The Southern Isles wasted no time. Within a few months, their forces had blitzed their way across Arendelle, heading for the capital city. Arendelle's, and their allies, had been completely unprepared, and could only assemble a ramshackle defense. Elsa knew it wouldn't last. Soon, the armies of the Southern Isles would be here.
That morning, she had received a disturbing piece of news, and immediately convened an emergency meeting of the council. She also recalled her leading general from the front lines. Here he stands before his queen, his armor caked in mud and blood. The ride had been rough, and he's clearly exhausted from not sleeping. Even so, he stands proudly before her, his back straight.
"General Hans." Elsa greets him. "Tell me, do you know why you're here?"
"I do not, your majesty."
"I see. Where do your loyalties lay?"
"Well, with you and Arendelle, your majesty."
Elsa is not impressed with this. "It wasn't that long ago that you came here, begging my father for a posting in the army, in order to bolster relations between our two peoples. Do you remember?"
"I do, your majesty."
"Then, I'll ask you again. Where do your loyalties lay?"
"I don't understand the question, your majesty."
"Bring her in!" Elsa orders a guard. A pair of double doors open, and a woman in chains is dragged in. She frantically begs for her life. "Hans! Help me! Please!" His heart drops as it's clear that she's been tortured for information.
"Now…," Elsa continues. "Your wife has been caught helping pass intelligence to your home country. Troop deployments and movements. Locations of our garrisons. Maps. Even battle plans. The kind of intelligence only you would have access to." Elsa conjures up a thin, pointy icicle and spins it between her fingers. "Sloppy, I have to say. For something like this, I almost expected better from you. Now, I'm going to ask you for the last time: where do your loyalties lay?"
The general is silent. He can only look at his wife kneeling on the floor under the weight of heavy chains. He knows what's coming.
"There it is…" Elsa hisses, as she slowly approaches him. "Your silence speaks volumes. General, what is the punishment for this kind of treason?"
"Execution." He whispers.
"A little louder. For all of us to hear."
"Execution." He says.
"Exactly. Draw your sword, general. That's an order."
Trying his best to hide his nervousness, Hans slowly draws his blade. In a few short months, this blade has already killed many. Now, he was sure his own wife would be added to the tally. The tension in the air is palpable. Anna quietly sits by, watching this unfold. Surely her sister wouldn't order this?
"Please, Hans." His wife whimpers. "What about our children?"
"Seems to me that you should've thought of that first!" Elsa snaps. "Do what must be done, general!"
Hans steel himself, raising the blade. Anna can't take any more of this. She jumps out of her chair. "Stop this!" She yells. The whole room freezes. She hadn't meant to do it. Now, everyone was looking at her. She swallows hard, her eyes darting around. "Um…constable. Take the general and his wife, and lock them in the dungeon pending trial."
At first, no one moves. The constable looks to Elsa, then back to Anna. Elsa says nothing. She's too busy angrily glaring at Anna. Shrugging, the constable puts the general in chains, carting him off. As they go by, Hans' wife whispers her thanks to Anna.
Anna can't even look her own sister in the eyes, feeling the entire weight of Elsa's icy gaze. Elsa grabs Anna's arm, locking in a vice grip, and drags her into an ante room. She shoves Anna against a wall. "Just what do you think you're doing?!" Elsa barks.
"I could ask you the same thing." Anna tries to hide her quaking in her boots.
"Don't you ever, EVER, contradict me in front of the council ever again! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
"Yes."
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, your majesty."
"That's better. Just remember one thing: Don't get in my way ever again. I won't care if you are my sister." With that, Elsa turns on her heel, and stomps out of the room. Anna stands rooted in that spot, unable to move. She can hear the meeting resume as if nothing happened.
Anna wipes the few tears from her eyes, heading for her bedroom.
As the war dragged on, the rapid advance of the Southern Isles becoming a slog, it was beginning to take its toll, even in the capital city. Food was being carefully rationed, anything that could be spared being sent to the front lines. Anyone capable of hard labor went to work in the war industry. Any male capable of holding a sword was drafted into the army. Morale had plummeted.
Elsa became so consumed with winning the war, it was all she thought about. Anna could only stand by and watch as Elsa became more and more…brutish. As the war dragged on, whispers and rumors of disloyalty became more and more commonplace. Society broke down. Family turned against family. Neighbor against neighbor. All became a little too eager to denounce each other, then hauled off for a quick execution. Anna had done her best to save those she thought were innocent, but it wasn't enough. Beheadings became a public spectacle, as those watching cheered on.
Even now, Anna could see one about to happen from her bedroom window. A woman, the baker's daughter, accused of hoarding food meant for the army, is hauled onto a platform. Dangling in the air, a nasty looking blade, covered in blood, new and old. Anna thought the girl, just shy of nineteen, was brave. Not uttering a sound. Too many had pleaded their innocence, and begged for forgiveness from the bloodthirsty crowd. Which never did any good.
Anna can only watch as the girl is kneeled down, her neck positioned under the blade. At one point, in her official role as Queen's Consort, could've stopped this if she wanted to, and granted the girl her freedom. Elsa had unceremoniously stripped her of this power after the first time.
Wanting to look away, but not doing so, Anna's heart breaks as the blade comes down. The crowd roared happily.
Without much to do, and not wanting to incur any more of Elsa's wrath, Anna had stayed in her bedroom most of the time. During this time, Anna had heard complaints and concerns from the staff about Elsa's behavior. Soon enough, her bedroom became something like a sanctuary for those just wanting a break from their queen.
Whether Elsa noticed, or just didn't care, Anna didn't know. What she did know, however, is that she needed to do something to end this. She reaches into her pillowcase, bringing out the only surviving picture of her, Elsa, and their parents. Happier times were these. Stifling a sob, she puts the picture back.
"I am so sorry." She whispers to the dead girl's spirit, or so she thinks. "No more."
Anna had never been afraid of her sister. She knew that no matter how angry Elsa became, and it was bad most times, she would never hurt Anna. Some part of her still loved Anna, and it was that part Anna hoped to reach.
She found Elsa alone in the throne room, hunched over a massive oak table. On it, troop positions were marked by blue and red flags. The enemy was closing in, it seemed.
"What do you want?" Elsa growls, not looking up.
"We need to talk." Anna replies forcefully.
"Can't you see I'm busy?"
Smaller maps. Plans. Papers and lists. Basically, anything anyone would need to run a war. Frustrated, Anna sweeps it all onto the floor. The papers scatter, and the table is in complete disarray. "Do I have your attention now?"
"You need to end this. This war has dragged on long enough! Too many people are getting killed!"
"Oh, it's that simple is it?" The poison drips from Elsa's mouth. "To surrender? To give up? To lose my throne, and destroy my legacy, losing everything that I have built? You're a bigger idiot than I thought!"
"People are killing each other! I just watched an innocent young woman die needlessly for a crime she didn't commit!"
"And that's somehow my fault?"
"You could've stopped it!"
"Then what? Sparing her would've sent a message that dissent and traitors will now be tolerated! I won't have it! Especially coming from you!"
"Me? What did I do?"
"Come on, Anna." Elsa snaps her fingers, gesturing to the mess. A couple of staff members scurry around, trying to scoop up as much as possible. "All you do is contradict me. Ever since I came home, all you've done is undermine me, contradict me, and betray me at every turn!"
"I haven't-"
"But you have!" Elsa's voice rises. "You encourage them! Everything you have done has encouraged their rebellion and treason!"
"I swear to you that I've done no such thing. As your sister-"
"I have no sister!"
Anna hadn't meant to do it. She had become so frustrated, and angry, with Elsa's behavior, it had been a total reflex. She had slapped Elsa so hard that Elsa staggered back a couple steps. Her normally pale skin now a slight red where Anna made contact with her cheek. Elsa looks back at her. Her face is a mix of shock and horror. It had been a slap heard throughout the castle. Those in the vicinity freeze in place, their eyes go wide.
"Elsa, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"
"I've had enough of your lies!" With a wave, a band of ice wraps itself around Anna's jawline, preventing her from talking. She scratches at it, to no avail. "And I've had enough of you." Heavy handcuffs of ice yank Anna to the floor. She lands with a thud. She looks up at Elsa, pleading with her eyes for mercy. More cuffs bind Anna's ankles together. "Guards! Lock her in the dungeon with the other prisoners!"
Anna doesn't even try to resist. The guards pull her up by the chains, nearly ripping her joints apart.
"Hans. Look." The general and his wife are surprised when the guards drag Anna down the rough stone stairs, cutting up her skin and clothes. They throw her in with the couple. The other prisoners in the other overcrowded cells whisper to each other in shock and surprise. As soon as they lock the door, the ice anchoring her wrists and ankles, and covering her jaw, melt away.
"Your highness…" Hans helps Anna to a sitting position. She begins to cry.
"Not anymore it seems…" She curls up in a corner, bringing her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs, and sobs.