AN: Exposition in the middle of a story? WHAT IS THIS MADNESS? Also I apologize in advance, Meinhard is a potty mouth and really really doesn't like his step mom. XD I love every single one of my reviewers, and I must say. Some of your theories are pretty darn close. But I'm not saying which. ;3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding Frozen, I don't work for Disney, and this is a not for profit fanwork. Thank you for reading.


"How did your father die, if you don't mind me asking?" Elsa's voice was quiet, as if she didn't want anyone to hear what she was asking.

"Shipwreck, I think." Meinhard lifted his cup of wine to his lips. "He died right after Hans was born, too. Was part of the reason I left." His eyebrows arced high on his face. "Jekaterina, the whore, would have had me thrown out or killed if I even thought about trying to vie for the throne. She did it to Diederik too, or at least I think so. But what do I know? I'm a mad mountain man."

He looked up at her, expression soft. "I'm surprised your husband hadn't told you this."

Elsa didn't bother correcting him. "He's told me only the necessary basics."

"How are my brothers and the old bitch anyway?"

She looked down at her gloved hands. "Three are dead, and I haven't seen The Dowager in a month. Hans is.. With the horses, I believe."

He sniffed sharply, staring at the table, his gaze hard. "They probably challenged her in some way…"

Elsa stared up at him, unable to understand what he was saying. "You think she killed them?"

There was a long period of silence before he spoke again. "I'm not saying she's completely innocent either."

The queen drank from her cup, to break the awful silence. "Do you believe she killed your father too?"

Meinhard sighed, looking at her. "I don't know what to believe, but I wouldn't put it past her either. Some kind of witchcraft. Maybe she sent a storm his way to capsize the royal ship. I don't know."

Elsa froze, staring away into space.

"Beside that.. If it isn't too much, I don't want her knowing I'm here. Refer to me as Bjorgman, if you will. Please." His voice was desperate.

That snapped her back to reality. Elsa didn't understand why he didn't want her to know, especially since the kingdom of Arendelle could have easily protected Meinhard, but she agreed quietly. "I will notify my servants and family, as well as Hans."

Meinhard's entire demeanor changed at the mention of her sister. "She is a feisty one, isn't she?"

"She's also married. And happily."

"Of course, I saw her husband. A strapping young man, if I do say so myself. I'm not scoundrel enough to steal a woman away like that. She just reminds me of a friend, is all."

"Your friend, Bjorgman?" Elsa inquired, wondering what kind of friend he had that was so reminiscent of her sister.

"Yeah. Darja Bjorgman. A good woman. Strong, too. Had the most beautiful brown eyes." Meinhard's voice grew wistful. "She.. Was killed almost twenty two years ago. I still think about her everyday."

"Oh." He had taken his false name from that of a woman he loved, she guessed. It was noble, in a way. Romantic, too.

Before either of them could say more, in swooped the Dowager Queen herself, looking resplendent in a maroon gown with a skirt wide enough to house a small army, her dark hair coiffed up in a style that left her almost too-pale neck bare. "So we have a guest." She curtsied low, revealing her low cut bodice and the curdled-milk color of her skin, leaving little to the imagination.

Seeing this show, Meinhard made a soft disgusted noise and bowed his head, to keep her from recognizing him. "My lady.."

"What a gentleman.." The Dowager murmured, attempting to be beguiling as she smoothed a hand along Meinhard's broad shoulder. "Do men from the mountains oft talk with such grace?" She gave him a seductive smirk and he forced his eyes away, just in case she met his gaze.

"My Queen, Jekaterina, this is Bjorgman of the Northern Mountain." Elsa gestured to him with a flourish. "He is an honored guest, having traveled so far."

"Oh?" The dowager fixed her alluring gaze on him. "What brings you down here then?"

Meinhard ran a hand along his short beard, the sound rasping and repellant. "Trade, mostly. I also meant to discuss matters of ice gathering and sale."

"Tch. Boring affairs of state then…" Jekaterina poured herself a drink of wine, stirring it with one elegant finger. She lifted her nail and touched her tongue to the drop of red dangling from her finger. Meinhard met her gaze for just a second and looked away, gripping the edge of the table hard enough to almost crack the aged and carved wood.

The Dowager smiled knowingly, and looked back to Elsa. "The plans for your marriage are running as smoothly as to be expected, девочка.

«Thank you, Queen Jekaterina." Elsa smiled back, very gently. "But I believe my guest must be exhausted from his travels, and I must seek out my husband. If you would please excuse the both of us."

She had no reason to keep them there, so of course the Dowager let them go.

"We have guests' quarters down this hallway, if you'll follow me." Elsa called to Meinhard as she led him down a random hallway she picked out of the blue. It was just a distraction anyway.

As they walked away, Jekaterina was scoping out the mountain man. For a moment it was almost as if she recognized him, but at the last second she shook her head, as if telling herself no, it wasn't her long lost estranged stepson, here to take the throne away at long last.

What was she doing, fearing like a child?

The boy was dead anyway. Jekaterina knew she had nothing to fear. The boy and his peasant whore were done in, by a few mercenaries and a bag of gold, untraceable back to her. This stranger was just some poor trader who hadn't seen women in months, most likely. He was harmless.

Elsa had let Meinhard go, after they really did come across the guests' quarters. He was weary from traveling, that much was true. She even sent up a bowl of hot water and a few towels for him to wash up in. No one could say Queen Elsa of Arendelle was a bad host, after all.

After she left him in the room, Elsa found herself being drawn to the stables. True as it was that she had not ridden in quite a while, something was pulling her there now.

Hans met her halfway. He was wearing new, freshly tailored, still clean riding clothes. It made him look stylish, and Elsa hated to admit it, quite attractive. "My Queen." He took her hand, smirking as he kissed it tenderly. "Come to take me up on my offer of going for a ride?"

Elsa clenched her fists, and then released them again. "…Yes. I'll go riding with you."


Девочка (devochka) - girl, like "lass", or "girlie". Not really something you'd call a queen.