The Head That Wears the Crown

Chapter Four

Conspiracy

"You were incredible in there!" Anna beamed with pride at her older sister. "The way you put that obnoxious little 'Ingeberger' or whatever his name is in his place was priceless! And did you see the look on his face? I thought his mustache was going to wilt right then and there!"

Elsa laughed, smiling for the first time all day. The two sisters were in the dressing room down the hall from the throne room, official business having concluded for the day. "I know. I didn't want to embarrass him, but he brought it on himself." She paused, doubt passing through her mind. "Didn't he?"

"Of course he did!" Anna said. "Didn't you hear how he was talking to you? He was acting as if you were completely out of line in there for letting me sit in on the meeting. So what if tradition says to do it some other way? You're the queen! You're the one who gets to decide, not him!"

Elsa nodded, her thoughts turning elsewhere. "So, it looks like we're having a winter celebration in August this year?"

"Oh . . . yeah, about that," Anna said, nervously. "I'm sorry! I got a little carried away. I was just so upset with how you were being treated that I just blurted out the first idea that came to me. I didn't even think about how you would feel about it, having to use your . . . your powers in front of other people! Especially since you're so unsure as it is right now. Please don't be mad at me! We don't have to do that! You can think of a better idea, and—"

Elsa took Anna's hands and held them firmly. "Anna, it's okay. Really, it is. I think . . . I think that this is going to be just the push I need to help me regain my confidence. So, thank you for that."

"You're . . . you're not upset?"

"No, I'm not," Elsa said. "In fact, since you said you wanted snow, I'd better practice." She placed her hands behind her back, secretly allowing the cold rush of her abilities to flow from her fingertips. "It's a pretty tall order you've given me! I'd better make sure I can manage!"

Anna opened her mouth to reply, and was met with a cold, wet snowball in the face.

"Not fair, Elsa!" she cried, her older sister roaring with laughter. "Not fair at all!"

The clock down the hall rang, its chimes echoing throughout the palace. "Ohmygosh!" Anna cried. "I completely lost track of time! I have to go!"

"Wait!" Elsa said. "Where are you going?"

"Well, I have to start making dinner, and then I have to go get Kristoff and bring him back here."

"Here?" Elsa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. You see, I was kind of hoping that . . . that the three of us could have dinner together. Seeing as how the two of you have never really met before and he did kind of save my life several times and . . . and . . ." She paused, looking at Elsa uncertainly. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No," Elsa said. "I'd love to. He seems . . . he seems like a good man."

"Great!" Anna exclaimed. She kissed her sister on the cheek and took off down the hallway. "See you tonight!" she called over her shoulder.

Alone once more, Elsa walked down the hallway, not really certain where she was going. Dinner wasn't for several hours, and since she had no additional work to occupy her at the moment, she decided to reacquaint herself with some of the rooms in the palace she had not seen in years.

Elsa entered the door at the far end of the hallway, quietly closing it behind her. She realized she was in her father's old study. This had been one of her favorite rooms to visit when she was a little girl, before . . . before . . .

Brushing the thought aside, Elsa looked about, soaking in every detail. The servants had done a fantastic job of maintaining the room just as it had been when her father was alive. Not an item was out of place. Everything was exactly as Elsa remembered. She had long since lost track of how many hours she had spent in this room, watching her father working. She remembered that no matter how busy he may have been, he had always found time to talk to her as he worked.

Elsa walked to the far wall of the room. High on the wall was her father's official portrait. Gently, carefully, she brought her hand to the canvas, allowing herself to touch the cheek of the man in the painting. It looks just like him, she thought. She bit her lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to escape her eyes. "Oh, Father," she whispered. "If only you could be here with us now. I'm . . . I'm doing the best that I can, but . . . I'm afraid. I'm afraid I won't be able to maintain control, and I'll . . . I'll . . ."

"Reminiscing, Your Majesty?" came a voice from behind her.

Startled, Elsa turned around. "Who . . . Who's there?"

The source of the voice stepped out of the shadows and into the light. Elsa's eyes widened with recognition. "Minister Ingeborson?"

The trade minister smiled, one side of his lip curled higher than the other. "In the flesh, Your Majesty."

"What can . . . What can I do for you, Minister?" Elsa asked, eying Ingeborson warily.

"Well, that's the question now, isn't it." Ingeborson walked to the desk in the center of the room, examining its contents.

"You know, when I first became a minister in this government, it was shortly after your parents' untimely demise. Truly a tragic time for the kingdom of Arendelle. I'm amazed we were able to pull through it. But," he turned back to Elsa, "the people of this land are resilient, as you are well aware."

"What's your point, Minister?" Elsa asked. She had no desire to get into another discussion with the minister, especially since both of them were no longer constrained by the boundaries of parliamentary decorum.

"I remember the void it left," Ingeborson continued, not acknowledging Elsa's question. "Not only in our hearts, of course, but within the halls of power in this palace. We all knew that you were not yet old enough to be crowned, and that you had led a . . . sheltered existence. That was when the Council was formed."

"The Council?" Elsa asked. Why does this sound so familiar?

"Yes, the Council," Ingeborson said. "A select group of the most seasoned ministers within Arendelle's government assembled to manage the kingdom while we waited for you to ascend to the throne."

He sat in the chair behind the desk, and Elsa's face twitched visibly. "You may recall them. As you grew older, you were permitted to meet with the Council on occasion. Ostensibly, it was to provide you with the experience of working with government officials, learning how to make decisions for the betterment of our people."

I remember! Elsa thought. Memories of men in red robes, hooded, their faces hidden, their voices muffled, advising her, guiding her, nurturing her in the ways of governance.

Something Ingeborson said rang in her mind. "You said, 'ostensibly.' What exactly are you suggesting, Minister?"

The trade minister laughed, his lip curling even higher. "Ah, the naïvety of youth! You didn't really think you were making any of the decisions, did you? The whole purpose of the Council wasn't to teach you how to become a better ruler! It was to place the whole of Arendelle's government within the control of the ministers, removing it from the instability that inherently comes with a monarchy!"

Elsa recoiled in shock. "You . . . you tried to stage a coup?"

"Tried?" Ingeborson stood. "Tried? How foolish are you, Your Majesty? The Council didn't just try! They succeeded!"

"No," Elsa whispered. "You're lying. Andersen . . . he would have told me . . ."

Ingeborson scowled. "Andersen? Please. He's a sentimental old fool, too attached to the former ways of governance to appreciate the beauty of our new order."

This doesn't make sense! He's lying! It can't be true! But . . . what if he isn't? Could it be true?!

"Why . . . why are you telling me this?" Elsa asked. "If what you say is true, why would you tell me?"

Ingeborson stood directly in front of Elsa, barely a hand span apart. "To show you just how outnumbered you are. To cut you down before you start getting any dangerous ideas about ruling this kingdom. To spare you the humiliation of gradually realizing that everything you've worked your whole life for has been nothing more than a lie."

"NO!" Elsa shouted. "I am the queen of Arendelle! I am responsible for our people! The people look to me, not to some faceless bureaucracy!"

"Precisely!" Ingeborson exclaimed. "Now you see, don't you? You're nothing more than a figurehead, the person we parade out and show the people to inspire their trust. In reality, the bureaucracy controls everything! And that is the way it must be! We have worked too hard for too long to allow a young woman with delusions of grandeur and disturbing, unpredictable elemental abilities to destroy this land!"

Elsa was astounded. "This is treason," she whispered.

"No," Ingeborson said. "It is security. Safety. All you have to do, Your Majesty, is let us do our jobs discreetly, quietly. You will be the public face of our government. The people will adore you. The ministers will have the power they've always desired. Everyone wins!"

The queen turned away, burying her face in her hands, trying to remain strong. "How many? How many men are on this council?"

Ingeborson smiled. "No one really knows for sure. All we know is that our members are spread throughout the highest levels, ingrained so deeply that you could never possibly ferret them all out."

He walked in front of Elsa once again. "So, Your Majesty, will you cooperate with us? I promise that if you do, we will make you legendary. Your name will go down in history among the greatest rulers of our land. And all you have to do is stay out of the way. Think how easy this will be."

Elsa was silent, staring at the ground, thinking. Finally, after what to Ingeborson seemed like an eternity, Elsa responded.

"Minister, here is my answer: No. Absolutely not."

Ingeborson was livid. "You are making a grave mistake, Your Majesty!" he roared. "I came to you today in friendship even after you humiliated me this morning. I offer you security and power and you dare to reject it! And for what? For your own misplaced ideals? Because you actually believe that a freak like yourself is worthy of ruling this kingdom?"

At the word "freak," Elsa's lip curled slightly. "I suggest you remember to whom you are speaking, Minister."

"You don't get to threaten me, snow queen!" Ingeborson yelled. "We control you! That's how it works! That's how it's supposed to work!"

Elsa stood silently, processing Ingeborson's words in her mind. "Then, Minister, you leave me no choice."

Ignoring Ingeborson, Elsa moved to her father's desk, unrolled a piece of parchment, and began writing.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ingeborson demanded. "Your Majesty," he said, mockingly, "what are you doing? Are you writing me an angry letter demanding I stop being so nasty?"

Elsa finished writing. Standing, she took the royal seal from the desk and sealed the parchment shut. "Here, Minister," she said, handing Ingeborson the parchment. "As Queen of Arendelle, I would like to be the first to congratulate you on your new assignment."

"What . . . what assignment?" Ingeborson was thoroughly confused.

"It is a matter of grave importance for our economy. I cannot trust this task to any but the Minister of Trade himself."

"What are you talking about?!" Now Ingeborson was annoyed.

"You are to travel to negotiate a trade agreement with a very, very important new prospective partner. A land abundant in natural resources, with a native population eager to forge alliances with outside parties."

Ingeborson stared incredulously at Elsa. "And what land might that be?"

"Siberia."

She can't be serious! Ingeborson thought. She wouldn't dare! She can't!

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I must have heard you incorrectly. I thought you said—"

"No, Minister, you heard me correctly. I have assigned you to negotiate, in person, with the native peoples of Siberia. It should be a very busy, very constructive, very long process."

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Ingeborson roared. "YOU CAN'T SEND ME TO THAT HELLHOLE! YOU DON"T HAVE THE AUTHORITY!"

"Oh, but Minister, I'm afraid I do. Article XII, Section 22, Line 245 of Arendelle's legal code clearly states that the reigning monarch may assign any of his or her ministers to any post at his or her own discretion."

Ingeborson quaked in fury. "You wouldn't . . . you wouldn't dare! Getting rid of me won't eliminate your problems! We are everywhere! EVERYWHERE!"

"Then, Minister, I suggest that, before you begin packing, you inform the members of your Council—if it does, indeed, exist—that I will not roll over and play nice. And if I find out that any of them are even thinking about illegally working against me, against our people, I will be sending them to join you."

Ingeborson threw open the door to the study, fuming.

"And Minister?" He turned back involuntarily at the queen's words.

Elsa smiled. "You may want to pack several coats. I understand the weather is quite brutal this time of year."

Enraged, Ingeborson slammed the door and stormed into the hallway, cursing and swearing as he went.

Elsa sank to the floor, burying her head in her hands. No longer needing to be strong, she allowed the tears to flow. "What am I going to do?" she whispered. "I don't know who to trust!" She looked up once more at the painting, willing it to answer her. Oh, Father! What am I to do?

AN: A conspiracy has been unmasked. But Elsa refuses to play along. Surely, there will be consequences for her refusal to toe the line. More to come.