12. Life Is Like A Box Of Chocolates

"Truly now, Your Majesty, why have you not taken over the world yet?" Nakuta wondered.

"Running one small country is hard enough. Why would I want to be in charge of more?" Elsa laughed.

"I think it is only difficult if one cares about the needs of other people," Jamang said softly. "If one is only seeking to enrich oneself or to satisfy one's own appetites, then it becomes easy."

"Perhaps so, Your Excellency. But it would be a very unpleasant way for me to live. Being utterly self-serving is merely a different form of confinement," Elsa replied philosophically.

Jamang raised his coffee cup in a toast to her, and the others in room followed suit. "Surely such wisdom can see a solution to our problem," the ambassador remarked.

"The first priority is to find more trade partners for you," Elsa enjoined. "Weselton under the leadership of this particular Duke has a well-earned reputation for wanting something for nothing. The utmost vigilance is needed when dealing with them, because they will try to exploit any oversight, weakness, or crisis; they will also attempt to retaliate in various ways if they are thwarted. The king my father taught me that there are those who seek to pillage and enthrall by way of business contracts and technicalities of law just as there are those who come with cannons, spears, and shackles."

"How is Daloa's relationship with France, Your Excellency?" asked Rogalund. "We know they are already active in your region, so perhaps they can be persuaded to pay you a more reasonable price."

Jamang's shoulders tensed again. "They seek to expand their colonial holdings. Many of our neighbors have been under their sway for more than a decade, and I must confess that we are going in the same direction, especially since our farmers' troubles began. Our King Adjoua is a good man, but I can see we are not as organized as you northern countries. You have much to tempt us with."

Elsa ran her hand over her hair, and considered the problem. "We can talk with Corona; they already trade with Duala and Buea. They might be interested in getting into the chocolate business, especially at Weselton's expense."

"Why not someone from Arendelle, Your Majesty?" inquired Jamang.

"First, Your Excellency, our merchant fleet is already running at full capacity; we are building new ships, but we must think of the forests in the long-run and the best ways to manage them," Elsa said simply. "Second, there is an image issue; if Arendelle were to directly shoulder aside Weselton in a part of the world where we have previously had scant dealings and they have been operating -unethically or not- for almost a century, it could be construed as an economic attack. Or Arendelle's first steps toward an empire."

"I begin to think Her Majesty wouldn't make such a bad empress," Nakuta said in the Kru language under his breath, but still loud enough for Jamang to hear. The ambassador reprovingly nudged Nakuta's leg with his own foot.

"Fair enough, Your Majesty," Jamang said as Nakuta surreptitiously rubbed his ankle.

"Minister Rogalund will discreetly discuss the proposition with Corona's ambassador, Your Excellency, and if they are responsive, arrange a meeting between you before your delegation departs for home," Elsa said with an aura of optimism. "I would also like to extend an offer for you to send some of your compatriots here to study at our university."

Jamang blinked at her. "Your Majesty, we thank you for your generosity, but we have only a very basic education system."

"Oh, I'm exaggerating somewhat by calling it a university, Your Excellency," Elsa clarified. "While it has some higher level academics in certain areas of study, it has a stronger technology and vocational school component. It's not so much about getting a degree. The goal is to make sure that my people have the skills needed to earn a living and navigate their own courses through the larger world; and that the country can fill positions of importance from our own populace.

"Some of it is still quite experimental: agriculture and metalcraft, for example. But the main emphasis is to teach all students certain observational and analytical techniques so that they can learn on their own or adapt what they've learned to a situation they've never seen before. This way, our farmers who come to study can always figure out the best crops to grow under different conditions or the best way to grow them. And they can teach their neighbors what they've learned once they return home. I believe something like that should be of interest to you."

Jamang blinked at her again. "This is indeed of interest to us, Your Majesty, but I must remind you that we probably can't afford-"

"The Crown has set up a scholarship fund, Your Excellency," Elsa interrupted. "I would need to look at some figures again, but I'm sure there is enough to cover the cost of tuition for at least a few Daloans, if they can get here. I'm also sure Minister Rogalund could find a few townsfolk in Arendelle that would be honored to house them during their stay." Rogalund nodded meaningfully.

Jamang blinked yet again, but this time to fight his tears. "We have no words to express our gratitude, Your Majesty. Why are you doing this for us?"

"Your people grow chocolate, Your Excellency. It is my duty to help you," Elsa said succinctly but with a twinkle in her eye. "Minister Rogalund can tell you what courses of study are available at our university and help you decide which people to send. And now, I must ask your leave to move on to the next appointment on the schedule."

"But of course, Your Majesty. We now have much to discuss amongst ourselves, at any rate. We thank you for your time, Great Queen," Jamang said and rose from his chair. Nakuta and the Daloan guard joined him, and all three bowed to her. Elsa inclined her head in acknowledgement, and the Arendelle guard escorted the guests to the large dining hall where their fellows awaited.

As they walked down the passageway, Jamang pulled along side Nakuta and said in their native tongue: "I am sorry for kicking you. She wouldn't make such a bad empress."

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"You handled that well, Your Majesty," Rogalund said after the Daloans filed out.

"Please schedule a meeting with the French ambassador," Elsa said with icy calmness. "We obviously need to have a little chat."

"Let us not be rash, Your Majesty," Rogalund said with concern. The temperature had dropped slightly.

"Oh, we will just talk. But if I find any evidence that they intend to invade Daloa or have one of their African client states do it, there will be repercussions. It's one thing if the Daloans align themselves with France because they think there is some real benefit to it; it's quite another if they are militarily forced into it."

"Strong-arming isn't France's style, Your Majesty," Rogalund reminded her.

"Did you not teach me about the French Empire and the recent wars against it?" quipped Elsa.

"Yes, but Your Majesty clearly forgets that France is now under new management," he joshed.

Elsa smiled in spite of herself, and the temperature returned to normal. "Still, the balance of power has changed again. And when that happens a country's goals and strategies may also change, and old alliances and old rivalries may be forgotten."

"Why are you really helping the Daloans like this, Your Majesty?"

Elsa sighed. "Because this is an instance of not thinking through all of the consequences of my decisions. I broke off trade with Weselton, which hurt them financially far worse than us. However, being the way Weselton is, they obviously tried to make up for it by chiseling their remaining partners. I should have expected them to do something like that, especially with whomever had the least recourse. I made the mess that the Daloans are in, so I should clean it up as best I can. I think they only need a little assistance to get back on their feet."

Rogalund could not help remembering the eerily still and stoic young girl who sat at the far end of the long table in library when he tutored her. He had quickly come to consider her to be "special" from a scholastic view but quite a puzzle from the personal perspective. She had been so unlike any other child he had ever met, even the ones like his own who were mature for their ages and had early exposure to formal studies. Crown Princess Elsa was very aware of consequences and responsibilities and took them seriously to an extreme that was not often seen even in adults. At the time, Rogalund thought it was merely the king stressing their importance to the heir apparent; after the events of her coronation and the Great Thaw and working with her since then, he saw that there was much more to it, even if he still didn't know the full story.

"There is a limit to human foresight, Your Majesty," he reassured. "You could hardly be expected to know all of Weselton's trade partners and all of the goods they deal in; it's one of their most closely guarded secrets."

"True. But I have a very good idea where they sell the Daloans' cocoa beans: France and the Regenerated Swiss Confederation. I wonder what would happen if they were to find out precisely how little Weselton has been paying for the raw material," Elsa said all too innocently.

"You wouldn't!" Rogalund said with feigned shock.

"That man has managed to taint something as good and pure as chocolate. I shall not be able to enjoy it again until I know the Daloans get a fair price for it," Elsa said sincerely. "Such a deed cannot go unpunished. Although I promised him not to use my magic against him or Weselton provided that they left us in peace, I said nothing about using my cunning and calculating mind."

"This is why no one can be persuaded to play chess against you, Your Majesty."

"It's their loss," Elsa punned.

Rogalund rolled his eyes. "It's time to corral the Khentiians, Your Majesty," he said as he rose, bowed, and left the study.

Elsa once again checked her appearance and waited for Kai's knock. And hoped that the Khentiians did not have a similar story.

Author's Note - I really want to give the Duke of Weselton the name "Otto Conrad II," but chances are that won't be the name the Disney people give him (if he ever does get a name), even though he totally looks like an "Otto Conrad II." I imagine Weselton as country to be geographically in the vicinity of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, and to be a hate-sink combination of the worst historical traits of the Dutch and the English empires.

Of course, Arendelle's "university" wouldn't have existed back in 1800s, but there's no reason Elsa couldn't have pioneered such a concept.