Elsa peered through a crack in the door, watching the massive crowd of nobles gather and begin to take their seats in the Arendelle royal courtroom.
"Anna, I love you, but you're an idiot," she said as she began to pace back and forth in anticipation. Anna crossed her arms and frowned.
After Anna's little impromptu speech, Elsa had been forced to come out with everything she knew – which turns out, wasn't a whole lot. She made a statement explaining Astor's attack, the nature of their ruler, and the reason he was targeting Arendelle – namely, for her. Soon, all of Arendelle was buzzing with the news, and the response had been predictably chaotic.
The result had been exactly what Elsa had feared: she was being put on trial. Again. And this time, it was not just about her and her powers, it was about the fate of Arendelle. Most of it would be out of her hands, up to the decision of a jury made up of high-ranked and wealthy nobles, so to say she was nervous would be an understatement.
"I'm sorry, Elsa… but don't worry, the people are still on your side, they love you!" said Anna, sounding genuinely optimistic in a way that Elsa envied.
Kristoff added, "She's right. It's just a small group of nobles that think you should be turned over. I asked my ice harvesters what the word is around town – it seems like almost everyone else is on your side. They'll have your back out there, you'll see. And we have it as well."
"It's too bad that small group happens to be people like Bryne…," Elsa said. She again cracked the door of the waiting room at the back of the courtroom where Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf had been instructed to stay until the trial began. She could just make out the nobles filing into the jury box.
At the front of the group was the person Elsa was referring to, Erik Bryne, the man that had first voiced his opinion about the queen when the mob gathered in front of the castle. He was a tall man in his fourties with thinning brown hair and a crooked nose. Bryne was the owner of several popular inns in Arendelle and possibly one of the wealthiest men in the kingdom, the kind of man who had his boots licked by near anyone he met. Having him on Elsa's bad side was already going to make things ten times more difficult.
Bryne was followed by a group of stuck-up looking gentlemen and a few women all of whom Elsa recognized; people that she had interacted with at some point or other, those with the most influence in the goings-on of the kingdom right next to Elsa herself. It was no wonder people like them would be the ones to jump at the chance to give their queen up – undermining the monarchy would put them at the top of the economic food chain.
That, and they were cowards.
"Bryne can shove it," Kristoff said, scoffing. "He's not the only one on the jury. They all get a say about keeping you in power and I'm sure most of those nobles will be on your side once you make your case."
"I'm not sure I have much of a case, though... This is all my fault. What if they're right? What if it's better if I just…"
"Elsa!" Anna barked. She wouldn't even entertain the thought of giving her sister up and, unable to protest, Elsa fell quiet.
Suddenly Aaron appeared at the doorway, A History of Royal Magic tucked under one arm. He plopped the book down on the table at the center of the room. "You do have a case, Elsa. And I can make it for you. But I need you to call on me for your defense."
"Where have you been Aaron?" Elsa asked shrewdly, closing the door to the courtroom. "The trial is starting in less than an hour…"
"It doesn't matter," Aaron replied, tapping the book. "Elsa, it's time you finally know everything. If we had the time, I would tell you to read this book so you could explain it all yourself, but I'm afraid you'll just have to rely on me. If your people hear the truth, they will understand that they need to fight."
"And what exactly is the truth?" asked Elsa. She had known for a while that Aaron knew something she didn't. It was a question she had been meaning to ask ever since Aaron arrived with that book but she never had the chance to, knowing that the answer wouldn't be a short one.
Before Aaron could say anything, Kai walked in, beckoning to Elsa, and everyone in the room knew they were out of time to talk.
With Abram gone, Kai was to be the acting magistrate in charge of the trial's proceedings, as well as one of the members of the jury that would decide the outcome. "Majesty, the trial is beginning. You need to take your place on the stand," he said, and the others fell silent.
"We don't have time. Do you trust me?" Aaron asked.
Elsa hesitated. It was a simple question with a simple answer, but she still had to think carefully before responding, thinking briefly about how Aaron had asked her the same exact question the first time he was in Arendelle.
"Yes…" she finally said. "I will call on you during the trial… I'm counting on you."
Elsa and Kai entered the courtroom. It was an enormous chamber made almost entirely of stone, constructed with an extraordinarily high ceiling and enough space for hundreds of people – and it was still packed. The trial was open to the public so obviously every commoner that could cram themselves into the rows of benches had done just that, hoping to witness the fate of their queen. To Elsa's right was the jury box, a raised, closed off section where fifteen nobles sat, each dressed in the most formal attire. Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Aaron took their place to Elsa's left as Kai helped her onto the accused stand where she was to sit and be scrutinized for the entire trial.
"Kai… you're not… I mean, I hope you –" Elsa stuttered and Kai put a finger to his lips and hushed her.
"There's no need to win me over," he said. "I would stake my life on your word and will always be on your side, Elsa."
Elsa relaxed a little, comforted by his use of her first name, reminding her of the time before she was ever the Snow Queen or Your Majesty – when she was just Elsa, the quiet girl who was tended to by the castle staff in the gentlest way possible.
"If it were all up to me, we wouldn't even have this silly trial. But I do hope you understand – I must be fair in the way I conduct things here," he added, and Elsa nodded.
"Of course Kai. You always have been good at your job. Thank you," she said, and the magistrate bowed his head.
Kai stepped up to his post to Elsa's right at a raised seat that was too high for him behind a large podium and adjusted uncomfortably for a moment before clearing his throat and addressing the room.
"Attention everyone! It is time to begin!"
A hush fell over the room. There must have been hundreds of people in the courtroom and almost everyone was staring at Elsa. She tried her hardest to keep her chin up and look confident, but wasn't sure what to do with her hands and couldn't help but feel awkward as she stood there in her simple but formal gown with her hair tied in a rushed bun.
"We are here today for the trial of Queen Elsa of Arendelle who has been accused of endangering her kingdom and bringing the threat of war to the shores of our nation through the use of... unnatural magic," Kai appeared uncomfortable with the terminology as he read from a scroll of parchment in front of him, but tried to remain as neutral as possible. "Sir Erik Bryne of Arendelle will state the case against Queen Elsa," he finished and gestured to Bryne who was already standing, looking eager to begin talking.
Elsa met eyes with the business-like man for a fraction of a second before he looked away, actively avoiding looking into the face of the person he was about to throw into the lion's den.
"Yes, well… this is a rather simple matter, in my view," he began. Elsa had expected him to have a well thought out and written speech, but the man seemed to just be speaking freelance, either from memory or simply off of the top of his head.
"Queen Elsa was the daughter of a great king, King Agdar, a man who brought an era of peace to Arendelle and made us one of the most economically stable kingdoms in the North. Unfortunately, tragedy befell him, God rest his soul, and left us in a state of transition. Two and a half years ago, Elsa was named Queen and since then she has brought us nothing but turmoil, stress, and anxiety. She kept her powers a secret from her kingdom for twenty-one years, concealing herself and leaving us to question her capability as a princess. Then, her first act as our ruler was to plunge Arendelle into the worst winter we've ever seen by losing control of her unnatural powers. And now, after we thought all was safe, we find out that there is a kingdom looking to bring an army to our doorstep just because she is our monarch."
There was more muttering from the crowd of observers as they recalled the Great Freeze and the first trial, and Elsa did her best to not look as guilty as she felt.
"We cannot keep living under this threat. It has gone too far. If Elsa wants to serve us, her people, she should turn herself over to Astor," he continued. Then, he said something Elsa didn't expect, and looked at her for the first time.
"I am aware that Queen Elsa has been a kind ruler. She has done many good deeds in her short time in power. But we, as a kingdom, must look past personal bias, look past our emotions, and think about what is best for Arendelle. And what is best for Arendelle does not involve a ruler with magic. Now, Elsa has a perfectly capable… normal younger sister who can take over Agdar's bloodline and things can go on the way they were before… without all this nonsense. Without war, without magic… It is clear to me what the answer should be, and I hope you all realize it as well."
As Bryne sat back down, the chamber was dead silent. Elsa looked around at the faces she saw; some people were contemplative, others angry, some scowling in disapproval.
But most of all, there was a sadness that hung in the air, and Elsa's mind fell on one thought: Erik Bryne had made a good point. No matter how much she wanted to disagree, he was right, and people were beginning to realize that. People may like Elsa, but were they willing to risk everything, their homes and lives, just for her? Could they live with themselves if they gave up the chance to save Arendelle? It was not an easy question.
Elsa wanted to break down and cry, to run away to her room and lock the door, reset back to the old days where she was alone and could bear her fate without causing harm. But she could not. Instead, she stared at the marble floor in front of her and held back a tear.
After what seemed like an eternity, Kai spoke again. "Thank you Mr. Bryne. Elsa will now be given a chance to state her case before the jury deliberates."
More silence. Elsa stood, her hand quivering. She looked out at her people and saw what was once her worst nightmare – these people pitied her. They saw her as a victim of fate, a sad little girl who was given power she could not handle. And they expected her to be a martyr. Elsa loved Arendelle and all that it stood for. She loved its people. So if that was what was to become of her, so be it. She made her decision.
"First, I need to apologize, for all that's happened because of me. I never wanted any of it. I never asked for any of it. I'm so sorry." She took a deep breath, steeled herself, raised her chin, and said, "For the sake of Arendelle, I will turn myself over to Astor."
The courtroom exploded with noise. Anna cried out from somewhere to Elsa's left and the jury began to look around in disbelief. Most of the observers were on their feet, yelling and bickering, some people were shouting "NO!" and Kai was pounding a gavel trying to bring order, but to no avail. Elsa closed her eyes, letting her decision sink in. If her life meant saving Arendelle and all of the people she loved, then it would all be worth it.
Anna shouted, "Elsa! You can't! Kristoff, do something!" But Kristoff just looked between Elsa and Anna sadly.
A harsh whistle broke through the noise. "HEY! Listen up!"
Aaron was standing on Kai's podium, hands in the air and a scowl on his face. All heads snapped in his direction. "Elsa hasn't been given a chance for a proper defense, and I'm going to give it to her," he announced angrily, climbing down from the magistrate's stand.
Elsa put a hand out and said, "Aaron, stop. I've already made my decision." Aaron eyed her and shoved the purple book in front of her again.
"I thought you said you trusted me," he whispered, and then turned around to address the room once more.
"Elsa can't turn herself over to Astor," he started.
Erik Bryne stood up and barked, "And who, exactly, are you to speak for Queen Elsa?"
Kai responded, "This is Prince Aaron Sinclair, the nephew of the Fire Lord of Astor." He then looked from Elsa to Aaron as they glared at him as if to apologize for his bluntness. A few gasps emanated from the crowd.
"Astor!?" Bryne exclaimed. "You mean to tell me you're a prince from the very kingdom threatening to attack us? And you want us to listen to you?"
Hundreds of suspicious eyes were suddenly on Aaron, but he wasn't fazed, looking more determined and stubborn than ever.
"It's true, I'm Alexander Sinclair's nephew. But I am no longer an Astor prince. I have cut ties with my uncle forever and I've come here to help Elsa, your queen. I was the one who warned her of this attack in the first place. You all must listen to me. This is much more than just a fight between two Highborn, it's even more than a war between Astor and Arendelle. This is bigger than any of you know."
"You can't expect –" Bryne started.
"Let him speak, Sir Erik," Kai interrupted. "Her Majesty is entitled to a defense and Prince Aaron has proven himself not to be our enemy."
Bryne sat down, dejected, and Kai looked back to Aaron. "Explain yourself."
"First of all – shame on you for letting Elsa take the blame for everything. Shame on all of you," he whipped a hand through the air at the crowd. "For taking the easy way out. For casting Elsa off so that you can hide away and avoid conflict. I had thought better of Arendelle! You may be a peaceful kingdom, but how can you be such… cowards!?" Aaron spat. The room shifted. Some people's eyes fell to the floor.
"Fine then. You can choose that path if you want. After all, it isn't my decision to make. But giving Elsa up to my uncle will not save Arendelle! It will make things worse! You all think that handing over his target will make him stop – but has anyone stopped to even think about why Alexander wants Elsa? What he's truly after? The truth is that by the very nature of their powers, if Alexander kills Elsa, her power will become his – and if that happens there will be no doubt that Arendelle will be the first place he destroys. He will become inhuman entirely. And I have no doubt that he will never be stopped."
Elsa gasped and there were more whispers throughout the room. Bryne asked, "And what proof do you have of these claims?"
Aaron picked up the book and held it out. "This book was passed down from my mother's family. It is a detailed description of where the Highborn come from and how their powers work. But if that isn't enough proof… I've seen it happen with my own eyes. Alexander has already killed another Highborn and his powers grew two-fold. There can be no doubt that killing Elsa will make him exponentially more deadly. You've seen what Elsa can do. The destruction she can cause, even by accident. Now imagine a man with ten times the power… and a heart filled with hate."
More gasps and some outbursts. Everyone seemed to be in shock and nobody knew what to say. Elsa's head was spinning. She had no doubt that Aaron was telling the truth. This changed everything. This meant that not only Arendelle, but the fate of possibly the whole world lay in Elsa's hands. And she had no choice but to fight – she had no choice but to win.
Elsa stood and spoke as loudly as she could, suddenly struck by inspiration. "Everyone! Listen! I can't pretend to know a lot about what Aaron is saying. I mean… I can't pretend to know much at all. This has been news to me just as much as you… It is all so confusing and frightening, trust me, I feel it just as much as all of you. But I want to do whatever I can to help Arendelle. And its people."
All eyes were on her.
This is it. If they don't listen now, they never will.
"If I can't give my life to protect you, then all I can do is promise to fight for you. And ask that you fight alongside me. Nothing can stop the fact that this is happening. None of us asked for it. But sometimes…" she paused and looked at her palms. "Things just happen," she said, summoning a magical snowflake that hovered above her right hand. She lifted her hands and sent the snowflake flying overhead, then cast it away in a shimmer of light, and the room stared in awe.
"Aaron is right. And he is trustworthy. We are not cowards. The people of Arendelle are the most resilient people in the entire world. We are strong-willed, stubborn, and we aren't pushovers! I mean, just look at where we are! What you're doing! Magic clearly doesn't intimidate you. So why let Alexander? Why let Astor? We can fight, and we can win. And when this is all over, Arendelle will be known as the kingdom that survived, the kingdom that shut down the flame that threatened to burn us all. Let me lead you, help me, and I promise – I will never let Arendelle be forgotten."
Elsa felt like she was in a dream. She felt as if the words were falling out of her mouth like they had been placed there by someone else. When she was finished speaking, she could hardly believe what happened.
The room actually began to slowly applaud. Even members of the jury started clapping, one by one, and it grew louder and louder until some people even stood from their seats. Eventually the whole courtroom had erupted in cheers. She heard a few cries of "All hail the Queen!" and "Glory to Queen Elsa!" from the commoners.
Erik Bryne simply sat with arms folded, still mulling over all he had just heard, eyeing Aaron. Finally, Kai quieted everyone and announced that the council would now deliberate.
Elsa's heart was still pounding as she was brought back into the waiting room. Anna and Kristoff were already there and Anna immediately fell into her sister's arms, eyes puffy and red from bawling her eyes out.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again," she said, and Elsa just stayed quiet, at a complete loss for words, hardly believing that only minutes ago she was ready to give herself over to Astor.
The deliberation didn't take long. Elsa waited in silence with her sister, Kristoff, and Olaf, all of them too afraid to speak about what was going to happen. Even Olaf looked nervous, rocking back and forth on his bottom ball of snow and biting his upper lip. Aaron never bothered to come back and Elsa briefly wondered if he was trying to still trying to make a case to the jury.
Eventually, Elsa was brought back to the stand and Kai was speaking once again to the room. "It is normally customary for the court magistrate to deliver the decision of the council, but Sir Erik has requested to do so himself, which I am going to allow," Kai said and gestured to the man in the jury box.
Bryne stood and cleared his throat. "Thank you… I think we can all agree that this is quite an unusual situation and the decision here is not an easy one. What has become clear, through this trial and our conversation as a jury, is that we would be foolish to buy into this man's claims straight away and risk our kingdom on his word – plausible or not."
Elsa felt her heart sink. Surely they wouldn't…
He continued, "But it would be both foolish and cowardly to give up our queen for only the chance of avoiding a war. Especially a queen as unique, kind, and downright loved as Queen Elsa. We have accepted that this entire thing is much more complicated than we once thought and quite beyond any one of our understanding. For our ignorance, we apologize to you, Your Majesty. And we will back you one-hundred percent of the way. If it is a fight this Astor wants, then it is a fight they will get."
Bryne faced the observers and raised a fist in the air. "For Arendelle!" he cried, and the courtroom erupted in applause and battle-cries so loud that Elsa couldn't even hear her own shouts of joy and relief as Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf rushed to the stand to give her a giant family hug.
She had made it through her second trial.
After what seemed like hours of congratulations, paperwork, and endless hugs from Anna and Olaf, Elsa was finally back in the castle, still Snow Queen of Arendelle.
But she hardly felt like celebrating herself. The real battle was still ahead.
When she finally had a moment of rest, Elsa sought out Aaron who was in his guest room furiously scribbling something on a piece of parchment. He stood as soon as Elsa knocked and entered the room, fumbling with his hands and unsure of what to say. "Elsa… I… er, you –"
But Elsa suddenly stepped toward him and threw her arms around him, squeezing him tight with her head buried in his chest. "Thank you, Aaron…" she whispered, wishing she could say more but not having the words to do so.
Aaron hugged her back, blushing under his dark beard and said, "I hardly deserve a thank you. I never would have let you go out like that, you should have known that. But it doesn't mean I won't accept it."
Elsa let go and backed up a step, attempting to regain her queenly composure, blood rushing to her cheeks. "So… is it all true? Everything you said?"
Aaron picked up A History of Royal Magic from his desk, thrust it into Elsa's hands, and simply said, "Read."
A/N: Just a quick note about this chapter - Arendelle is clearly a bit of a mixed government that I did not base on any historically accurate system. There are clear elements of democracy in the judicial system but the fact that they have put their queen on trial is a very strange thing, even for them. Elsa is still the acting monarch and has all the powers of a monarch, however. I just want that to be clear.
Again, sorry for the wait. This was a long chapter and I got a little caught up in it, so to speak. But I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to what Elsa will find out in A History of Royal Magic next time...