Notes: Beta'd by the amazing Sorrows, AKA Yes Miss Lady. Grovel at her feet, weaklings.
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A Chance Encounter, Chapter Six
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Elsa was pulled from her slumber by the sound of steel hitting steel.
Groggily she pried her eyes open, and for a few sleepy seconds she wondered what had disturbed her. She pulled a hand out of the warm covers and rubbed her eyes and loose hair. Then her brain caught up with her ears.
She immediately stilled. Muffled shouting and the unmistakable sound of sword on sword approaching her door. There was a shout, the sound of metal striking flesh and something heavy hit her door and slid down.
Adrenaline shot through her and she sprung to her feet, her nightgown twisting around her legs as she tried to surge out of the bed. Quietly she walked to the door, intent on helping her guards against whoever had dared -and, most worrying, managed- to attempt an attack on her private quarters.
She heard a second pained cry followed by the thump of a body falling. Then, the telltale springing sound of crossbows replaced the sound of metal on metal, and she recognized the voices of the two guards who were posted outside her room at night as they cried out and fell to the floor.
Then, there was silence. Elsa held her breath, her hand hovering over the door handle. In the sudden quiet she heard the soft metallic sounds of a crossbow being cocked.
She knew that she should not spring out of the room right now. The attackers would most certainly be holding their breath to see if they'd woken her.
Elsa moved as silently as she could to the corner on the opposite side of her room than the bed. Let them think she was still asleep.
Indeed, a minute later she heard a key being inserted in the keyhole, probably scavenged from the bodies of her guards. The door opened just an inch, but Elsa knew that from that angle all they could see was the vague form of the bed, and without light it was impossible to tell that she wasn't there anymore.
The door was flung open and four men surged in, weapons aloft.
The door was well oiled and opened silently. The torches in the corridor had been doused, Elsa could only make out the dark outlines of several large men. There was a whisper and a heavy thump; a crossbow bolt buried itself into the pillow she had been lying on. Confused by the ensuing silence, the men stepped further into the moonlit room.
She didn't recognize anyone. They were dressed in black and dark brown leather, and most of their heads were covered. Two of them carried crossbows while the other two had drawn swords. They moved inside the room, and Elsa decided to make her move before they realized that she wasn't on the bed.
Stepping out of her corner, she saw outside the open door a fifth attacker, standing above the bloodied bodies of her guards amid two dead enemies. At the sight of her dead subjects her rage bubbled to the surface and ignited, manifesting itself in a swirl of snow around her.
The men noticed her just as she raised her hands and sent a torrent of frost towards the one closest to her. He had managed to turn towards her and instinctively let fly a bolt, but it was frozen mere inches away from the weapon and, a split second later, he was enveloped in snow. The snow immediately crystalized, forming flawless ice around the surprised invader.
Right after sending the torrent of snow, she raised her naked foot and furiously stomped on the ground. Her ice magic surged across the floor, freezing it, heading quickly towards the group of attackers. Before the second archer had time to reload, aim and shoot, the wave was upon them. Ice rose from the ground, shaping itself around the forms of the three remaining men and locking their limbs in place. In the span of two seconds, they were completely entombed in solid blocks of ice.
She turned her glare at the fifth attacker, only to see that he had fled while she dealt with his four friends. No matter, he wouldn't go far. Her eyes lingered on the dead bodies of her people, and if she wasn't so furious she would have cried then and there.
She turned her gaze to the four trapped attackers.
She should spare them. They were spies, assassins, hostages. This latest attempt on her life was well planned and almost successful, she needed to know where it came from.
If she weren't so angry, or if she were a few years younger, uncertain of herself and her powers and with something to prove, she may have spared them.
She span around her center, her anger manifesting in the form of a loud snarl as she pivoted. She brought clawed hands to bear and, at the completion of her spin and the zenith of her shout, she tore them to the left side. Immediately, three of the four ice prisons shattered into a million pieces, a fate shared by the men trapped within them.
The last one was spared not out of mercy, but because they needed someone to interrogate. In time he, too, would join his dead comrades in eternal damnation.
Her gaze swept over the mess in her room and the bodies outside. Distantly, she heard the sounds of more guards approaching.
A glance outside her window proved that there was not even the idea of sunlight outside. She let out a sigh, rubbing her eyes, suddenly feeling very tired.
She didn't think she'd be getting any sleep tonight.
~E~
Elsa took a deep gulp from her coffee mug, swallowing the bitter liquid, eyes closed as the scalding liquid traveled down her throat. Opening her eyes, she looked around her office. Half a dozen guards were arrayed around the room, weapons ready with the Commander of the castle's security standing at attention in front of her desk, a furious look in his eyes. She did not argue about the extra guards. At least she'd managed to get dressed properly before they had hustled her here.
Elsa felt the beginnings of a migraine. And it was not even 8 in the morning.
"Progress report." She ordered. The greying man in front of her bowed, and began speaking.
"We've combed the entire castle, my Queen. There was no sight of him."
Elsa scowled, much too tired to be mindful of her expression.
"You mean to tell me that not only did a team of seven people enter my castle undetected, but that one of them managed to escape without getting caught?"
"We are still sweeping, my Queen, but yes, it would appear so." She did not know her head of castle security as well as she should, but could see steel on his eyes. Elsa realized that the man knew that he had messed up, but was not about to sugar-coat it or evade responsibility. Courageous man.
Just like the three dead guards.
"You do realize that if I hadn't heard the commotion outside my quarters, I would most likely be dead now? That three of our men are dead?"
"Yes, my Queen. I am ready to face the consequences of my inadequacy."
Elsa rubbed her eyes, trying very hard to rein in her anger. She knew it was not truly aimed at the Commander. He was just the closest person with any sliver of responsibility, however small. No, the real blame lay with the culprits. The Commander was just as angry as she was. Probably more, for he must have known the victims personally.
"What about the prisoner?" She asked. He shook his head.
"The assassin was not willing to be taken alive, He managed to kill himself with a hidden dagger the minute we thawed him. I am sorry, my Queen."
"Were you present?"
"No."
"Then do not apologize." She snapped at him.
Perhaps she should have spared more than one.
The Commander nodded, and Elsa returned to rubbing her temples, eyes closed, trying to think of a single positive angle to this whole disaster.
"What can you tell me?"
"We know the castle's patrol schedules, and based on the time of attack and Pratchet's death on the eastern wall, we have an idea of how they got in and the path they followed."
That was something, at least.
"Make sure that hole is closed, Commander. How did they know to evade all the patrols until my quarters?"
"I do not know, my Queen. Patrol routs are rotated on a weekly basis, they could have been uncommonly lucky or stealthy but it is more likely they bought or stole the schedule from someone in the castle." The Commander seemed to choose his next words carefully "My Queen I must speak plainly, Though it is impossible to say yet, a traitor within these walls is the most likely."
"I do not need to tell you this has been the most successful assassination attempt as of yet, do I?" Elsa snapped, her migraine getting the better of her.
"No, my Queen." The Commander stood to attention"I will do my best to protect you from whatever post you assign me on. If only my resignation will be acceptable, then I will do so immediately."
"You are not demoted, Commander Reesh."
He blinked in confusion, gaping at her for a moment. "I'm ... I'm not?"
"No, you're not. You are good at your job and you are doing your best. But I want you to learn from this. Make sure it doesn't happen again."
The Captain bowed deeply. "As you command, my Queen."
"I want another sweep of the castle. Make sure these vermin aren't hiding anywhere. You will inform the families. Personally. And prepare the ceremonies for this evening. Court is cancelled. I know that it is impossible to keep the deaths a secret, but be discreet. The families deserve some peace."
"Immediately, my Queen."
"Dismissed."
The soldiers bowed and proceeded to exit the door. The commander bowed as well, but lingered, hesitation in his posture. Elsa had little patience right now.
"Spit it out, Commander."
"My Queen, may I suggest catching some sleep?"
His concern for her was touching, but currently unwanted.
"There is too much to do. Sleep will have to wait."
"Then, at least some breakfast? You've a long day ahead of you, your majesty."
Elsa was about to say that it was too early for breakfast when she caught sight of the grandfather clock to her right. It was a quarter past eight. With a sudden lurch, she realized that she was absolutely starving.
"Yes, I think I can do with some breakfast. Go, Commander."
The man bowed and left her. She sat heavily in her chair for a few minutes more before rising. She straightened her dress, a simple green one that she'd thrown on before exiting her room, and walked out.
She was immediately surrounded by four overeager guards. She dismissed them, knowing very well that there would be no second attempt so soon, and so deep inside the castle.
Her feet took her to the breakfast room mechanically and she wondered if Anna would be waiting for her or if she'd already eaten and had left.
Opening the door, she was immediately assaulted with the sound of her sister's laughter. Entering the room fully, she saw Anna around the breakfast table. Sitting on the chair next to her was the Viking chief. The Chief had something on his hand, a piece of paper that he was showing to her sister. Their breakfast sat largely ignored in front of them, she couldn't be that late then. As soon as they noticed her, she had the attention of both. The Chief quickly rolled the paper while her sister rose.
Elsa realized that she must look a right sight, dark bags under her eyes, hair unbraided and messy. She found herself caring little, even after the realization.
Anna rushed to her and drew her in a fierce hug.
"Elsa, what happened? I was so worried!" Her sister said. Elsa repressed a grimace at Anna's loud voice next to her ears. It was not helping her migraine.
He didn't say anything, but she could see his eyes roaming her body, checking for injuries.
"I am fine, Anna. Completely unhurt. Release me, please." Her sister did so, flushing in embarrassment. Apparently Anna didn't trust her word, because she, too, looked her over.
Elsa walked around her sister and almost slumped on the chair next to hers. She felt the Viking's gaze on her, but cared little right now. She was too tired, and there much more important things going on than appearing strong in front of a foreigner.
"Good morning, Queen Elsa." He said, tone neutral.
"Hardly good. Three men have died."
The Chief frowned, and her sister gasped. Immediately, Elsa was drawn in another fierce hug, which was awkward and a little precarious, considering they were both seated.
Elsa wanted to push her sister away, such was her irritation. She held herself, however, knowing that that would be an overreaction. After half a minute of the hug and her sister's soft words, she found herself fighting back tears instead of anger, and hugged her sister just as hard.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the Chief shuffling awkwardly in his seat, and realized that he must not be sure if he should leave and let the two sisters be alone.
The last thing she wanted right now was for people to treat her different. She didn't want pity. She didn't die, and she wasn't a family member of the dead. It was them that had it the hardest, and her responsibility issues would take a back-seat.
She released herself from her sister's hug after a last affectionate squeeze, and turned forward, looking down at her plate, and watched the Chief out of the corner of her eye.
It occurred to her that she was being extremely emotional in front of a foreign royal and faction leader, something that she generally tried her hardest to avoid. Perhaps she would even care about that fact, a day or a week from now. Currently, the knowledge simply passed her by without a reaction.
"I'm sorry for my state, Chief Hiccup. The loss of my subjects always hits me hard." There was no helping this confession, and the truth of her words had already become obvious to him even before she had said them aloud.
"I'm sorry to hear that." He told her, and she found only truth in his words. She was uncertain, however, if he was sorry for the loss of the men or her own strong feelings towards it. She wasn't sure she wanted to know, either.
She shook her head. Platitudes had no place, at that moment. She began piling food at her plate, and took another mug of much needed coffee.
"Your rooms were searched, were they not?" She asked. Both Anna and
the Chief nodded.
Elsa looked at the Viking. "I apologize for the inconvenience."
He shook his head. "My convenience is of no consequence in light of this."
True, it wasn't, but no one could fault her for being nice.
"I was told you were attacked. Is that true?" The Viking asked.
She nodded. "Yes. Tragically, three guards lost their lives, but the attack was foiled." She did not mention that one escaped. Foreigners could do without that knowledge. And besides, it wouldn't be a great leap of logic for him to make by himself, considering the castle was being searched.
Anna squeezed her shoulder in support, and she spared her sister a grateful, if tired, smile.
"Court will be cancelled today for the funerals." Anna nodded in understanding, and hesitantly turned to her food, stealing worried glances at her every so often. Elsa knew what Anna was afraid of. She couldn't placate her, however, because the younger girl wasn't exactly wrong.
"Were you targeted because of your command of ice magic?" The chief asked neutrally. She didn't turn her head as she replied.
"Perhaps. Or maybe it was a political move. Who knows?"
"Is this a frequent occurrence?"
Anna glared at the Viking in disapproval, and she saw the Chief blink at her sister for two seconds, before his eyes widened and he turned back towards her.
"Apologies. I did not mean to intrude or be insensitive."
"To answer your question," Elsa said, ignoring his backpedaling "every few months I receive at least one attempt on my life. The kidnapping attempts stopped pretty early. All of these are on the public chronicle of the castle."
Of course, there were at least as many instances that never made it to the public archives, but the chief didn't need to know that.
"I'm sorry to hear it."
"Yes, well, it's a risk we have to take." She knew he would understand this much, at least. Judging by the plethora of healed wounds on his body, the chief had seen his fair share of sticky situations.
"I'm sorry about your soldiers, too."
Her fingers clenched around her fork.
"Thank you. They were brave men."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the chief study her face, open his mouth and promptly close it, before turning back to his plate. She was mildly curious as to what he'd been about to say, but not enough so as to ask him about it.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, until they had been mostly sated and were slowing down. She could see Anna cast glances her way as if she wanted to talk to her, before looking at the Chief and shaking her head slightly. Apparently, Anna preferred to mother her in private. Or she had something to say that was only for her ears.
"Chief Hiccup," Elsa said. Said Viking raised his head and looked at her, expectantly.
"Yes?"
"Come by my office around noon. I will lead you to the map room, that you may get an idea of the surrounding geography and orient yourself in regards to Berk."
"Are you sure? You must be very busy today. I can understand waiting a few days longer."
"No," Elsa shook her head. "We've put this off for long enough. Come by my office, and we'll get it out of the way."
"Alright."
Grasping for a distraction that food simply could not provide, Elsa fished around for a new subject.
"I saw you showing something to Anna, earlier. What was it?"
The chief's eyes widened and he pushed the rolled paper deeper into the pocket of his tunic.
"Oh, that. It's nothing, really. Just a sketch."
"Don't be silly, Chief Haddock!" Anna said, looking at him like he'd said chocolate tasted terrible. "You're very good!" She turned to Elsa. "You should see, he made this amazing sketch of the castle. All of it! It's amazing!"
Her sister looked at the chief again, motioning encouragingly with her hand. "Go on, Chief Hiccup, show her."
Elsa wondered briefly when he had become 'Chief Hiccup' rather than 'Chief Haddock'. She'd thought that calling him Chief Hiccup was her thing.
Said Viking was currently doing his best impression of a blushing schoolgirl.
"It's really nothing. Just something to pass the time. I'm really not even that-"
"Show me, please." Elsa interrupted him.
"Well ... alright." He finally relented, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
He retrieved the paper from his pocket and rolled it open, smoothing it for a while before passing it on to her.
It was the unfinished sketch that she'd seen two days ago, on his desk. Only it wasn't unfinished. Previously bland and empty shapes were now filled with detail; previously clear parts of the paper were now full of the missing parts. Towers and walls and buildings. On top of the highest tower, the Arendelle standard with the royal crest waved proudly.
"You're actually very good." She said, impressed despite herself. The Chief sputtered a few soft denials, but she paid him no mind, inspecting the sketch more closely.
She saw a few flaws, the second time around. A few lines drawn a little more than they should, a tower than was a little shorter than it was in reality, a building with one less chimney than it really had. Even a corner that was a little bit smudged.
Despite these, she was very impressed. The Chief was very good at sketching. He probably did it in two sittings, and if what Ernie told her was true, he didn't even take that long to do it.
She turned her attention back to the Chief, across from Anna, but he'd stopped speaking and was staring squarely at his beans, as if they'd eat themselves if stared at hard enough. Elsa guessed that he was trying to keep contained any further embarrassed denials.
"I find myself surprised with everything new we learn about you, Chief Hiccup." She heard herself say. The Viking looked up at her, surprise evident in his eyes if not in his expression. Her sister only had a smile to offer as she continued her train of thought.
"Two days ago we learned that you're a very capable smith, and now a painter?"
"I would hardly call that painting." The chief said, grasping onto the only objection he could find.
"Call it what you will. Your 'sketches' are quite skilful."
"Yes, well, I have very deft fingers." The chief said.
"This sounds like one of those things with a story behind them." Anna said, grinning. The man shrugged.
"It's really not much of a story."
"We'd like to hear it, nonetheless." Elsa said.
"Okay. Well, I guess it has to do with the fact that I'm not really your average Viking."
Anna frowned in confusion. "Of course, not, you are the Chief."
"That's not what I mean."
"You ride a dragon." Elsa ventured.
"That's not it, either." The chief shook his head. "It has more to do with my body type."
"Your ... body type?" Elsa said, unable to stop herself. Anna looked at her and her face broke into a wide grin, her eyebrows wiggling suggestively.
Elsa blushed scarlet for a single mortifying second, before snapping out of it and glaring at her sister. She did not mean it like that!
The chief went on, blessedly oblivious to her inner struggle. Or at least, she hoped he was oblivious and not simply being merciful.
"Yes. You see, the average Viking is much ... well, bigger, than me. Remember the Captain of the contingent that brought us here?" At Elsa's nod, he continued. "Well, my people are in average about twice his size, never mind mine. That's not a problem right now, of course. I can hold my own against any of them, but this wasn't always the case. When I was younger , before I developed such things as balance or hand-eye coordination or my own way of fighting, I was looked upon as quite useless for Viking society."
Elsa and Anna looked him in confusion. The future chief of the tribe was looked upon as useless?
The Chief noticed their disbelieving stares and raised an eyebrow.
"What? It was true. I couldn't fight to save my life. My attempts to help with anything war-related usually ended in disaster. Not to mention that I was the clumsiest person you'd have ever met, with two left feet."
A small grin played on his features. "Well, things changed since then. I don't have any left feet anymore, for one."
The sheer fact that he was joking about his crippling injury was too much for Anna and she broke into a fit of giggles, drawing a satisfied smile from the Chief.
Elsa was not as entertained. What kind of person does it take, to function perfectly with such a debilitating handicap and even use it as joke fodder? Could she have done that, in his place? She'd never thought particularly hard about injuries, never mind dismemberments. It was something that she factually knew could occur, but never mentally associated with herself. The thought chilled her.
"Anyway," the chief continued "at the time all I had going for me was the dexterity of my hands. My father assigned me as the blacksmith's apprentice, and I guess things spiraled from there. I knew all I had was an overactive imagination and capable hands, so I learned anything I could that included these two. I became a blacksmith, I learned to sketch, I learned to write, I learned to handle wood and leather, I learned how to cook. By the time I was fifteen, I was quite the handy person to have around, though I still wouldn't fight."
"You can cook?" Anna blurted out.
"Sure," the chief nodded "but nowhere near this kind of quality, you understand." He said, gesturing at the breakfast table that had been untouched for the last few minutes.
"When did it all change?" Elsa asked. "When did you become proficient in combat?" She never for a second doubted his current proficiency. He moved like her best fighters moved, smooth and controlled despite his leg. His weapons were well worn but perfectly maintained and were never far from his side. Thankfully, his time inside the castle was an exception to this.
"It all started with Toothless, really."
"How so?"
"Well, Toothless is very strong. There aren't many things that are a threat to him. And I felt ... inadequate, I suppose. I wanted to protect him as he protected me, and so I eventually learned. I started with the bow."
Elsa's vision was suddenly filled with the frozen tip of an arrow, and she was waving her hands, trying desperately to alter the path of another before it pierced her-
"Elsa?" Her sister's voice snapped her out of her funk, and she shook her head to clear her memories, noticing the worried looks on both of them.
"Sorry, I spaced out. Do go on."
"Eh, I probably shouldn't. That's about it, anyway."
Elsa noticed the time on the clock on the opposite wall.
"I have to go. Thank you both for the company, but there are a lot of matters that require my attention."
She rose, and the other two followed her example. Outside the room, her sister once again hugged her, promising to see her later, before walking away with a wave.
"I'll bring Kristoff by to meet you, chief Hiccup!" She called as she left. Apparently Anna must have told the chief a bit about herself before she came in.
"I'm looking forward to it, Princess Anna." The chief called back, before turning to her.
"I'll be in your office at noon." He said, and she nodded. Then he, too, turned and left.
Elsa rubbed her eyes again. Thankfully her headache had abated, but the day was just starting. There was a lot to be done.
~E~
True to her predictions, the castle was abuzz with activity. A hornet's nest had been stirred, and now guards were everywhere, rushing around the castle like they were actually doing something. Servants were traveling in groups, glancing fearfully around corners.
For hours, Elsa walked to every section of the castle, assuring the staff and everyone else there that yes, she was fine; no, there would be no other attack as they had caught the culprits and yes; they could trust her when she said that everything was fine.
The castle was in a state between panic and war preparations, which Elsa did her best to calm before things got out of hand.
It hadn't been the first attempt on her life. But it had been by far the most successful. Never before had the castle been breached to this extent. The closest anyone else had gotten inside the castle was the Courtyard.
Usually, attempts on her life happened when she was outside, where a lone assassin would try his luck by springing from shadows and corners, or a shooter would try to snipe her from a rooftop or tree. Always failure, almost always without victims other than the attacker himself.
But this time, the castle security had been completely compromised, and three loyal men lay dead. There would be hell to pay for this. Elsa intended to see to that. She smelled a rat, and she would not rest until it was found. Nevertheless, the wider investigation had to be kept discreet, else the traitorous vermin apparently infecting her palace would spook and bolt back to whatever country was financing this latest attempt.
She found herself in her office, getting updated in the guards' progress, or lack thereof, in locating the last attacker. A peasant from the edge of town had reported a stolen horse, and it was believed that the invader had made good his escape. Elsa fumed throughout the meeting, until she at last dismissed the men giving the report, before she did something she'd later regret.
Being Queen was much harder than their parents had made it seem.
"My Queen?" A beautiful older woman slipped around her door. Her long black hair was loose this time, and her dark blue dress covered everything from her shoulders to her feet.
She had completely missed the knock on her door. She was slipping.
Elsa blinked harshly, chasing the fatigue out of her eyes.
"Yes, Marina?"
Officially Elai Marina was the Head Courtier and a member of Elsa's inner council. She oversaw the court, including planning the official functions, balls and other events. Unofficially, she was also a high ranking member of the kingdom's intelligence gathering force and the third most powerful woman in Arendelle.
Her long black hair was let loose this time, and her dark blue dress covered everything from her shoulders to her feet.
"My Queen, how are you?"
Not this again.
Elsa attempted to be patient. "I'm fine, thank you. Just a little tired. Can I help you?"
Marina seemed to hesitate, but nevertheless stepped closer to Elsa's desk before speaking.
"Lord Doublay has arrived, my Queen. He is already asking for you."
Elsa rubbed her eyes. Just what she needed right now. He had to pick the worst time possible.
"Did you inform him on the matters of Court?"
"I did, my Queen. He requested a private audience."
"Whatever for, did he mention?" They both knew the answer, but Elsa's irritation could hardly be kept in check.
"He did not. However-"
"Can you just tell him that I do not want to, nor will I ever, marry his son? Then we can save ourselves time and a headache, mmm?"
Marina frowned. Elsa inwardly sighed, maybe she was being unfair.
"My Queen, Lord Doublay is an important-"
"I know!" Elsa snapped, earlier thoughts forgotten. Marina dutifully closed her mouth, prompting Elsa to continue. "I know all about Doublay's position in Megara's government. I am well aware of his son's interest in me. I am also well informed on the potential benefits of a direct union between Arendelle and Megara, our second greatest trade supplier in the mainland. None of this changes the fact that I will not marry his son."
By the end of her tirade, Elsa was almost shouting. Marina did not say anything, and Elsa suddenly realized that she was breathing hard. She closed her eyes and did her best to calm down. She took deep, slow breaths.
After a minute, the Head Courtier spoke.
"My Queen?"
"I'm good now, Elai. I'm sorry for my outburst." Marina gave her a soft smile that did not reach her eyes. "Make the arrangements for the meeting with Doublay. I will give him the diplomatic version of what I just told you."
"It will be done, my Queen."
Seeing that Marina had still more to say, Elsa nodded her head, prompting the slightly older woman to speak.
"Your Majesty, I know that now is not the time, especially after this morning But you must know eventually you will have to start considering marriage offers, if not to pacify the population the at least to establish a line of-"
"There is no need for a line of succession." Elsa cut her off. "Anna is my heir, and she is well on her way to making plenty of heirs of her own, if palace gossip is to be believed."
Marina's carefully neutral expression said it all. Elsa was well aware that not everyone was as accepting of Anna's relationship with Kristoff as she was. Anna, in one of her brilliant idea moments, had decided to wait a few years before getting married, to Kristoff or anyone else. While understandable after her experience with Hans, the scumbag Prince from the Southern Isles, it lead to a lot of rumours circulating about her.
"The Princess' relationship with our Ice Master aside, having your sister as your heir is only a temporary measure. The people need to see the royal line continue from parent to child, not between siblings. The longer you remain unmarried, the more will you be spoken about in unfavourable terms."
"Let them talk." Elsa said. "They will get used to it eventually."
Marina's frown threatened to split her face, and Elsa raised a hand to stop her when the Head Courtier opened her mouth to say something.
"Listen, Marina. I understand what you're saying. We've had this discussion before. My answer remains the same. I have given and will continue to give all of myself to the kingdom of Arendelle. I keep only one thing for myself. My ability to love and marry whoever I want. That is the only line that I will not cross, not while I have a choice in the matter. I will do everything in my power to help my kingdom, but if and when I get married, it will be to someone I choose, for selfish reasons. It is the only thing I will do for Elsa Ellesmyre, rather than Arendelle."
Elai regarded her for a minute, head cocked slightly to the side.
"Your mother-"
"My mother," Elsa interrupted her again, anger blistering. "Was very, very fortunate to have been chosen by my father, who was a good man, and eventually grew to love him. She was the exception, rather than the rule. Regardless, I am not my mother. I loved and admired her, but I will follow my own path in life."
At this, Marina could do nothing but bow.
"As you say, Queen Elsa."
Elsa's expression softened and she brought her hand to rub at her temples. She was really snappish today. Understandable, but inexcusable. Queens can scarcely afford to get snippy.
"I'm sorry, Marina, but this is my decision. It will not change."
"I understand, my Queen. Though I disagree with you, I admire your conviction, nonetheless."
Elsa nodded "Thank you. It means a lot to me."
"I will go make the arrangements, then."
"Very well. I have to arrange the funeral soon, in any case."
Dismissed, Marina curtsied, though she hesitated a moment "One last thing, before I go?"
"Go ahead."
"I saw the dragon on my way here."
Marina seemed slightly troubled, which was interesting. Elsa leaned forward on the desk, resting her chin on her interconnected fingers.
"Oh? Did something happen?"
"No, my Queen. I was passing through the Gardens when I saw the dragon and King Haddock."
"Chief."
"Beg your pardon?"
"As I mentioned at court, the correct term is chief, not king."
"Apologies. Yes, Chief Haddock and the dragon were at the gardens."
Elsa failed to see what was troubling about this.
"Doing what?"
"The chief was drawing something in a notebook. They both just lay in the grass. The dragon was sprawled on its back and the chief was resting his back against it."
"This is all very interesting, but is there a point to it?"
"I'm not sure. He saw me and he waved cordially, and I returned the gesture."
"Elai, do you have a point?"
"I guess it seemed strange to find a royal in such casual stance."
"It is not our place to question how foreign royals conduct themselves, so long as they do not go against our laws and rules while within our borders.
"I'm sorry, my Queen. I'm just rambling. With your permission, I will go now."
Elsa nodded. Marina bowed once again and left the room. Elsa recognized the look of half-formed suspicions and ideas, but she couldn't do anything about it before Marina herself made sense of them.
She was hardly alone for five minutes before there was a knock on her door again.
"Enter."
The guard outside opened the door, announcing the visitor. "The Commander General Mertok."
"My Queen." Mertok said, bowing deeply as he entered the room and the door was closed.
"General. Good morning."
"It is hardly morning, my Queen. Noon is almost upon us."
"Is it?" Elsa asked, surprised. She glanced at the clock at the wall. Indeed, it was almost twelve. "Ah, so it is. I must have lost track of time."
She turned her gaze back towards the older man.
"I assume you have been briefed on the situation?"
"Yes. It is most worrying."
"That it is, General. What do you make of it?"
"Where to begin? The loss of life is a tragedy, but equally important is finding out how the perpetrators got so far inside. They completely bypassed the outer defences."
"Do you have a theory?"
"Speculation only, my Queen."
"Indulge me, General."
His brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing in thought and he rubbed his short beard with his right hand.
"As I said before, I cannot explain it in any way other than that they somehow knew our patrol schedules and guard choke points."
"A traitor, then?"
"It is the most likely explanation, yes."
"Perhaps they were experts in infiltration?" She asked, not really believing it, herself.
"Maybe so but even if such were the case, knowing patrol schedules is one of the most important aspects of a successful infiltration."
"We must assume we have a traitor within the castle, then" Elsa said heavily.
Mertok nodded.
"Can you compile a list of possible suspects, General?"
"That would be harder than it seems, my Queen."
Elsa frowned.
"How so?"
"The people who have complete access to the patrol plans are people we'd normally consider above suspicion, such as guard commander Reesh, the members of the inner council, you and your sister."
"I see."
"And the number of people who could have figured out the patrols through snooping and observation are too high to realistically investigate. That list includes all servants, all currents guests at the castle, and all guards stationed here."
"Surely these people could not have learned the schedules of our patrols so deep inside the castle and in such detail."
"Probably not, my Queen, but it is not impossible. And so long as there is a chance, however slight, we cannot discount the possibility."
"What can we do?"
"There is little we can do, short of emptying the castle and closing the gates."
"Which will never happen under my rule."
Mertok tipped his head at this.
"As you say, so we can't do that. All we can realistically do, besides quietly investigate further is tighten security. We figure out exactly how they breached the castle, close the hole, and try to learn who had the exact knowledge necessary to make such an infiltration possible."
Elsa nodded.
"I will leave these matters to you, then, General."
"As you command, my Queen. If I may?"
"Go ahead."
"I am not exactly suggesting anything, but I need to inform you that the chances of Chief Haddock's arrival a scant few days before the nearly successful attempt on your life being coincidental are very slim."
Elsa frowned.
"What are you saying, general? That Chief Haddock was somehow involved?"
"I am saying that there is a good possibility."
She shook her head.
"Chief Haddock has been under constant surveillance when outside of his quarters. I have seen to that."
"That is true. It certainly lowers the chances of it being him that figured out the patrol schedules, but does not clear him of suspicion."
"Suspicion?" Elsa asked slowly, drawing the word out. The General nodded.
"Chief Haddock seems earnest, but we must not let that cloud our judgement. Prince Hans seemed earnest, too, and we were all played by him."
"Chief Haddock is not Hans."
"Of course not, my Queen. But, similarly, Prince Hans is not the only person that would do such a thing."
"Tell me your thoughts and tarry no longer, General."
"What do we know of him, truly? His appearance was very convenient, was it not?"
"Need I remind you, General, that it was us who found him, rather than the other way around?"
"And how can we be certain of that? He was found right on top of your path. By his own words, his homeland is very far away. He could have been waiting. What are the chances that it was truly a chance encounter?"
This gave Elsa pause. The general, despite it being in his job description to be paranoid, had a point. It truly was bizarre, how they met like this.
"What you say is not exactly wrong, General, but Chief Haddock has already had the chance to kill me and didn't. I have told you this before."
"I do not presume to have the entire case solved, my Queen. Perhaps killing you was not his intention, initially. Perhaps he had nothing to do with the attack and I'm just being suspicious for no reason, or maybe he has his own plans separate of the attack yesterday. It could be a number of things."
"Which brings us back to square one."
"Perhaps, but I would like you to remain alert around him. Are we even certain he is who he claims?"
Elsa again paused, deep in thought. The General's fears echoed many of her own.
"No, we are not. His word and his presumed honour are the only things we go by."
"A dangerous thing to do."
"Admittedly so, but after he spared my life I was willing to believe his word that he was the sovereign of a distant land."
"Distant enough to be nearly impossible to confirm in time?"
"So it would seem."
"There is also the fact of his age."
"What about it?"
"Faction leaders so young are rare. Yes, I am aware of your situation, but it is an exception rather than a rule."
"He related the stories of the deaths of his parents to me and Anna, earlier this morning."
"Of course he did." His sarcasm was not lost on Elsa.
Mertok paused, his stance sagging a little.
"I am grateful to Chief Haddock for sparing my Queen's life, but it is my job to be worried about and consider such things."
"I understand, General. You are not being illogical in your fears. Nevertheless, I feel that Chief Haddock is telling the truth, regarding his chieftainship if nothing else."
"Because of the dragon? His taming of the beast is impressive, but not necessarily proof of his word."
Elsa shook her head. "It's not that. I have seen no concrete proof of this but ... I'm not sure how to explain it. I can feel it. The air of command around him, the ease of someone used to being listened to, used to giving out orders…" She trailed off suddenly, realising how flimsy her argument sounded.
"Perhaps he is confident by nature, or a lord used to ordering about servants, or simply presenting a very skillful act."
Elsa nodded "That is, of course, a possibility, but this kind of speculation can only take us around in circles. There is no way to confirm this short of going to Berk ourselves, and even then we'd have to rely on Chief Haddock's direction to go there and assume he's being truthful."
"Then how can you be certain?"
"I cannot, General. It is possible that he is not the chief of a distant land, rather only a boy who managed to tame a dragon. After all, it is easy to add chiefdom when people are trying to process your pet dragon. Do not think I have not considered the possibility; however I feel he is telling the truth and I will not risk possibly offending a dragon riding Viking Chief on the off chance that he is not."
The general threw her a dubious look.
"Surely it can't be only that?"
Elsa sighed. "Of course not. The thing is; if he is faking it, then he's doing a terrible job of it. Don't you think that someone trying to pass as a royal would act more like we'd expect a royal to, rather than Chief Haddock's general behavior?"
"All in the name of posing as someone from far away."
"His behavior and your theory don't match, general. There is no basis for suspicion besides the default on anyone we don't personally know. And let us not forget that the sole reason I brought him here was to avoid an international incident. What would happen if we were to suddenly distrust him, maybe even throw him out, and it turns out that he wasn't lying? We'll be the laughing stock of nations, not to mention the possibility of war with the vikings. Remember that our goal is to get on his good side, not his bad one."
"I don't know, my Queen. This whole situation seems very suspicious to me. And your reasoning hasn't exactly assuaged me."
"As I said, it is nothing concrete. I just feel that this is our best course of action for the time being, and that I could not be duped on this matter."
"It takes one to know one, does it?"
"Something like that. I am fairly certain that his status as chieftain is legitimate."
"Then I will trust your judgement, in this as in all things."
"Thank you, General. Know that I am keeping a close eye on Chief Hiccup."
Mertok's expression changed slightly, but it was gone before Elsa had time to decipher its meaning.
They were quiet for some time, thinking over everything they had said.
"Permission to speak freely, my Queen."
"Granted."
"You look terrible, Elsa."
Elsa blinked. Once, twice. Then she burst into laughter. The general himself smiled at her, and she was acutely reminded that this was the man who had sat her on his knee and told her stories when she was still a tiny little girl full of curiosity and wonder, running around at her father's meetings and making a nuisance of herself.
"Thank you, Shad. A girl always wants to hear such compliments."
"You should get some rest, is all I'm saying."
"I'll take that into consideration."
The man sighed "Meaning you won't do it."
Elsa smiled at this. He knew her well.
"Probably not, but thank you for your concern."
"If that will be all, I'll be taking my leave."
"Go ahead. Will you be attending the funeral?"
"Yes, my Queen."
The general bowed, then turned on his heel and marched for the door. Elsa followed him with her eyes, a fond smile still on her face. As soon as the door opened, the smile vanished.
There, outside the door, stood the aforementioned Viking chief in the flesh. She was not worried about him overhearing anything, thankfully, since her office was perfectly insulated.
Mertok noticed the Chief outside and stilled for a moment, but then bowed his head, greeted the man, and went on his way.
"His majesty, Chief Haddock" the guard announced, and the chief stepped right into her office.
"Queen Elsa, Greetings." He said. Elsa glanced at her clock, noticing that it was a quarter past twelve. She'd stood him up.
"And to you, Chief Hiccup."
She noticed his eyes take in her appearance critically, and no doubt he noticed the bags under her eyes or the messy way her hair was braided, or her rumpled ress, or the two empty cups of coffee on her desk. When he spoke, she was irrationally thankful that for once today, it wasn't a query regarding her state of health.
"You asked to see me?" He said, making no mention of being made to wait for a quarter of an hour.
"Yes. As I mentioned, it is high time we understood where exactly we stand in relation to each other."
The chief's mouth opened once, twice, but he seemed at a loss. The third time, he found his voice.
"I'm sorry?" he said carefully.
"I meant Berk and Arendelle." She clarified.
"Oh. Yes, you said as much during breakfast. Silly me, I forgot." He rubbed the back of his head, obviously embarrassed about something. Elsa didn't ponder on it much.
She rose and walked around her desk.
"Follow me." She said, and headed for the smaller door at the right wall of her office. The young man followed her without complaint or questions.
Through the door was another office, though this one smaller, more cramped with stuff. A wide table in the middle was full of charts, maps and books. The various furniture lining the walls were equally full of similar things.
"I have already prepared several maps of the Viking areas, as we know them, and the spaces in between." Elsa said, making space at the table and leaving only the relevant maps on it.
"This is Arendelle." She said, pointing at a specific map which depicted her kingdom in its entirety.
Chief Hiccup approached the table and her, staring at the maps in concentration. She let him study them for a few minutes. He worked methodically, first with the map of Arendelle, then their map of the Viking provinces.
"It's more or less correct, but much too crude." he murmured, studying the map of the northern areas carefully.
"Would you be willing to help make them more accurate? I've witnessed your ability with a quill or pencil."
This was perhaps a risky move on her part, because there was no immediate gain for him if he gave her a clearer idea of his lands, while there was a lot of new information in it for her. Nevertheless, she saw it as a fair deal, and was fairly certain that he would, too.
"Not a problem. I'll get on it tomorrow or sometime soon. I'll have to take this with me though, and a couple of empty pieces for copies."
"You will be given everything that you require."
He worked in silence again, aligning maps and comparing them to each other. Elsa watched his face, brow creased in concentration, eyes squinted. His tongue peeked out to wet his lips.
She averted her gaze after that.
"I think I've got it." He declared after half an hour of study. Elsa moved closer, to see what he'd done with the maps. Arendelle was the one closest to them, and he'd arranged the maps between her kingdom and Berk in order.
"Look at the Viking areas." He instructed, and she complied.
"What am I looking for?"
"Something that doesn't exist. See, here? On the north most part of this map, all that is drawn are some rock protrusions, probably from hearsay. This area is where my islands are, and many more besides. There's a whole archipelago that's missing from this map. Many Viking tribes live there, including mine. Your map is grossly inaccurate."
He paused, before averting his gaze from the map to look at her. From the seriousness of his expression, Elsa guessed that this was an important moment.
"I'll make you a proper map of the archipelago. Alright?"
Now she understood. Yes, he was offering much. But then again, she'd offered the same when she showed him perfect maps of Arendelle and the surrounding geography, hadn't she? But she had promised, and had made no clause as to receiving the same treatment from him. It wasn't the same thing.
"Thank you. That would be most helpful."
The Chief frowned. "Would it?"
Oops, that came out wrong.
"Perhaps. We will speak of this in more detail in the comings days. I think an agreement between our people is not outside the realm of possibility."
"What do you have in mind, Queen Elsa?"
She shook her head. "Not now. We will talk of this more later."
He still seemed suspicious, but he let it go. Was he being nice and not insisting? Or was it something else?
What's going on in your head, Hiccup?
They moved away from the map room and back into her office. The chief seemed unsure of what to do for a moment, but Elsa went to her chair and sat.
"Please, take a seat." She asked, and he obliged, taking the one directly in front of her desk.
He looked at her, inviting her to begin conversation.
"How have you been finding your stay here so far?" His eyebrow rose marginally at her opener, but he didn't comment on it.
"It is more than I'd imagined it would be. In the good sense, I assure you. I've met many interesting people, and I've yet to see the whole castle; which is fascinating, by the way. I have no complaints."
"Not even after last night's intrusion?" He frowned at this.
"I hardly feel the need to complain when you yourself suffered a much more irritating intrusion."
Irritating was one way to put it.
"So we said in the morning, yes."
"Can I ask you for something, Queen Elsa?"
Elsa shuffled a little, sitting straighter in her seat.
"If it is within my power to grant."
"I would like your permission to take Toothless to the sky."
"You mean ... fly?" He nodded.
"Yes. We've been grounded for long enough, I think. He'll soon start getting irritable."
She hesitated, thinking furiously, he must have noticed something in her expression, because he spoke again.
"If you're thinking that I'll fly off, don't. I have no reason to do that, plus I will leave all my stuff and my weapons here if it would put your mind at ease."
She coughed. "I wasn't thinking that at all."
The Chief's knowing smile almost made her snap at him, but she swallowed that urge and decided to move on before she embarrassed herself any further.
"It sounds reasonable. When were you thinking?"
"I was thinking of today, but that's obviously not possible. I'm sure that with the funeral coming up you don't want to deal with your subjects being terrified by a flying dragon."
"An exaggeration, perhaps, but true. I would appreciate it if you waited until tomorrow. I would also like to be present."
He raised his eyebrow again, surprised.
"You want to come with us?"
Elsa was visibly taken aback by this. What?
"What do you mean?"
"I mean fly. With us. Is that what you want?"
"No, most definitely not." She shook her head. No, getting on that ... on Toothless and flying was the furthest thing from her mind right now. She saw the Chief's frown, but nothing she could say would wipe it off.
"It would do you good, you know. It's a great experience."
She looked at him oddly, for a moment forgetting that he was foreign royalty.
"It's crazy."
The chief smiled at this. Smiled! More proof for her. It was crazy, and he was crazy.
"Perhaps. A little crazy in our lives makes things interesting. When was the last time you did something crazy?"
"I prefer to avoid crazy things that could get me killed, thank you very much."
He frowned a little.
"I said crazy, Queen Elsa, not dumb. There's a difference."
"I fail to see it, in this instance."
"Yes, you do." He said, and Elsa bristled. Now he was mocking her, again.
"Would it be impossible for something to go wrong and for you to fall to your death?"
He waited for a few seconds, weighing his response. He must have known that the question was unfairly posed, but he replied nonetheless.
"No, it is not impossible."
"Then I'd rather not do something so risky if there isn't a perfectly valid reason."
He shook his head. "Fair enough. So if you didn't mean that, what did you mean when you mentioned being present?"
"Before you fly, take-off, whatever you call it. It's best if I'm there, so as to assuage anyone watching."
"Sounds reasonable."
"When, exactly?"
"Either a few hours before or after lunch. We can figure out an exact time at breakfast."
"That is acceptable." She waited a few second to ascertain the matter was closed before continuing. "Will you be attending the funeral tonight?"
He sobered up immediately, like she did.
"If I am allowed to."
"Everyone is invited. Ernie will take you to the chapel. If he doesn't, just follow the people."
"I assume that Toothless should not come?"
"It'd be best if he didn't. It would complicate things unnecessarily, and we don't want any hitches with the ceremony."
He nodded. "Yes, I agree. Toothless will stay here."
Elsa took a deep breath, thinking of the best possible way to broach the next subject. Their interaction so far had been telling, but it was time for the finishing touch. This was a risk, but it was one she thought she had to take, if only to confirm what she already felt she knew.
"There is ... another matter that we need to discuss."
"Oh?"
She hesitated for a few seconds, trying to come up with the right words.
"I implore you not to take offense at what I will say."
She could see that she sparked his curiosity. "Speak freely, Queen Elsa."
"I have received word, from several people, that I should be wary of you." She said at last, and watched him. His face didn't outwardly change, which indicated to her that he expected to hear more. "That you may not be to be trusted. That it is possible that you've been lying about Berk and your status."
The changes were minutiae, but Elsa spotted the signs of anger as soon as they appeared. "Are you calling me a liar, Queen Elsa?" His tone was level, but grave, as if in warning. Elsa felt the danger tangible in the air, as if she was walking on thin ice.
"Of course not," Elsa said carefully. "However, it has been said to me, and I can't exactly disagree, that we have no reason to believe you other than your word."
"Who said that?"
"It doesn't matter." She leveled a stern look his way. Angry or not, he wasn't changing the subject. "The point is that I've invited you here and treated you as an equal, based on the premise that you are chief of your tribe, as you claimed."
"Which I am." He pointed out.
"So you say, and I believe you," she hastily added after his expression darkened even more "but that may not always be enough. I was attacked in my own bed two days after you arrived, suspicion is natural in such circumstances. It may be unfair but it is not unwarranted."
She did not blink, watching his reaction intently. He seemed frustrated, but did a good job of holding most of it from showing.
"I understand that Queen Elsa, but what do you want from me? We don't have stamps in Berk, or signet rings. Short of taking you to Berk I can present you with no convincing proof. Why tell me this now?"
"I felt that you should know."
He no longer kept his irritation from his face, almost-but-not-quite scowling.
"You invited me here. If you feel that I no longer meet the criteria for being a guest, or that I have lied to you, I shall saddle Toothless and leave immediately."
"Goodness, no. That's not it at all." She raised her hand to stop him from saying something in anger. "Please, listen to me. I didn't mean to offend. I believe you; else I would not have brought you here in the first place."
This seemed to mollify him somewhat, and his scowl disappeared.
"Then, what is it? Why tell me?"
"Because it is something that you should be aware of. You have many eyes on you, chief Hiccup. Whether you wanted to come here or not, you represent Berk now."
He closed his eyes, rubbing them with his thumb and finger.
"You're right." He said eventually. "And I'm glad you let me know. I'm not sure if I can do anything to prove my identity to you. Anything that I could say without compromising my people could be known by anyone who's lived there, such as Berk's place on the map, and that doesn't necessarily prove my chieftainship. I am aware that the difference between us and Arendelle is great enough that when people see me and compare me to their own sovereigns, the behaviors don't match. But I don't know what I can do to fix that. I won't start acting like someone else just because someone in your council told you that they don't like me."
"Nor would I ask you to. The concerns will pass with time. I tell you this so you can keep an eye out." While I keep an eye on you. "And in any case, if what I have in mind comes to pass, then any and all doubts will be gone."
He raised a questioning eyebrow. "Is this the secret idea that I'm not allowed to know about?"
"It's not that you're not allowed, exactly. It's just that I'm still forming it inside my own head. As soon as it takes shape, you'll be the first to know."
He nodded curtly. "Sounds fair enough to me, Queen Elsa. Was there anything else? Are we done?"
She shook her head. "No, unless you have something to add?"
He shook his head "I think I've taken up enough of your time. I don't want to be one of those people who hold you up like they think it's your job to entertain them all day."
He joked, but the humor didn't reach his eyes. No doubt, their conversation had troubled him.
Elsa couldn't keep herself from smiling at this, nonetheless. She could relate to that.
"We wouldn't want that, would we?"
Her smile was mirrored on the Chief Hiccup's scarred face.
"No, not at all."
With this, he rose from his seat, as did Elsa. They both tipped their head at each other, and then the Chief turned and marched to the door.
He spared one last look at her, and then left, the door closing behind him with a dull thud.
Elsa melted back into her chair, letting out a long breath.
It was risky, but she had done it and it had worked. It almost backfired on her several times, but she was sure now. There was no doubt in her mind, after the conversation they'd just had.
No matter what else he was, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third was the chief of the Vikings of Berk.
~E~