Few hours earlier
Restless fingers drummed rapidly on the armrest. A deep frown was etched on Anna's smooth forehead as she watched her council members plowed through the territory expansion plans, unaware of her thinning patience. Almost three hours had passed since the commencement of the War Council and yet the members had not come to a consensus. Fatigue was sapping away her concentration like a starved leech. The lack of sleep the night prior was fueling her agitation at each passing minute. Her temple throbbed in protest as she willed herself to stay awake. Maybe I should ask Kai to clear my schedule after this. Her focus drifted to a certain blonde in her bed chambers.
"What have I done to deserve this?"
Anna clenched her teeth. It disturbed her how much Elsa's words were affecting her. No matter how much she tried, the image of the distraught woman kept playing in her mind - a quivering ball huddled against the corner of the bed, her tear-stained face buried in her arms muffling her broken cries. She mentally cursed herself for the repeated distraction and willed herself to focus on the meeting. Her attention diverted to the young lord who was exchanging heated words with the council elder.
"Who knows what trickery they have under their sleeves? The peace treaty was just a ruse that we came out with to keep those savages at bay. Now that they have taken the bait, it's time to launch a full offensive."
"A deal is a deal, Lord Tobias. The Arendelle kingdom has always honoured our promises. Besides, the Northuldras gave us no reason to attack them," the elderly member retorted, fiddling with his wedding band.
Lord Tobias scoffed. "May I remind you that negligence was the reason for our failed expedition years ago? We were too complacent then, Lord Magnus. I will be damned if we are going to make the same mistake."
"The circumstances were different. We have another...constraint to consider during the attack." Lord Magnus replied, shooting a timid glance at the Queen.
Anna pursed her lips in disdain. She knew what or rather who, the man was referring to. The one who must not be named. The traitor to the Crocus throne.
"Don't worry, gentlemen. I won't be like my father." Anna reaffirmed, staring daggers at the offending nobleman.
Lord Magnus averted his eyes, shame crept on his face. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I didn't mean to insult."
"Arendelle is everything to me and I will see it that my kingdom's flag will always fly high and proud." the Queen said. "For this, I need your loyalty and support to see the plan through."
The failure of Northern invasion had taught her an important lesson - brute strength was never the answer. The right choice of action was to win over the savages' hearts and minds, allowing themselves to be willingly colonised- starting with the truce made with Chief Yazik. It irked her that her men failed this point.
"We are willing to serve Your Highness." Lord Tobias bowed his head. "However, I feel that your plan lacked conviction."
A deafening silence followed the nobleman's blunt comment.
"Oh?" Anna cocked her head, perturbed.
"Lord Tobias, choose your words carefully." warned another councilman, sensing danger lurking from the man's impudence.
"It's alright, Lord Varia. Let him speak. I want to know what he has to say." said Anna leaned forward, propping her chin on interwoven fingers.
Amber eyes bored into hers, unwavered by the Queen's icy glance. "I sense some hesitation from you, Your Highness. You have a powerful weapon at your disposal and yet you refuse to make full use of it."
Anna bristled at his remark. How dare this man insinuate that Elsa was an expendable object? This brat was in no position to poke his nose where it didn't belong and she had to put him in his place.
"My plan involving the Spirit does not concern you, Lord Tobias. We have other ways to manage the Northuldras." Anna chastised.
"I beg to differ, Your Majesty. It becomes my concern when it involves the lives of my men. I will not let unnecessary sacrifices be made if we already have a viable solution at hand to eradicate the problem."
"I share the same concern as you do, Lord Tobias. I do not wish to start wars unnecessarily. My priority is to get the most out of our treaties without causing any tension." Anna glowered. "Let me remind you that the weapon you spoke of is a tribute by the Northuldras they exchanged for their freedom. Attacking them after receiving a peace offering is a dishonourable act, one that I will not allow."
The man scoffed, clearly not buying the Queen's explanation.
"Surely you jest, Your Majesty. The Northuldras have fooled us before. If history has taught us anything, it is that these savages are dangerous and not trustworthy. We need to make an example out of them, starting by using one of their own against them."
Anna saw red. She had enough of the lord's insolence. Time to put him back in place.
"Enough! I do not wish to speak on this matter anymore. Please proceed to the next agenda."
"Coward…"
All eyes turned to the speaker whose hands now balled into tight fists against his hips.
"What did you say?" asked the Queen in disbelief.
"You and King Runenard are no different. Weak and pathetic." the man spat viciously, having no qualms of showcasing his anger towards the Queen.
"That's enough, Tobias!" Lord Magnus snapped. The zing of his unsheathed sword echoed through the hall.
"I will not stand here and let you treat Her Majesty with such disrespect." warned the elder councilman, edging the tip of the blade against Tobias's jugular. "Had it not been for my friendship with your father, I would have cut you down where you stand."
Lord Tobias shot him a death glare.
"My father gave up his life for the Crocus throne, Lord Magnus. He did it so that Arendelle could have a better future." He shifted his attention to the Queen. "But what we are doing now is sullying the sacrifices made by those who had fought for our cause. The fact that the Northuldra still stands is a sign of our regression!"
"You insolent whelp!"
"Stop!"
All heads turned to the tyrant. Anna descended from the dais like a graceful lioness. Lord Magnus lowered his sword and retreated, giving way to the Queen as she sauntered towards the nobleman. Anna regarded his fearless demeanour with a delirious smile.
The Queen lashed out unexpectedly; her kneecap connected directly to his unprotected midsection, making the man double over in pain. He coughed as the full impact of the hit forced wind from his lungs. Anna grabbed a fistful of hair and yanked it backwards.
"What your father did was expected as the servant to the Crocus throne. He was Grandfather's man. His thoughts and actions have no bearing on me." Her grip tightened. "On the other hand, you have sworn your service to me. And now that you have made your point, I think it's time for me to take this back."
She reached out for the insignia embroidery sewn on his right sleeve and stripped it off the fabric.
"You are hereby suspended from this court until further notice. Get out of my sight!"
"This is not over."
Uneasiness welled up inside of her when she caught the dark look on the man's face.
xxx
Anna placed her quill pen back into the ink pot after signing off the last set of documents. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she stroked off the last item on her checklist. She nursed a few sips of lukewarm black coffee while examining the stack of neatly arranged paperwork on her desk. The Queen smiled to herself, mentally praising herself for not shirking her daily duties despite feeling like a half-dead corpse. Matthias was kind enough to offer his assistance to take some of the burden off her shoulders, leaving only urgent documents to her attention - something that she was quite thankful for. Now that her job had finally settled, it was time to retire to her chambers and get some rest.
It was only then it occurred to the Queen that she had left Elsa in her room for almost a day. She mentally chastised herself for neglecting her slave, guilt gnawing on her conscience. How could she be so careless as to leave her slave unattended after what she did to her? Knowing how dense the Spirit could be, she would probably be on the bed waiting for Anna to return. The Queen wanted to smack herself for not sending Gerda earlier to check on her. It would be very inconvenient to Anna if the Spirit had taken ill due to her injuries. After all, Elsa was Anna's prized possession, an instrumental piece in her proverbial chessboard for world domination. It would be a shame if she was broken before she got to utilise the Spirit's full potential and obliterate her enemies.
An accusatory tone echoed in her head.
-Who are you trying to fool, Anna? You care too much to see her get hurt.-
That's not true! - Anna retorted instantly - She needs to be punished for Northuldra's actions. Elsa is the reason I was humiliated in my court today. She and her accursed magic.
- If you claim that you feel nothing, why did you walk out that night? If Elsa was so insignificant, why did you get so mad at Tobias's request?-
The string of questions made the Queen stone silent. No comeback was good enough to refute the truth behind the matter - Anna had become emotionally attached to the Elemental Spirit but was too big of a coward to realise it. Deep inside her heart, she knew there was more to Elsa than being an object for her hatred and lust. She wasn't just another war prize in Anna's conquest collection. Nor was she a scapegoat for her people's past sins. Elsa was unquestionably a formidable adversary who was worthy of Anna's respect and admiration; not only for her power but her unyielding spirit as well. And when she thought she was close to breaking the elemental spirit, Elsa bounced back like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Clearly Anna had underestimated the influence this woman had on her.
No, I can't run away from this. I need to sort this out.
Anna lit a kerosene lamp and left the study. She couldn't shake off an ominous feeling since her mental battle began - it became more apparent as she approached her bed chambers. The sight of an ajar door and two night guards rushing towards her made her break cold sweat. The panicked look on their face was definitely not a good sign.
Both soldiers dropped to one knee. "Your Majesty! The Element Spirit...she disappeared!"
Anna was dumbfounded. "What..? Explain yourself!"
"Handmaiden Anise informed us that the Fifth Spirit went missing when she brought food to Your Majesty's room. Ranger and I were on the way to take over the post from Alfred..."
The world spun around her. Her focus on the men faded as her chest constricted from Elsa's act of betrayal.
This is what happens when you wear your heart on your sleeve, Anna. Have you not learned your lesson? A sinister voice taunted. Magic takes and corrupts.
Grandfather was right. No good ever comes to being soft. Her feelings had blinded her from seeing the blonde's true colors. Bitter rage filled her chest as realisation struck her. She let out a humorless laugh. How could she let Elsa worm her way into her heart and tear down her emotional defenses that she fought so hard to keep? She had no one to blame but herself.
I will not let myself be fooled again. Never again.
Anna glared at the two men, incensed.
"Find her and bring her back. Alive. Do you understand me?"
"Yes..Your Majesty."
xxx
Anna fidgeted with the cufflinks of her sleeve. Something doesn't add up. The changing of the guards happened in less than thirty minutes. It was almost impossible to cover so much ground without being spotted by the sentry. She practically mobilised the whole castle searching for her missing slave, yet no news thus far. It was as though Elsa had mysteriously disappeared without a trace - a scenario which made no sense. The magic suppressant collar that her slave wore negated that possibility.
This is not over.
Anna's face paled at the realisation of Tobias's remark. The intention behind his words was crystal clear. He wanted to exact his revenge in the most effective way - striking the Queen where it hurt the most. If anything, this morning's episode had exposed Elsa as her weakness, something Anna regretted deeply. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead as she recalled the man's sinister grin as the guards hauled the nobleman out of the throne room.
"General! I know where to find her. Gather your men and follow me."
The Queen dashed out of the throne room, not bothering to wait for her men's response. Adrenaline surged in her veins, matching the thundering beat of her heart as she willed herself to move faster. Tobias's notorious conduct with war captives filled Anna with dread. A fair amount of time had passed since Elsa's disappearance.
She knew Elsa's chances of survival thinned with each passing second.
She almost slipped when she rounded a corner into a long corridor. By now her lungs were screaming for air but she paid no heed to its demand. The thought of Elsa propelled her forward, eyes locked on the steel door at the end of the pathway. A faint scream coming from the end confirmed her suspicion.
I'm coming, Elsa. Hold on.
Her stomach heaved when Anna slammed the door open. That monster had Elsa trapped underneath her with his large frame. The tyrant's hand reached out for her nearest weapon and threw it on her enemy's back. The next thing Anna knew, she was by Elsa's side, cradling her prone form against her chest. Her heart ached at the damage marring on her skin.
Had I been a little later….
Anna shuddered at the thought. Her self-doubt had caused Elsa so much suffering and yet the blonde looked at her with such hopeful eyes. The promise she made was instantly forgotten, now replaced burning shame.
This is my fault. I did this to her.
"Your Majesty, your orders"
"Make sure this bastard doesn't bleed to death. I will deal with him later."
