"I cannot possibly overstate the severity of this crisis, your majesty." Kai, the head of the council, fidgets in his chair. Not because he is nervous, but because of how cold it is. In this mountainous ice castle, towering over the rest of the capital, only Elsa was completely comfortable. Everyone else had to bundle up. At least the icy floors weren't as slippery as they looked. "Never in our entire history has something like this ever occurred."

"What do the Southern Isles want, exactly?" And there was Elsa. Still sporting that blue crystalline dress. Even after a year of wearing it non-stop, it looked absolutely perfect. Anna couldn't help but notice how calm and poised her sister seemed to be.

"Same thing they've always wanted: independence." Kai explains. "With the passing of your parents, and your ascension, they feel that now is the time for their revolution."

"It's outrageous." Elsa comments. "This kingdom has stood for over 800 years. We cannot let it simply be split in half."

"Agreed. Which is why I'm going to keep working the diplomatic channels." The ambassador offers."

"Good. In the meantime, how far are they willing to go for their so-called freedom?" Elsa asks. The entire council just looks at each other nervously. Anna notes the change in the atmosphere. It suddenly clicks in Elsa's mind. "War? They would be willing to go to war?"

"They would, your majesty." Kai said.

It was like thunder had boomed. "Arendelle is peaceful." Elsa whispers. "We have no standing army! How would we even defend ourselves?"

"We do have allies that would come to our aid. A few of them have already promised soldiers and supplies."

"Only a few? What of the rest?"

"Well, your majesty, some of the regions feel like the Southern Isles have a point. They feel like the monarchy is no longer necessary, and that every country should be able to decide their own fate."

Elsa gets up, and gracefully crosses the room to the window. She looks out, and sees the people going about their lives. "And what of them?" Elsa crosses her arms over her chest. "What do they think?"

"From what we gathered,.." Another councilman speaks up. "Is that the people are split almost evenly. They're either loyal to the crown, or desire something more democratic."

Something subtle had changed in Elsa's stance. Anna had seen it, even though no one else did. Anna knew that Elsa didn't like what she heard. At all. "Incredible." She breathes. "After all I did for them." She turns around, her icy glare moving over the entire council. Except for Anna. "When my father died, the kingdom was crumbling. Our economy crumbled! The people were out of work! They were starving!" Elsa's voice rises. "And I saved them from that! I undid the damage that my father caused! And now they say it's not good enough for them?!" A heavy silence fell over the room. The council members look dejected, staring down at the hardwood table as if it has the answers to the coming crisis. "Let me tell you something: I will not lead Arendelle on a path to war."

After a few other mundane matters, all of which paled in comparison to a pending armed revolution, the meeting broke up, the council leaving without another word. Anna slowly rises from her chair, joining her sister at the window. She reaches for one of Elsa's hands, giving it a firm squeeze. Anna notes Elsa's seemingly low body temperature, as her fingers are cool to the touch.

"What am I supposed to do, Anna?" Elsa asks stiffly.

"What are we supposed to do? You're not alone here." Anna gives Elsa a reassuring smile. "We'll figure it out."

Elsa gives Anna a smile that she isn't feeling. After a hot bath, Elsa stands in front of her mirror, trying to figure out what to do with her hair. It has always been straight. Maybe it was time for a change. That, at least, she could do. A simple braid then. Something her mother showed her how to do.

Her mother. Hot chocolate on cold days. Bedtime stories. Warm hugs. Kisses on boo-boos.

Then, it was all gone. Dungeons. Beatings. Rituals. Darkness. Pain. coming home, and finding out her mother practically erased her. Except for one desperate act that left Elsa the queen of all of Arendelle. Was it supposed to be one final act of cruelty? Thrusting Elsa into a situation of which she was completely unprepared for? Seems like it.

Looking up, Elsa sees the reflection of her parents standing behind her. She quickly looks behind her. There's no one there, of course. Looking back to the mirror, the reflections are still there. Standing in their shadow, Elsa felt like she would never measure up. She would never be as strong, or successful, as they were. Knowing that nothing but failure was in her future, her anger boils to the surface once again. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screams, slamming her fist into the glass.

The delicate glass splinters, and a couple shards fall to the floor. Breathing hard, Elsa stares hard into her own reflection. She's focused on herself, until she sees something thick, and red, slowly dripping.

Blood.

Her blood.

She inspects her hand. A nasty looking shard is buried in her palm.

Elsa curses. She rips a strip of cloth from a nearby curtain, wrapping it around her hand, trying to staunch the flow.

"Doctor!" She made her way to the castle's private medical wing. "Kristoff!" She calls.

Immediately, the young blonde comes out of his office, and runs over. "Your majesty!" He checks her blood-soaked "bandage". "What happened?" He asks, carefully pulling back the fabric.

"I um, I fell. Tripped. I tried using the mirror for balance."

He chooses to believe this. "Let me see." He grimaces at the glass still wedged in her hand. "It's not that bad. Come with me."

Kristoff had been clear in his instructions: "Don't use the hand if at all possible, certainly nothing strenuous. Keep the wound clean. Change the bandage every couple of days." Elsa sits on her bed, staring at the damaged mirror. Staring at her damaged reflection. How appropriate…

She would have to get someone to clean the blood off the floor.

There's a knock on the door. Someone desperately trying to get in. "Come in!"

Kai enters, and bows quickly. He's out of breath from running. "Your majesty. News from the south. It's the Southern Isles."

"What is it, Kai? What happened?"

"It's Ambassador Erik, your majesty. They killed him. They just sent his body back."

It had been a week since Erik had promised to find a peaceful solution to all this. Evidently, he had failed.

"Well, then…" Elsa says. "If they want a war…they're going to get one."