It was a strange ride through town for sure. The population stayed indoors for the most part, unsure of whether their Army was liberators or conquerors. Those who thought the latter made no attempt to hide it. Of those, the ones who were less than pleased with the prospects of a Snow Queen vented with shouts like "Snow Queen's Dogs." And "Ice Witch's monkeys." As such the small party was aware of the "absurd rumor" that Queen Elsa was some Witch Queen.
It was hardly a new conundrum. While no-one had entered the city until now, civilians had been passing through, most with about as much knowledge as they did. As such a variety of rumors had been heard- ranging from Queen Elsa being dead with the mythical Snow Queen replacing her, to the Queen being some snow witch. Others included a coup, the beginning of Ragnarok/Armageddon, or a repeat of the really bad winter over 40 years ago.
Scoffing at the mere idea that the girl they've known for years was the cause for the Great Freeze, the men dismounted at the castle gates and briskly strode across the Castle courtyard as Palace Guardsmen eyed them with suspicion.
Paulus carried himself with a steely calm, but was honestly scared pissless as he entered the main hall. He very well knew that at any moment, the Palace Guard could arrest and execute him, which was not an unheard of possibility. Until he saw Queen Elsa, he still considered the possibility of a Palace Guard or Civilian Coup a real threat.
Entering the main hall and seeing a bunch of nervous Ministers staring at him and his officers, and the unreadable nature of the Guard only reinforced his fears. He rested his hand on his holster, eyeing the room for the first sign of betrayal.
Needless to say, the entrance of Queen Elsa drew an audible sigh from all three officers as the relaxed their posture and bowed to their sovereign.
"Your Majesty, I am pleased to find that you are well. We heard preposterous rumors that ranged from your untimely death to accusations of sorcery!" The men chuckled at the idiocy of the latter. It didn't take Paulus long to notice the grim ministers not joining in. The Queen also had a pained reaction that puzzled Paulus.
However, Wilhelmsen being a stickler for detail cut off his observation with a much finer detail.
"If you don't mind me asking, what is the council doing here? They are not meant to meet again for several days!"
"There was an emergency meeting." Remarked a junior councilman, not truly knowing the implications of his actions.
"On what? Perhaps the army could help."
The ministers shifted their eyes, knowing that announcing plans of treason to the commanders that are charged with preventing it may not be too terribly wise. However, Jamesen was not one to hide his intentions.
"We met to carry out the beginnings of impeachment proceedings against Queen Elsa."
The smile disappeared from the General's lips, quickly turning into a hateful scowl. His eyes blazed in fury as the man began to curse and shout.
"You traitorous swine! You will be shot for this!" Turning to Queen Elsa, he offered his service. "Your Majesty, just give the order, and I'll have these men executed immediately!"
The Ministers cringed, knowing from the disastrous meeting that their Queen had little reason to spare their lives as not only had they proven their disloyalty, but they had seen the Queen lose control. A direct contradiction to the official statement that the Queen was perfectly in control of her powers.
Queen Elsa's conscience screamed for her to do the right thing, but she took a moment to ponder the consequences. This was it. This was the watershed moment that would characterize her rule. Either be a strong tyrant, or soft Queen. Knowledge of letting these men continue what they were doing would cripple her authority. Her choice was made.
"That will not be necessary. Let them continue their effort to find a legal reason to dethrone me."
Wilhelmsen's face was one of horror. "Your majesty, we cannot tolerate such blatant treason!"
Raising her voice, Elsa made sure that the Military men knew she would not budge. "I will not sit on throne of Bayonets! There will be no further discussion of this!"
Both Paulus and Wilhelmsen paused, before looking at each other. They gave a mere look, which was enough to let the other know what they both thought. It wasn't pretty, but they felt they had no choice.
The Queen insists on self-destruction. So be it. The Army will pick up the pieces.
Both returned their gaze upon their Queen, before bowing. "Yes, your majesty."
"Throne of bayonets. Ha!" All eyes turned to Lundgren, whose anger caused was yet to cause more problems. "Like a throne of cursed ice is much better!"
The Officers looked at him with mocking disbelief, before laughing.
"These men run our government? That idiot believes an insane conspiracy theory! There is no way the Queen has-"
Elsa decided now was the time. Time for the truth. These men were so indoctrinated to be loyal, that only a demonstration of her abilities would open their eyes. And she could not afford to keep these men in the dark. She was done hiding.
With a clap of her hands, she began to shape a sphere of glowing ice, before launching it up into the air. The ice then burst in a flash of cold color, before it began to snow indoors. The Officers stopped laughing, awestruck. Heads gazing upwards, still not getting it. Elsa made her way down from the stairs, sending bolts of icy magic to redecorate the main hall. Banners became the same material of her dress, statues and armor suits became encased in ice, and with a final stomp, the room's very décor, its trim and paneling became infused it the way the palace had when she created the ice rink, with bluish ice accenting the walls.
Their minds still overloaded, the speechless men stood mystified as the Queen proudly swayed towards them, a smile on her lips. She really did enjoy casting her magic and reveling in her gift/curse. As a coup de grace, she spread her arms wide and willed her dress' transformation. While it remain as constrictive, the dress became the same sheer ice fabric, with glistening scales. As her cape formed, a familiar tune passed through her mind, one that still gave her a surge when thinking.
Let it go, let it go, and I'll rise like the break of dawn!
Let it go, let it go! That perfect girl is gone!
She came to a halt, mere feet from her loyal officers. With a smirk on her face she addressed her now fully believing men.
"I afraid the conspiracy theories are true, Gentlemen. I am a sorceress."
The three men stood, collecting their thoughts. Colonel Marcks was the first to recover, straightening his uniform and returning to a straightened posture. Clearing his throat and straightening his glasses, he spoke.
"Well. Our military is sure to benefit from this. Very Well."
Paulus also recovered, but chose to remain silent, responding with a nod and a bow. It was the Chief of Staff whose mind began to run scenarios and as always viewed the event from all angles. Then something struck him. His face twisted with disgust as he turned to the Queen.
"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. I need to excuse myself." Without even as much as waiting for a response, the General stormed out. His incoherent muttering and cursing was heard as he left the hall. Elsa stood, once again irritated at the day's events.
For the love of god, why must everything go wrong?!
Reading her expression, Paulus went after his colleague. Marcks remained, as the ministers crept forward. Jamesen spoke up, a little relieved now that the army was no longer going to execute them for treason, but unsure how things would proceed.
"Your Majesty, when do you wish-"
"Next Friday, so three days. You are all dismissed."
As the group turned to leave, Elsa's eagerness to have today be done was overruled by her curiosity.
"Colonel?"
The tall, gaunt man halted as the others vacated the main hall. Once the officials had finally left, Elsa spoke up.
"Colonel, how are you so calm with this information?"
The soldier smiled, running a hand over his greying head of hair. She was right. While none of them remained stoic during her revelation, his surprise was nowhere near as severe as that of his comrades.
"Your Majesty, I have spent almost my entire life in the army. When you have seen what I have, Ice Magic doesn't isn't that fantastical."
"Like what Colonel?"
"Some War Stories are better left untold, Your Majesty." He paused, before changing the subject. "Your Majesty, my Regiment is standing by to parade upon entering town. I'd like to march them to the Castle and present them for inspection. Do you object to this, Your Majesty?"
Elsa nodded, knowing from her Father not to dig into an old soldier's memories when he was unwilling. She didn't attempt to revive the subject, and instead resolved the issue at hand.
"Not at all, Colonel. Dismissed."
Marcks clicked his heels to attention, and bowed, leaving the Snow Queen to her thoughts.
I wonder how this Parade will somehow be ruined…
…
The Parade went off without crisis, surprisingly. Queen Elsa gracefully watched as over a thousand men marched into the Palace courtyard, taking a right hugging the wall as they passed in review. Still in her ice dress, she determined to make it known to her soldiers exactly who she was, as well as cooling the men with snowfall, and creating bursts of wind that ensured the colors actually flew.
For Elsa parades were an odd exception to her general fear of people and crowds. When she was young, Elsa and later both Princesses would make a habit of attending parades. While Anna typically enjoyed the civilian affairs with their intricate scheduling and variation of entries, Elsa found herself drawn to the military parades. From the pounding pulse of the drums to the perfectly uniformity of the soldiers, it was an exercise in perfection.
She closed her eyes for a moment, listening to the perfect synchronization as hobnailed boots struck cobblestone the exact moment the bass drums pounded. The Regimental Band finished one march, before launching into another. Elsa reopened her eyes, just in time to salute with her scepter as another Company marched past in review.
She turned to see how Anna was doing. Anna was restless as always, a little bored. Eyes glazed and constantly shifting her feet, Elsa was glad that the troops couldn't really take a good look at the two.
"I take it you are not enjoying the parade."
"Ugh, these things are so boring! It's the same-looking guys marching by for an eternity. Why can't they add variety!?"
"It's a single regiment, Anna. They don't vary in types of soldiers. Each unit is the same."
"So what's up with the new uniforms and hats?"
"When papa… was lost, I took on some of the responsibility of ruling the country, gradually taking on more tasks as time went on. The one area I had limited control was the Army." She paused, saluting as another company marched by, before carrying on.
"A year ago, I authorized modernization to Field Marshal Nordfjell. As to how to accomplish that, he suggested we turn to the Prussians. After a brief negotiation, they agreed. Eager to expand their influence and gain a military ally, they were more than happy to assist us."
Anna accepted the explanation, but was still innocent enough to not question the underlining implications the way Elsa had. Sure, the Prussians were set to field the prototype needle guns from Dreyse, and they would have certainly rather have someone else bear the pain of the teething problems, but that wasn't it.
Emerging as a great power following the Napoleonic wars, Prussia and most of Germany began to see themselves as a single people. As such, many began to whisper in support for Unification, either under Austrian or Prussian leadership. The Monarchy was opposed to it, of course. But their government necessarily wasn't. The Military and certain ministers quietly lay the groundwork where they could.
Which lead to Elsa. She had been contacted through contacts on potential marriage arrangements, to the point of a possible union with the King's Nephew and 3rd in line, Frederick. She entertained the notion, while keeping other options open, such as a union with Norway or Sweden. She wasn't sure where to stand though. While ethnically Norse, Arendelle had considerable German influence. Most of the Capital and coastal cities spoke German thanks to extensive trade, and thanks to her father a number of German-born men occupied key positions.
What troubled her most was her father's legacy. King Agdar spent years in the Prussian Army during the Napoleonic war, and also held a special place in his heart for Prussia and Germany. He himself desired a close tie, maybe a union by marriage between the two nations. Even with her condition, her father always made a habit of keeping her updated on the available suitors of the Prussian nobility when she turned of age. As such, she was never sure if any machinations to ally Arendelle with Prussia was her own, or her father's.
She looked at Anna. While bored at this moment, she enjoyed free love with the Sami Ice cutter that she didn't think Elsa knew about, Kristoff. She was happy and in love. Elsa accepted that she would never have the latter, but as long as one of them was happy, she was at peace.
Oblivious to Elsa's inner thoughts, the civilian officials continued to bicker amongst themselves over how to approach the next council meeting and whether to continue with the legal proceedings. The Military however, were at working scheming their next "extra-legal" move.
Paulus had not discovered why Wilhelmsen stormed out, until now. The Chief of Staff had disappeared, insisting that he needed to "work on something." The energetic man did not return until mere moments before the parade started.
"The shame of it all!"
"What?"
"You don't get it? Queen Elsa summoned us alone, without our troops. She doubts our loyalty!"
"She's young still!" Paulus began to counter-argue. "It wasn't personal!"
"My family had fought and died for the Royal family since the time of the Viking Raids! We would NEVER betray the Queen!" A sinister look formed on his face as he finished his thought. "But she'll see. Tomorrow the Queen will see just how loyal I am!"
Troubled by his friends statements, Paulus changed topics. "Speaking of loyalty, how does-"
"Already prepared, Paulus."
"Good Erik." He cast a dirty look at the civilian Government officials on the opposite side of the booth. "If they vote for abdication, we storm the palace. Queen Elsa will be the Queen." Erik's nod in support of the statement reassured him. He didn't know what he was planning, but it wasn't a plot against the Queen. At least he hoped so.
…
Major Surtrsen fell to his knees before his bed to conduct his evening prayers. A devout Christian, the man was barely able to conceal his disgust when he was informed that the Queen was a vile sorceress. It was bound to happen, this blight upon the land. Arendelle was the last hold-out of Nordic paganism, when the other Scandinavian nations righteously put their heathens and heretics to the sword and flames. He had nothing but contempt for the men in his Battalion who worshiped the old gods.
Clasping his hands together, he closed his eyes and prayed
"Our Father, Lord in heaven, hallowed be your name. Please forgive these heretics and pagans, for they do not know what they do. Deliver us from this unholy Queen of ice and darkness, and let your light shine over the people of Arendelle. Please Lord, give me a sign. If you wish me to be your tool, your holy weapon against this evil, give me a sign! In Jesus' name, Amen."
His prayer was heard. If God heard, no one would know. But in a nearby crypt, something else did.
A corpse of a Queen from a millennia ago laid on a stone altar gripping a sword, her armor and clothing worn and faded but still in remarkable condition for its considerable age. The corpse itself was in similar condition, though one would not think so without knowledge of decomposition. What flesh that could be seen uncovered in armor was withered and colored a sickly bluish grey, with little more than bones and sinew and some muscle jutting out against the leathery skin.
Her face was completely uncovered, gaunt and shriveled, bearing teeth that where in poor shape even before death claimed her, thanks to the poor dental hygiene of the Viking era. Her once broken nose had retracted, with skin still covering her nasal bridge but revealing the bottom of her nasal slits. Her brittle hair was a sickly white color after being dead for centuries. The only thing of beauty still left was an ancient crown similar to a tiara, only made of materiel harder and more durable than gold and silver.
The corpse lie still, encased in ice. But it was not dead. As the whispers that could be heard only by those with powers beyond our own reached the Queens decayed ears, her sunken eyes opened, revealing vivid glowing blue eyes. Her lips cracked as they twisted, no longer simply bearing teeth but genuinely smiling.
She had been waiting for someone to free her from her ice prison, and she had found him. Her mind was strong, his was weak. She would enthrall him.
Now I'm free…
Bit of Notes-
Sorry for the long ass wait, but I have been incredible busy the past month. A good deal of that consisting of 12+ hour work days. The good news is that I now have pretty much the whole day off for the next week, so hopefully Chapter 4 soon and an update for my long suffering Hans' Fate subscribers.