle's enjoyment of the surroundings. This was new territory for her, at least in part.
"This reminds me so much of Saint Belemy!" she exclaimed. "Well, except that Saint Belemy was even flatter, and a lot drier."
"The dry part of Mittergaard is in the southeast," Heinrick said.
"I mean - I can see!" she continued. "All this open land! It reminds me of my family's farm when I was a child. I was shorter then, so I could get lost in the crops when I wanted to, but you could see all the way across the fields to the tree line." She paused. "Well, we called it a tree line. It wasn't like this, though. There were a lot fewer trees, and their only leaves were way up high. The ground was covered with wild shrubs and bushes. Most of them were taller than me, but not taller than my parents."
As slowly as they were traveling, they would only get as far as Meridian today. It would be possible to go farther, but Meridian was the largest town between Cliffs' View and Balkirck and the only one that could host a group of their size. It meant the trip to Falster would take three days. Elsa was used to traveling slowly regardless of any personal preference of hers, but Ambrelle was not. She was fidgety.
The runner from Cliffs' View reached them about an hour outside of Meridian. Heinrick excused himself and joined his father in the carriage to review the message that had been brought. He rejoined Elsa around fifteen minutes later, still snickering.
"The dedication ceremony was almost rained out," he chuckled. "The rain made the ink on Victor's speech run so badly that it was illegible. He had to come up with one on the spot."
"I take it he doesn't rehearse his speeches?" Elsa said.
"No. Never. Not his style. At any rate, the crowd enjoyed it, and - this is the funny part - his staff agreed that it was one of his better speeches. Father is annoyed. He says the last thing Victor needs is more encouragement to wing it."
Elsa found Victor's nonchalance somewhere between off-putting and alarming, so she would tend to side with king Reginald. It wasn't her business though, for which she was grateful. Her mind spun through what an Anna reign might look like. A few months ago it might have been equally alarming, but Anna had changed. Perhaps Victor would as well. "So what does Victor think of the prospect of being king?" she asked.
"He's not excited about it. The formalities bore him. We're all well aware of his adventurer spirit and our father has spent a good deal of time trying to convince him that there is adventure in leadership." He smiled wistfully. "It's going to be an interesting era for Mittergaard. It's a good thing he's not given to anger, or I'd be worried he'd direct the country toward military campaigns. He'll bring adventure to the country somehow or other, that's for certain. Maybe exploration? We don't know because he doesn't know. He hasn't found 'it' yet."
Elsa smiled. How like Anna this sounds. At least she has Kristoff to help ground her.
The streets of Meridian were lined with cheering people bearing the occasional small flag of Mittergaard or Arendelle. A band played among the crowd but it was barely audible. There were children, some with the little Elsa dolls - and one with a little figurine. Elsa's eyes passed over it and it didn't register until a moment later. She did a double-take. It was a crystal statuette about a foot tall. Elsa looked at the one holding it and she couldn't believe her eyes. It was being clutched in both hands by a little auburn-haired girl with the biggest smile on her face, hopping up and down in place as a woman stood joyfully behind her with her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Heinrick!" Elsa exclaimed. "Look!" She pointed, and he followed her lead.
"I don't believe it," he said quietly. The two steered their horses from the procession and approached the crowd. The girl stopped hopping and stood wide-eyed, her mouth dropping open wider and wider the closer they drew.
Elsa dismounted, knelt to the girl's level, and sat on her heels. "E -" she began, but that was as far as she got before the girl dropped the statuette and threw her arms around her in a quivering, sturdy hug.
"Elizabeth!" her mother reproved her. "Don't -"
"It's okay," Elsa said as she wrapped her arms around the girl. They held that position for a long minute before Elizabeth released her and stepped back. Her eyes were wet with tears now, but her face was still joyful. Elsa took her hands. "It's so good to see you doing well!" she said. Then she glanced up at the mother. "What happened?"
"I can't say, your majesty," she answered. "After you left, she began to recover. I know you didn't do anything -"
"Yes she did!" Elizabeth protested with a stamp of her foot. Then she looked back at Elsa "I know you did! You gave me -" she glanced around, suddenly realizing she wasn't holding it. There it was, on the ground. She reached down and picked it up, brushing it off. "You gave me this! I know it helped!" She held it out to Elsa.
Elsa took it in her hands and saw immediately that it had been broken - the back leg, which had been kicking up in the air behind the girl, was missing.
"I dropped it," Elizabeth said contritely. "But I kept the leg." She turned to her mother. "Mama, did you bring it?"
"Yes, Sweetie." She handed it down to her.
"Can you fix it?" Elizabeth pleaded. "I won't drop it again, I promise."
Elsa held the two pieces in her hands. Of course she could fix it.
Of course she could.
She gave Elizabeth a nervous smile as the girl stood with expectant excitement. It was Anna standing before her. She could almost hear the words. Do the magic! Do the magic! Then she glanced up at Heinrick. She hadn't discussed her growing concern with him. He wasn't looking at her. He too was looking at the statuette with a glowing smile. Waiting for the show. Her tension raged with her racing heart as it hadn't done since her coronation. She couldn't disappoint the little girl, not like this, not in front of all these people. But she didn't know quite what would happen either. It was risky.
She took a slow steadying breath and brought the pieces together. Then she opened herself to her power, just the tiniest bit.
There was a loud snapping flash and Elsa felt her hands pushed apart. There were yelps and gasps of surprise from among the onlookers. The flash had been so bright that she couldn't see what had happened. The crowd became silent. As color distinction returned over the next couple seconds, she saw that she was now holding a crystal sphere, with the repaired statuette embedded within it. Low murmurings began to pick up again among the people, all of whom were staring - uncertain what to make of this spectacle.
"Oh..." Elizabeth said, her face a mixture of shock, curiosity, and disappointment. She reached out and touched it, then put her hands underneath to cradle it as Elsa let go. She looked up at her mother, her disappointment becoming clearer.
Her mother was obviously thinking fast. "Isn't the queen smart, Sweetie?" she said quickly. "She doesn't want you to worry about breaking it again."
Elsa pressed her hands together and squeezed them between her legs, fighting to maintain dignity in spite of her embarrassment. It might not have been embarrassing to others, but it was to her. Then she reached out and put her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. She cleared her throat. "It's wonderful to see you doing well," she said with a professional smile. With that she rose, and cast an awkward glance at Heinrick who was looking back inquisitively.
"Thank you, your majesty," the woman called as they mounted their horses.
Elsa responded with only a nod and a thin smile.
"What was that?" Heinrick asked discreetly.
She clenched her jaw. "I don't want to talk about it right now."
The next day at Balkirck they were received with fanfare rivaling that of her arrival at Cliffs' View, and she soon discovered why. The border was a hair's-breadth away from reopening, which the king would officially do on his return trip, and everyone was excited about the restoration of trade. The city was thronged with tradesmen and merchants poised for normalization of relations and resumption of business. Elsa enjoyed the jubilant mood. This was her third time through the city and it was refreshing to see it in peacetime. The mayor was determined to stuff them, it seemed. By the time they escaped his hospitality the following morning, Elsa didn't think she would ever be hungry again.
They passed through the first small town south of the border where their reception was more muted. Everyone knew the coronation was about to happen. The town was no stranger to visitors - the way had already been paved by guests who had preceded them, having come through Mittergaard's port. The town was also a hubbub of tradesmen and merchants, but Elsa could feel a certain tension underlying it. The mood was that of a collectively held breath, as though nothing was really certain until the coronation was over. She reflected on her own coronation nearly three years ago. She hadn't had the outside perspective. Had her own people been holding their breath, waiting for everything to be pinned down?
As they left the town, Elsa asked Heinrick, "did you feel it?"
He nodded.
"Is this normal?"
He pursed his lips in thought. "I don't know. The past few months have been unprecedented for everyone down here. My father might have an opinion."
Elsa looked down at her reigns. "At my coronation I was so bound up in my fear that I couldn't have noticed my people's mood if it had hit me in the face." She huffed. "And then I loosed the Eternal Winter on them." She shook her head. "Poor people. I certainly had nowhere to go but up, after that, I suppose."
-twick-
Thump!
The first sound was distant, barely audible. It was unusual. The second one sounded like someone had dropped a sack only twenty feet to her left, just behind her field of vision. By the time Elsa had turned in curiosity, she saw Lotus thrashing on the ground. Was he hurt? He hadn't reached out to her. Was he hunting something? A snake? Perhaps he had broken a twig in the process of hunting it? She didn't even know he was interested in hunting. Simultaneous with her musings she heard the gasps of awe among the guards: "did you see that?!" Lotus was only on the ground for a fraction of a second before he rose and streaked towards the eastern tree line. Then she saw it: an arrow driven into the grass. Her astonishment was interrupted by the guards: "he caught it in the air!" - then drowned by the sergeant's curse and shout: "follow that bird!" Elsa's heart was racing now. A handful of Heinrick's guards broke away and raced after the sergeant. Before they had reached the tree line, Elsa could hear some very unhappy people in the woods. And she could feel Lotus' fury.
She wrenched her thoughts back in order. Lotus! Spare them! He didn't respond. He was so consumed with rage that he hadn't even regarded her message. She balled her hands into fists and closed her eyes.
LOTUS!
A second later, in a crackling fountain of leaves, he burst above the tree line and soared to settle on another tree about a hundred feet away. She could sense him seething, barely under control.
In the interim, Heinrick had dismounted and made his way to the spot on the grass where he had pulled the arrow from the ground. "It's a crossbow bolt," he announced after a brief inspection. "Falster's."
"Crossbow..." Elsa shuddered with an immediate chill. Memories of the confrontation at her ice palace flashed through her mind.
Meant for you, Lotus added. I should have been more vigilant.
Elsa's shock was interrupted by recognition: Lotus was furious, but much of it was self-reproach. Her heart reached out to him in immediate empathy. How well she knew that feeling! Come, she called. He dutifully soared to her and alighted on her outstretched arm. She drew him to her chest and wrapped him in a firm hug. She kissed him on his snowy head. "It's okay, little one," she said as she felt his tension start to unwind. "It's okay." She knew this feeling too - the aching gratefulness when one's sense of failure is swept away by loving acceptance. She would be crying. How complex her creations were! And the new window she had into their souls since her powers had been enhanced - it took her breath away! She wiped her cheek. She was crying. "It's okay," she repeated.
It won't happen again.
Maybe it won't, and maybe it will. We are none of us all-powerful, little one. Don't take too much upon yourself.
Elsa was taken aback when the guards emerged from the woods dragging an old woman. She was dressed in plain dark clothes which included a hooded cloak. The hood was down, revealing her grey braid, 'tanned' wrinkled skin, and fiercely defiant face. Elsa noted the multiple parallel rips in the cloak - obviously Lotus' work. The sergeant was in the lead bearing the crossbow. They stopped before Heinrick where the sergeant gave a salute as he handed the crossbow over and then stepped aside leaving Heinrick face to face with the woman and her escort.
"What is the meaning of this," Heinrick asked coolly.
The woman's eyes passed beyond his to settle viciously on Elsa. "We would have been a great nation!" she snarled. "Unified under a strong leader! The rightful heir!" she added with emphasis. Then her lips peeled back as she spat out the words. "Not some freakish puppet of the ice witch!"
Such unbridled hatred! Elsa's years of well honed self-control kicked in. Conceal, don't feel. She refused the woman the satisfaction of a response. She felt Lotus momentarily strain against her, but otherwise she didn't move a muscle; didn't twitch an eye. But a cold wind blew over the field.
Heinrick gave the old woman a nod. Then, to the sergeant, he asked, "was she alone?"
No, Lotus informed her before the guard could answer. There was one with her - a young boy.
"No sir, but whoever-"
"A boy?!" Elsa remarked with surprise as she looked down at Lotus. She released her grip on him. "Track him," she said. If you can. He sprang into the sky and soared off over the trees.
The old woman's shocked face disappeared into a mocking laugh, but it lacked the confidence she had flaunted a moment ago. "Best of luck, devil spawn!" she called.
"Who's the boy?" Heinrick asked tersely.
"Hah! Will you torture him too, lackey? Like you did half our army?"
Heinrick turned to the sergeant again. "Secure her," he said. "And stop her fool mouth."
"A moment," said Elsa as they began to drag her away. They paused. "Ma'am, if you represent those who were upheld in Terence's 'great nation,' then Falster has been done a great service by his downfall."
Her face hardened and twisted into a furious glare. Following a string of expletives, she said, "there are many more where I came from, ice witch! Go freeze hell! You're not welcome here!"
Heinrick stood grim faced as they dragged her to one of the wagons in the rear. Then he gave a deep sigh and rejoined Elsa. He pulled himself back up onto Vanguard. After a moment of silence he said, "would you consider riding in one of the carriages?"
Elsa's eyes were on her saddle horn. "Torture?" she said quietly.
"Propaganda," he said with disgust. "Perpetuated by those who support Terence."
Elsa took a quiet deep breath. She believed Heinrick, mainly because she chose to. From what she knew of him, she couldn't imagine him involved in such a thing, or even indirectly condoning it. But for all she knew there were others in Mittergaard who did. Maybe others he didn't even know about. Like the king. She gritted her teeth. She didn't want to believe that either. She steered her thoughts back to Heinrick's question. This wasn't supposed to be a dangerous trip.
High admiral Naismith would already be turning us around, she thought.
What was she doing continuing? Keeping a promise. And refusing to be manipulated by fear. She had promised to support Fenris. They both had. And, heaven help him, whether he knew it or not, he obviously needed support. She dearly hoped that someone under his command was on top of this, but the fact that no one had met them at the border, and no specific intelligence had come to Arendelle or Mittergaard regarding potential risks was not a good sign. In response to Henrick's question, she gave a defeated nod. "Join me?"
A member of king Reginald's detail rode up from behind them and stopped beside Heinrick. "His majesty requests a briefing," he announced.
Heinrick pursed his lips as he looked at Elsa. "I'll be with you shortly." He turned Vanguard and followed the soldier away.
Elsa watched him go. Then she sat for a few seconds as she settled her nerves. It was a wonder that Lotus had intercepted that crossbow bolt, but he shouldn't have had to. Had she been prepared, it wouldn't have been necessary. This felt like retreat. She felt like a little child being sent to her room for bad behavior. Finally she dismounted quietly and handed the reigns to one of the guards. No one spoke. She could feel all eyes on her as she proceeded back towards the carriage. It was unnerving. And frustrating. And frankly a little humiliating. Another of the guards had dismounted and opened the carriage door for her as she approached. "Thank you," she said lightly. She sat on the sumptuous cushion and placed her hands in her lap. The carriage was comfortable, as carriages go, but Elsa had grown used to the open air and clear view. It felt cramped. She sat in silence as she waited for Heinrick to return. Even though she was expecting it, she still twitched when the carriage door opened abruptly and Heinrick climbed in.
Heinrick summed up immediately: "my father thinks you should go home."
Elsa's reply was just as quick. "I'm not going to do that."
Heinrick sat on the cushioned bench seat facing rearward, across from Elsa. With a rattle and a jingle of harnessing their carriage began to move. Heinrick brushed at his pants. "I knew that. For the same reason I wouldn't if I were you - to not give any ground to people of that sort. My father is just being a concerned ... well, father."
Elsa nodded as she thought of her own father. "I do appreciate it, even though I'm not going to oblige." They exchanged a smile. "Now, as for 'people of that sort,' please tell me what you know," she asked plainly.
"What I know is nearly a month stale now, so I don't know how much of it still applies."
Elsa gave a nod. "I understand."
"There are still pockets of people who are loyal to Terence. In some places they are in brazen groups. But in many others, they are a minority that has blended back into their communities. At the time I left in mid-May, the organized effort at flushing them out hadn't had enough time to gain traction. Hopefully we'll find out more when we get to the capital." He looked her solemnly in the eye. "It probably won't surprise you to hear that we found some in Mittergaard - particularly Balkirck."
Elsa nodded, recalling Lotus' capture there on her first trip. How had that succeeded, anyway? She had had no way to know before and it hadn't occurred to her to ask in the last ten days since being able to communicate with her creations. "Pardon me a minute while I check in with Lotus," she said.
Lotus? How were you caught in Falster?
Hubris.
Oh?
There were a pair of men with a net. They were at a distance I misjudged them incapable of spanning. I also knew the net wouldn't hold me so I didn't take the matter seriously. Too late I realized that it was a sturdy blanket without holes I could pass through. They discussed their success on the way back to Falster. They had been coached ahead of time on how to accomplish the task. They were specifically prepared for me.
Elsa scowled. Ken.
Yes. Once I was in the glass dome, he gave me a good inspection. Following that, he didn't seem very interested. King Terence decided to keep me as a trophy.
Elsa shook her head in disgust. How goes your search?
The boy is aware that I am following him. He is trying to hide in various ways, but he is progressing. There is a town ahead.
Elsa nodded reflexively. "Lotus says the boy is approaching a town. Do you know where that is?"
Heinrick's hazel eyes focused on a point on the carriage roof as he consulted a mental map. "Doloma," he said. "That's a good distance east of here. The boy makes good time."
Elsa's eyes swept distractedly over the tiny view through the carriage window. "I believe I misjudged the situation here," she remarked. "I'm not really that surprised. What surprises me more is that my admiral misjudged it. He's usually overly cautious."
Heinrick nodded. "I'd say we misjudged it too. But unless we were traveling prepared for battle, with scouts combing the trees, it would always be possible to miss a lone operative." His eyes fell to the floor. "I'm very sorry, Elsa. This ought to have been a simple trip."
Scouts combing the trees, she contemplated. It was tempting, but she really didn't want to create any more ice creatures. She glanced down at her open palms resting in her lap. Especially since her powers seemed to be spiraling out of her control. And she already had a capable scout, he was just busy at the moment. "When Lotus is done tracking that boy, I want to go back outside."
Heinrick regarded her thoughtfully. He knew full well what Lotus was capable of. "Very well," he said. "I'm sure everyone will be more alert."
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Heinrick, I need -" she hesitated. "I need you to make me a promise." She glanced up at him.
"I'm listening."
"My powers. Ever since overcoming Ken, they've been behaving ... erratically."
"How so?"
"They're not slipping out unbidden like they did three years ago, but they're so dramatic that I'm having more and more difficulty controlling them when I go to use them."
He nodded. "Is that what happened with Elizabeth's statue?"
Elsa's shoulders sagged as she looked down, deflated. "Yes. She took me by surprise with her request to fix it. I didn't want to, but I didn't want to disappoint her. It could have been a lot worse."
"So what are you wanting me to promise?"
Elsa met his eyes. "That vision - of the frozen spoiled landscape. I'm afraid it means -" She pursed her lips and then sighed, looking back down at her lap. "I'm afraid it means I'm going to go crazy and freeze everything again. Only worse, somehow."
He nodded silently.
She ran her hand down her braid. "I need you to promise me that if I go crazy, you'll do what needs to be done to stop me." She sought his eyes again, her face urgent, plaintive.
Heinrick rested his elbows on his knees and brought his hands together, touching each fingertip to its counterpart as he brought them to his chin. He sat thoughtfully.
After a silent moment, Elsa whispered, "Please."
At length, he replied, "I can't make you that promise, Elsa."
She could feel her hands balling into fists. With quivering voice, she asked, "why?"
"I can promise to do what I can. I can promise to get your loved ones to safety. But consider, Elsa: if I promise to take you out, and you've gone crazy, I will become your target. I can be of no help to you that way."
Elsa was taken aback. She hadn't thought of that, but strategically, it was likely true. Leave it to Heinrick to give a strategic answer in a moment like this. Indeed, not promising was closer to a promise than promising. She crossed her arms, hands tucked along her sides, as she bowed her head. "I understand," she said softly. "Thank you."
Heinrick reached across and touched her knee, withdrawing it once she had looked up. "Elsa, you realize I'll also do what I can to keep things from getting to that point, don't you?"
Yes, I do. She gave a grateful smile.