Scene 2
Elsa
Elsa was buried in paper. She sighed in annoyance at yet another trade record, and drearily moved it closer to the candle she was using for light. While she had been trained by her father how to negotiate trade treaties and meet with foreign ambassadors, nothing had prepared her for the sheer amount of paperwork. It was horrifying! She shook herself after realizing she had just read the same line three times in a row. It was literally the most boring thing she had ever done in her life, and while she loved reading, this could never even come close to the adventure novels she had sought out as a young girl. She seized on the opportunity to distract herself. Besides her mother and father, those books had been her only companions during those long years, and every chance she got, she still devoured new books like chocolate. Elsa forced herself to concentrate.
The report detailed the ice trade with Italia, one of the few countries still doing business with Arendelle, and while it by itself contained good news, the overall picture these reports were painting was not good. The number of allies willing to trade with Arendelle had decreased drastically following the attempt on her life and all events proceeding, and she suspected that the country of Weselton was behind it. While the country was small and militarily weak, their political power was not one she could afford to ignore, and she feared that she would have to revoke the embargo she had placed on them. She growled softly, silently imagining her begging to the small, weaseling man that had tried to have her killed. She looked down at the paper, and had found it was a sheet of ice. She forced herself to calm down. Not yet. Not yet. Arendelle was still a proud country, with many political connections. She would fix this, for her people. She carefully thawed the paper, dissipating the ice and directing it out the open window. She signed the bottom, as graceful as she could manage, and placed it carefully on top of the slowly growing pile. The door at the far end of her study creaked opened, and Anna stepped in, hugging a blanket closer around her shoulders.
"Elsa, why are you still up? What are you working on?"
Not wanting to speak, she gestured at the pile of papers she still had to go through.
Anna gasped, "Are you still working on those? Elsa, staying up this late every night is not going to help!" Elsa glanced at the clock on the wall, and noticed with a start that it showed the third hour of the morning. She had been working for over 12 hours. Anna walked towards her desk and pulled Elsa to her feet, eyes wide with worry.
"Now you need to get some rest, if only for the visiting hours tomorrow. Are you sure there isn't anything I can do to help?"
Elsa smiled wearily at Anna's concern. "I am sure. I'm sorry, Anna." Elsa let herself be led to one of her many rooms. Strangely, Anna was silent.
Elsa remembered something. "How was your date with Kristoff?"
Oh, that brightened her right up. "Oh, it was amazing! He took me on a tour of his ice business." Elsa couldn't hide a laugh.
Anna glared at her. "It was actually really interesting! I didn't know how they keep it from melting, but they can, and it was really cool to learn about, and-" Just outside Elsa's door, the official Aide to the Queen and Highservant, Kai Edwards, caught up to them. He stopped to take a breath, and Elsa tried to ascertain from his expression what kind of news he was bringing her. Kai was a stout man with a small beard framing a large mouth and nose, with small, kindly eyes, now wide in what seemed like panic. He opened his mouth to speak, but Anna forestalled him.
"No more of that tonight, I'm afraid. Sorry, Master Kai, but the Queen needs her rest." She was using her new tone of authority that Elsa had taught her, and it fit her quite well, if a bit uncertain at times. Master Kai bobbed a quick bow and stammered out a reply, quite unlike his normal confident tones. "But this is a matter of the upmost urgency!" Anna fixed him with a raised eyebrow.
"Is the kingdom under attack? Is there a Sea Storm coming?"
He looked at the floor, abashed. "No, Your Majesties."
Anna spoke gently, smiling and bending over to catch his eye. "Then it can wait. Thank you for your diligence, Master Kai. And wait here for a second; I'll be right with you." Anna opened the door for Elsa and they walked in together.
Elsa smiled a weary expression. "That was well handled, Your Majesty."
Anna giggled and gave a sarcastic bow. "As for you, Your Majesty, this way to your bed!" Elsa snorted a laugh and collapsed into her bed, a masterpiece of silk sheets and feather cushions. It may have well been bare rock for all the difference it made. Anna said good night and left, closing the door on her way out. Elsa changed her icy clothing from a full-length dress to a nightgown. She settled herself and wondered what the bad news was, when sleep abruptly, surprisingly, caught up to her.
Anna
Anna closed the door and stood before the impatient Highservant. In spite of the hour, he was wide awake, and almost bouncing with the effort of not revealing his message. Anna smiled and gestured for him to give his message. He almost fell over at her readiness, but caught himself.
"Your Majesty, a raker from the Southern Isles just arrived at full sails." Anna felt her heart catch in her throat, memories of a beautiful smile and evil words. No! She loved Kristoff! She forced the terrible memories down and made herself pay attention to Kai.
"They regret to inform us that they will cease conducting trade with Arendelle, for various reasons, to be resumed at an unspecified time."
Anna gasped. As one of their remaining allies, the Southern Isles was Arendelle's chief importer of grain and other foods. Her mind reeled at the news, and she realized that this would be potentially disastrous for the people of Arendelle. And what was she going to tell Elsa? Already being pushed as she was, this would not help. Anna knew her sister was strong, but that strength was like the ice she controlled. Stronger than steel, but would eventually shatter under too much pressure. If it was possible, Elsa cared too much! She fought the urge to sink to the ground in despair, and thought quickly about something, anything, she could do.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Kai asked, worry showing on his face.
Anna replied slowly. "Yes, in fact, there is something you can do. Please, first thing tomorrow, seek out and hire a personal clerk and advisor to the Queen. She needs someone who is good with that sort of thing, and I'm practically useless! With numbers and trading… ness." Master Kai bowed again.
"Will that be all?" He asked.
Anna bowed back, catching him by surprise. "That is all. Thank you, Master Kai."
He muttered a stunned reply, bowing yet again, and strode back down the darkened hallway. Anna stood outside Elsa's door for another couple of seconds before going to her own room.
