Sons of Muspell Camp,

29th July 1840

As the morning's first rays hit the bandit camp, Lieutenant Frikron clutched the dispatch orders, taking a deep breath before approaching the tent containing the masked woman. He had received orders from a courier to have "Her Holiness" regroup with the main army at once, with haste. That meant waking her up, and Frikron did not like dealing with the woman.

Exhausted from a lack of sleep, he absent-mindedly fell back on his past experiences in waking superiors, entering the tent without knocking. Too late he realized the scandal of his action.

Before him was a very awake "Angel", her back facing him as she held an ancient dagger in the air while chanting in an ancient language. She was fully dressed, but not as dressed as she usually was, as she was hoodless, gloveless, and mask-less. So Frikron as a result saw a number of things he was not meant to see.

Her face was obscured as she was facing away but her hair was white and dead, as if a mere rub of it would make it fall out. More troubling was what little exposed skin she had was blue and withered like that of a frozen corpse, with only sinew and bone jutting out of the mummified flesh.

Not believing his eyes, Frikron stumbled backwards in disbelief, knocking over a table. The chanting stopped at once, as the dagger began to be let gently down in a silence unbearable to Frikron. After what seem like an eternity, the monster before him spoke. "It is very rude to enter a lady's chamber without permission, Frikron. And here I thought you were a gentleman."

"How did-"

"I know it was you? I know your scent, Frikron" The corpse before him turned her head, her full terror revealed. A face that was naught but flesh covering sinew and bone now gazed upon him, the blueish-gray skin shriveled to the point that her teeth were bared at him in a hideous grin. But most haunting was the intense glare that emitted from the orbs in her eye sockets, glowing with an unnatural light. If he had felt uneasy in her presence before, he now felt as if he were on the verge of collapse from nausea.

She closed in, dagger in hand, her face stopping mere inches away from his. "But more than that, I felt your mind. And how it cried monster."

Frikron trembled, and before long felt warm piss run down his leg as his mind buckled from the sheer terror of what he saw as Ásta continued, her voice shifting into a sarcastic tone. "But what's wrong Frikron? Just last night you were ready to defend my womanly honor."

Frikron's lips moved but failed to produce words, before Ásta gleamed what she needed from his mind. "What am I? I am what your people once called a Draugr. Undead, and very scary. But in a good way. At least I think so."

Finally gaining control of his words, Frikron spoke. "But I saw you-"

"Yes, about that. I wouldn't put much faith in what I appear to your eyes, to be honest. But as to why you see my current form as to my revived form, it's this." Ásta held up the ancient blade to his face. "This blade does a great many thing things. One of which is to show us what we truly are. But I am sorry Frikron. You have seen too- "

The Draugr paused, staring down at Frikron's neck. "Well, isn't that interesting."

"W-what?"

The Draugr produced a mirror from her person, holding in back far enough that Frikron could see his profile. "Look."

He scanned a moment, not seeing anything out of place. "I don't see anything."

Ásta sighed in impatience. "Where's your cross, hmm?"

Frikron looked again. She was right, there was no cross necklace that he was expected to wear as a good Christian soldier. Even as he felt it around his neck, in the reflection it was missing. As he pondered the significance, the corpse began to speak.

"I have seen, and am seeing your mind as of now, Frikron. All experience terror when encountered with what should not be, but you," The corpse chuckled, before continuing. "You, as your heart slows and your mind processes what you've seen, you are oddly curious."

Frikron had no words to add, so he stood and let the Draugr continue.

"So, I will offer you a choice. One, I scramble your mind and let you live. You'll survive the coming days, as you will be unfit for duty and will not march with the army. Or two. I let your mind be, and you get to see how deep the rabbit burrow goes. I won't promise you'll live, Frikron. But your questions will be answered."

A sudden knocking was heard, causing Frikron to shift his attention to the door for a moment, before shifting his eyes back to the Draugr, who had already donned her mask and hood in a blink of an eye and was slipping on her gloves. Finishing in a moment, she answered. "Enter."

One of the traitor cavalrymen entered, bowing slightly in the presence of the 'angel.'

"Your holiness, as per the Lieutenant's orders, the… allies of our crusade have been informed of our departure. What orders do you wish to pass on the Muspell?"

"Tell him that for the best chance of success, to leave a sizeable raiding force here to cause havoc as the bulk of his men accompany us to march on Arendal. There his men will find the best loot, after all."

"As you wish." With that the orderly left, leaving Ásta to finish what she started.

"So, Frikron, what is your answer?"

…

Royal Palace, Arendal

Elsa opened the door, to find mildly surprised to find Anna already sitting at the dinner table eating her breakfast. Due to Anna's tendency to sleep in, it was a rare day that Anna beat Elsa to breakfast.

"Holy crap Elsa, you actually got some sleep! Good for you!"

"Anna, language. And I stayed up late last night, so no I didn't get too much rest."

"Oh." Anna paused, looking a little bummed, before remembering her own news. "Oh, Elsa! I had a really weird dream last night."

Elsa sat down, beginning to glance at a prepared stack of papers for her to review. She had the time to skim the first, a confirmation that the northbound army had taken one of the local Landwehr Battalions with them when they marched north early this morning. Seeing Anna grow cross, she responded. "Oh, yes." She set the paper down, devoting her full attention to Anna. "What happened in your dream, Anna?"

"Well, I think it may have been a vision." Anna started. "In it, an Ancient Norse Queen came to me and warned me. About the Draugr."

Given her own experiences with visions and the seriousness of the situation, Elsa's posture shifted, as she shifted from polite listening to peaked interest. "Do go on, Anna."

"Well, you're not going to like this, but- "Anna chuckled nervously, as she knew that this news was not going to go over well. "-well, in it, this Norse Queen said that the Draugr created another Draugr… to kill me."

"WHAT!?" Elsa exploded in fear, bolting upright as an expression of terror covered her whole face. "Anna, are you sure?"

"I… think so?"

"Oh nonononono…" Elsa devolved in a sheer state of panic, as she began to rattle off ideas and precautionary steps to herself. Hardly the most drastic of which included quadrupling Anna's body guards.

"Elsa, please, calm down." Anna approached the now freezing Elsa, embracing her in a warm hug before reassuring her gently. "It was likely just a dream… you know me, making things crazier. And if not, what is two Draugr going to do that one cannot? Let's just go to Grandpabbie and ask him, okay?"

"Yes, Grandpabbie…" A thought struck her, one that did make her feel awful but distracted her from the potential assassination of her sister. "Anna, I feel terrible that it has taken me this long to bring it up, but how is Kristoff doing? Last I heard he made it back with Grandpabbie and Eva, but I've been so distracted as of late."

Now Anna became the worried one. "Yes, well, he's just about recovered fully, except for the lost fingers. Pabbie did what he could to heal the wounds, but even troll magic cannot grow them back."

"I'm sorry Anna." Elsa thought a moment, before asking "Has he lost the use of his hand?"

"No, he's shown me he's still capable of using the hand well. Though he is of course more concerned that the Draugr would attack the trolls like, merely to keep her past hidden."

"I know." Elsa hesitated, unsure of her decision to not tell Anna of the massacre of Sami people of Ulfberg as told to her by Eva. After a moment, she decided it was the best. "It was cruel of her. But what about her past could be so damaging as to keep it hidden?"

"Beats me, Elsa." Anna was suddenly struck by a thought, going from the slouching position she often assumed in private company to an upright excited position. "The Queen in my dream said that she fought the Draugr. Was there a Queen in our history who fought a Draugr?"

Elsa's eyes lit up as she remembered her late night reading. "Yes, know that you mention it. Queen Frida deposed a Queen Ásta during the Christianization of Arendal. One moment!" Elsa excitedly disappeared from the room, returning in a few minutes with an ancient book from her study. "Here, look!"

Anna studied the ancient text, nodding in agreement after a few moments of quick reading. "So, we know who the Draugr is, then."

"It all makes sense. In the texts it states that the Jarls who fought against her feared this Ásta greatly, to the point they took great steps to seal her up as they convinced she would come back as a Draugr."

"So we have a name, maybe. Do we have anything else?"

"Hold on, I didn't read all of the texts." Elsa, flipped the page, continuing to read the ancient runes before she froze. Her face twisted with fear and sorrow, before she gave Anna a bitter look. "Ásta was like me Anna. She was the first Snow Queen."

"What!?" Anna took the book from an Elsa on the verge of tears, reading the text as well.

When a number of her Jarls rose up to support the Christian crusaders, the foul witch Ásta cursed the land with an endless winter, one that raged until the heathen was slain.

"Elsa, don't beat yourself up over this. Even if this is true, so what? If I read a text saying that a red-headed Queen was pure evil, I wouldn't beat myself up over it, would I?"

Elsa chuckled through her tears. "That's not a good comparison, and you know it."

"Either way, Elsa, let's bring this to Grandpabbie and see what he figures, shall we?"

Elsa nodded, before realizing an important detail from her schedule. "Anna, don't you remember? There's that stupid meeting that Fafnirsen arranged between the council members. Apparently they decided the postpone the proceedings against me thanks to the insurrection."

Anna dismissed the thought with a wave of her hand. "Send a messenger. I don't know about you, Elsa, but I'm more worried about the Draugr than a bunch of crazies in the woods."

Elsa felt uneasy, as she was never one to casually cancel a function, especially this late of notice. But Anna was right. "Sure. Let's go Anna."

…

The ministers were sitting about impatiently, glancing at the clock periodically while also reviewing their notes as they waited for the Queen to arrive when the door opened, bringing in Widstrom with a message.

"Morning, gentlemen. I'm afraid that the Queen and Crown Princess will not be joining us today."

A number of groans were heard from members of both factions, silenced by an irritated General Hindsfjell, who had joined the proceedings along with his colleagues Generals Istaal and Wilhelmsen.

"Quiet! While unfortunate, I'm sure the Queen had her reasons. Now, let us begin this meeting as planned."

"Of course. General." Widstrom closed the door behind him, walking over to his chair. He slid it back, pausing a moment, to address his colleagues. "Now Gentlemen, we have come together to ensure that the crisis at hand is dealt with, before we-"

…

Elsa and Anna had left the main building of the castle compound and had begun walking across the courtyard to the annex that Grandpabbie had stayed in, when it occurred. A thunderous explosion shook the very earth, throwing the two sisters off balance. Taking a moment to recover, the two gazed over the ramparts of the castle at the still visible fireball coming from the direction of Arendal.

"What the hell is that?"

"Anna!"

"Oh really Elsa!? Giant explosions aren't curse worthy!?"

After the guard recovered from the shock, shouts, bells and whistles began to sound as the castle began to teem with Guardsmen as Elsa and Anna were quickly swept up and taken to safety.

…

Hours later, Elsa sat in the Royal Council chamber dismayed and in shock of what had just happened. There wasn't even much ice, as she would have had to have been emotional to lose control. No, now she just sat in numb shock as she tried to grasp her new world.

She had been informed that the explosion she heard was in fact multiple barrels of gunpowder that had exploded underneath the meeting hall where the compromise was being held. Every member of the council was in attendance, and most were now dead. Joining them was a number of the Army's senior staff officers, who were there to address the Minister of Defense with the day to day business of war fighting.

The list of survivors was small, very small. Of the ministers, two escaped without being killed or maimed- Minister of Finance Lundgren and Interior Minister Widstrom. Lundgren's injuries kept him still in the hospital, where as Widstrom sat before the Queen, grimacing from the pain given by his numerous injuries. The only other survivor to be found was Senior Minister Jamesen, who sadly had been reported mortally wounded. Elsa made a note to see him when she had the chance, and of course when her guards let her.

As for the military, Arendal was dealt a serious blow, as Generals Hindsfjell and Istaal were killed in the explosion. In addition, General Wilhelmsen was seriously wounded as well and currently lay in the hospital. As of now, there was no Generals for Elsa to draw on to run the war. The next senior officer was Colonel Marcks who solemnly stood before her as well in addition to Captain Edvard and Sergeant Hvitstrom of her personal guard.

All in all, almost her entire government was killed in one day. Even more terrifying was the thought based on the time the bomb went off, Elsa and Anna would have been killed if they didn't blow off the event. Recovering from the feeling of numbness, Elsa began to grow irate.

"Captain Edvard, how is it a building both myself AND the Crown Princess were to enter was capable of exploding?"

"That's the thing, your majesty." Edvard began, angry at both himself and the party who launched the attack, while trying to remain respectful to the Queen. "Two Guardsmen had just entered the building to do a sweep when the building exploded. We believe that whoever did this despicable attack must have had someone down there, who detonated the powder keg when they were discovered."

The situation explained, Elsa's anger turned to horror. "You are telling me there is a group of people out there that are so desperate to kill me that they would kill themselves to do it?"

"I'm afraid so, your majesty. I suggest we immediately increase-"

Elsa raised her hand to stop the thought. "Captain, I understand your concern, but increasing my Guards is not the answer. If the party responsible could have killed me the old fashioned way, they would have likely tried that first before destroying half a city square, yes?" Elsa paused, before adding. "Besides I was told there were… additional deaths?"

Edvard nodded. "Yes, your majesty. We sent an 8-man detachment to clear the site- 6 regulars and two of your own bodyguards. As of now 2 are wounded, three are confirmed dead and 3 are missing."

"Missing?"

"When a blast is that big, sometimes there's nothing left to find your majesty."

Elsa swallowed, shuddering at that thought. "I see. I am sorry for the loss of your men, Captain. You too, Sergeant."

Sergeant Hvitstrom nodded respectfully, whereas Edvard was a bit more vocal. "Your Majesty, you have nothing to be sorry for. The cowards who did this, they will have hell to pay for."

"About that." It was Widstrom, gritting his teeth as he sat up in his chair. "Your Majesty, I am worried this is not the last we have seen of this group. I am sure they will strike again, just not on your person."

"How so?" Elsa asked, already knowing a lot of the answers to her own question.

"Well, It's safe to say that this group is after more than you, your Majesty. The fact they just killed almost all of the Government of Arendal proves that. Now while killing you would certainly cause a collapse of the entire Government, they could achieve a similar effect by going after other targets."

"That'll be difficult, with the army parked on the streets."

"That's another concern. I feel the Army needs to vacate the city."

Colonel Marcks, who had stayed silent this entire time entered the conversation, violently. "Are you insane?! There is no guarantee that this city will not be attacked by the rebels! The army needs to stay where it is, right here!" To emphasize his point, he jabbed his finger down at the floor beneath him as he finished the sentence.

Widstrom rolled his eyes, before elaborating. "While I trust you Colonel, we need to address the fact that to achieve the bombing, the party responsible needed an awful lot of gunpowder. It is possible that the army has been compromised. After all, is the insurrection in question not led by an Army officer?"

"Gentlemen, there is no need to become hostile towards each other. There's too few of us now, and there is no time for that." The Colonel and Minister gave each other a glare, before bowing to the request of their Queen. Elsa continued. "Colonel, we have scant few men left, so I firmly believe that there are more than enough defensive positions on the outskirts of the city. Plus, you'll will have more men available with the police guarding the city. Minister, as for you, what do you need?"

"Your Majesty, there's no other way. I need to put the city on lockdown."

…

London, England

Mister Thomas stood in the hallway in his finest suit, sweat trickling down his face slightly. For the countless time this hour, he produced a kerchief and wiped his grey brow as he continued to wait in extreme anxiety. And anxious he was rightfully so, as he was about to meet the Queen Victoria.

He should have known something was up when his old colleague, Mister Adkins was suddenly sent away on a diplomatic mission to Denmark, with little warning. Within hours, he received an urgent message requiring him to present himself to the Queen herself for an… inquiry. He didn't like it.

The two reported little enough to the Prime Minister, their group's immediate superior, in order to distance the top from the less pleasant things that had to be done for Crown and Country. For the Queen to be made aware of things, something must have gone terribly wrong.

Thomas pondered who leaked his operation as a steward emerged from the door, before closing it behind him. Turning to Thomas, the older man addressed him.

"Her Majesty will see you now."

Thomas nodded, and proceeded to enter the room, the Steward waiting outside and closing the door behind him. Before Thomas was Victoria herself, sitting on an ornate chair in what appeared to be a parlor. Having not met Victoria before, Mister Thomas looked the young woman up and down discreetly as he bowed. Physically and socially she wasn't much. She was barely 5 feet tall and tiny, a smallness offset slightly as her stomach bulged with her first child, roughly that of a 5-month old pregnancy. In addition, she just seemed so incredibly youthful, her eyes and expression teeming with inexperience. She was as uncomfortable as he. But Thomas didn't forget himself- this young woman was the most powerful person in the world. And while inexperience may fade away, poor impressions did not.

Finished bowing, Thomas began to speak. "Your Majesty, I am humbled by your invitation to Buckingham palace. So may I ask, to what do I owe the honor?" Thomas knew better, but social conventions demanded a certain etiquette.

Queen Victoria paused, a little nervous herself. Now while the Queen was learning how to run the empire better and better with each passing day, she knew very well who the man before her was, and did not find him agreeable. He was a deniable asset, a man who existed to run the Empire's dirty work. She was hardly naïve enough to think that things could the Empire could survive without men like him, but she preferred to not deal with them. But her intentions had to be made clear.

"Yes, Mister Thomas. I have invited you because wind of your operation in Arendal has reached my ears. And if it's reached my ears, it may have reached others. And as you were a veteran of Napoleon's war, I thought that you would be very aware of the consequences of regicide."

Thomas opened his mouth to speak, pausing for a moment with a look of contemplation before finally speaking. "Your Majesty, I take my duties very seriously, as I do the consequences of them. In this case, as long as Queen Elsa lives, she poses a threat to the fragile peace that so many died to build."

Increasing the sternness in her tone, Victoria rebutted. "Mister Thomas, I understand your dedication to your work. And I do not doubt your loyalty. But I will not condone regicide, in any form. You are to cease any further action to kill Queen Elsa."

Mister Thomas' face twisted into as much of a scowl as society would allow when in a meeting with royalty, before he spoke. "Your Majesty, but what will we do then?"

Queen Victoria paused thinking on her feet, before dictating her will. "Well, as you already have made quite a mess in Arendal, perhaps we should send some vessels then. We will save Queen Elsa and take her back to England. While here, I am sure that we can arrange a suitable marriage that restores normalcy. Especially if she desires an army to retake her homeland. That way she is controlled, and no royal blood needs to be shed. Yes, that'll do quite nicely."

"Is that your command your Majesty?"

"Yes. I will inform the Prime Minister, and he will inform you of the details. Farewell, Mister Thomas."

Thomas bowed and turned to leave, as his brain filled with a thought.

That did not go as badly as I thought. She's clever, more so than I thought. And considering I'm not in a cell, she at least is wise enough to know men like me need to exist. She's still rather naïve, but she'll learn. And I think one day, Queen Victoria will be a fine monarch.

…

Royal Northern Highway, Arendal

Siegfried Krupp watched the Loyalist army trudge northwards through the snow and mud from an over watch position, with his rifle at the ready for any threat that presented itself. He had been behind the cover for at least an hour now, with little to occupy himself with as the army only entered his cover within the last minute or so. Especially since he no longer had a partner to converse with, after Heinrich turned out to be Eva.

He wondered how the undercover woman was doing, the last he heard she had gotten a pardon from the Queen, and was now a civilian scout.

Good for her.

As for him, well things had become complicated since the First Great Freeze. Which was presenting itself in the form of an officer scurrying up to his position.

"Lieutenant!" The man whispered harshly. "What are you doing up here? I need you to coordinate your men, not be another rifleman!"

Once again, he looked over and was still a little unused by the Officer shoulder boards that sat on his shoulders. He gave a short single laugh, before turning to the superior officer beneath him.

"Don't you worry Captain. My boys know where to shoot. And if need be, they know where I'm at to receive orders."

"They better, Lieutenant. This ambush is counting on your men being effective. God be with you."

With that, the officer moved back down the hill, where a large number of rebel soldiers sat quietly in wait, ready for the first shots to be fired. That was their que to then execute a sweeping flank to hit the loyalists.

And that was another thing he was unused to, the large cross stitched into his uniform, both on the green tunic and the white parka that allowed him to blend into the snowy hills. It was an odd thing really. He never viewed himself as particularly religious, but his family was up north, as was many of the lads of his Company. And when he was informed that his younger brothers had been pressed into service, well, he couldn't turn his rifle on his own family, could he?

But yet, he didn't feel angry or forced at the Christians, either. After all, many of them were just good folks trying to protect their homes and end the winter. He was numb to all of the politics now, the 'Good' Major and the Ice Queen had drawn their battle lines, and he found himself on the 'crusader' side of it all. Nothing more.

He sighed and focused on the coming battle now. Any moment, the Loyalist flankers would run into their pickets and the fight would begin. With his rifle, the enemy was well within range and in the open, even if they were hundreds of yards away. They would put up a good fight, but they were in bad ground and about to get flanked on both sides. The battle had already been decided.

Before long, gunshots were heard. Siegfried sighed, cocked the hammer on his rifle back and aimed. There was killing to be done.

…

Bit of Notes

Well, as of the 15th of May, my terminal-leave ends and I leave the active duty Army, beginning my time in the Army National Guard. This represents the beginning of a new chapter in my life, as well as that of my fanfiction writing. As school doesn't start until September, I should have plenty of time to write, if I don't get a summer job for some extra income. Not only that, but it gives me time to work on other hobbies, which I may post assuming they ever see the light of day. Either way, I'm feeling pretty good having finally returned to civie street.

O7,

Dragunov