Scene 8- Two weeks later. Trade has commenced between Arradia and Arendelle, and General Harid has been sent, via Donovan's ship, to notify the Trademasters of Arradia to prepare, leaving behind a single detachment of Arradian soldiers. Iy'ate and Donovan remain in Arendelle, Donovan working out the details of trade.

Donovan

"Wait, are you saying that if I don't resume trade with the Southern Isles within a week, I'll have to take out another loan?!" Elsa sat in her study, slumped in her high-backed chair with her head in her hands, elbows on a huge sheet of paper detailing the national budget of Arendelle. Donovan and Schneider sat across from her, Donovan in a spindly folding chair. He had offered his services as another ruler of a country, and Elsa trusted his experience.

Schneider stated sadly, "I'm afraid so, Your Majesty." Elsa held back a growl. She jabbed at a number near the bottom of the huge chart. "I can't afford that. Arendelle can't afford that! We don't have enough income to support such high interest!"

Donovan spoke up. "If I may, Highness." He gently reached for her hand, gauntlets hard and solid, and at his touch, frost spread across their surface. He pretended not to notice and set her hand so that her finger rested on top of another number. "How much the outlying provinces of Arendelle owe the crown?" She said, confused and frustrated.

He let go and stated calmly, "See how much they owe you in tradable goods and capital? It would be enough to sustain Arendelle for six more months, at least."

She looked at him, desperation clear there. "But how? They barely even listen to me, how do you expect them to pay all they owe to us in a single payment?"

He sat back and the chair wobbled dangerously. He steepled his armored fingers. He spoke slowly and carefully. "I suggest that you create an armed body answerable only to the Queen, enforcing her rule and upholding her laws."

Schneider stood and raised his voice. "Creating an army!? That is preposterous! There has not been a standing army in Arendelle for over two hundred years!"

Donovan held up a finger. "Incorrect. My sources tell me the King, Elsa's father, created an army just thirty years ago."

Schneider's mustache quivered. "That was an isolated event, to hold off the Northern Mjolgirns! My Queen, please disregard-" She held up a slim hand, and he quieted. She considered. Having an army would give Arendelle more respect in the global theater, but she did not want to use it to intimidate the people of her kingdom. It would take money, but the experience could come from Donovan. He knew a lot about raising armies.

"Your Majesty. Elsa." He looked her in the eyes, ice meeting twilight. "What these petty nobles are doing is far worse than a simple trade disagreement. What they are doing mocks everything your father, and you, stand for as ruler of Arendelle. It is tantamount to treason." In her eyes, he saw frustration, fear, but when she looked up at him, he saw a glimmer of hope. He wasn't sure what to make of that.

She was about to speak when the door slammed open and in rushed a guardsman with an Arradian soldier. "Your Majesty! There are three ships approaching the harbor, bearing the flag of Weselton!"

A half-hour later.

Anna

Elsa stood on the platform facing the docks. With her stood Donovan, Anna, Schneider, and half a dozen guardsmen, armed with pikes and swords. A bannerman was bearing Elsa's personal sigil, a golden crocus on a green and magenta field. Beside them stood another half-dozen Arradian troops, arrayed in dark leather armor with sword and shield held at parade rest, under the gold triangle and black field of Arradia. Donovan was dressed in full armor, greatcoat covering the majority of it, with his strange sword hilt at his side. Anna and Elsa were dressed in their finest, Elsa radiating a cold fury. Iy'ate was nowhere to be seen.

They had not arrived at the docks fast enough, and the delegation had already arrived. One of the ships was pulled strangely close to the dockyard, while the others remained outside in the main body of the fjord, and the longboat at the docks itself had already emptied itself of dignitaries, leaving only four oarsmen. There was two uniformed figures, an ambassador in a splendid military uniform, and a small birdlike man whom Elsa recognized immediately. They stood between two hulking guards, dressed in grey plate armor bearing crossbows, gigantic shields, and sheathed swords. They had set themselves in the dockyards, strangely enough, among the crates of goods that had been in the process of being unloaded. Civilians and workers had been kept at a distance, and many had retreated into the city proper, to watch from their windows. There was a good twenty feet between the two parties. Anna heard Donovan mutter to himself, "Why only two? And why is the boat so big?" Elsa did not ask him why he wondered, she was too busy staring in hatred at the small man with a white mustache and horrid toupee. She advanced towards the Duke of Weselton, and the rest of the party hurried to keep up. Small swirls of energy created frost on the cobblestones, and small white sparks burst from her left hand. Donovan gently touched Elsa on the shoulder. She looked back, fire in her eyes.

"Calm down." He said slowly. She took deep breath.

"Be on your guard, this may be a trap." He continued. He released her, and she stood to face the Weseltonians.

Anna noticed, with surprise, that Schneider was shaking with fury. Without further ado, she demanded to the ambassador, "What is this man doing here?" pointing to the Duke. As her eyes set upon him, he quivered visibly in fear, and in that moment, Anna understood the saying, if looks could kill. Ignoring her demand, the ambassador withdrew from his pocket a piece of parchment. He unrolled it, and began to read in a grand voice. "Queen Elsa of Arendelle, because of crimes committed against the sovereign nation of Weselton, King Wilhelm IV demands your presence in his court, escorted by myself, to apologize for wrongs committed against the Duke of Weselton."

Anna looked to Elsa, expecting her to be steaming with rage, but there was only ice in her expression. "I am not going anywhere, and I will give no apology. Return, and take your ships with you. I will do no business with Weselton, not now, or ever."

She spun around, and the Duke cried angrily, "NOW! Kill the witch!" At his command, their two guards spun and covered them with their shields, facing away from the small party, and on the ship, several dozen soldiers lifted bows and fired.

Donovan shouted, "Take cover!" Elsa looked behind her, then up at the rain of arrows. She raised a hand and shouted. A huge plume of white energy erupted from her palms and created a huge shield of ice, covering the entire party, blocking all the arrows.

Out of the corner of her eye, Anna saw motion. "ELSA! Run!" as at least eight soldiers leapt out from their hiding places to their left and lifted crossbows, all aimed at Elsa. Elsa dissipated the huge shield and made a smaller one, but she was too late. Anna watched in seeming slow motion as five of the bolts were stopped by the shield, shattering it. The other three sped true. Then out of nowhere came Donovan, pushing Elsa behind him. The first bolt missed. The other two bolts struck Donovan, one in the stomach and the other in the shoulder.

Elsa

Elsa stood frozen in terror as Donovan took the arrows for her. He collapsed to his knees, and she screamed as she struggled to support him. He held up a hand, looked up at her, and smiled. He stood again, tore off his gauntlets, and grabbed the shafts of the bolts, and ripped them out. They were unstained. They dissolved into ash, and the iron heads melted. Elsa stayed on the ground, stunned beyond all comprehension, as he lifted his hands and a huge wall of fire slammed into the enemy archers, blasting them into the water of the fjord. He looked down at her, and said quietly. "You're not the only one with gifts." The Duke and the ambassador were frozen in terror as Elsa's guardsmen charged at them. More Weseltonian soldiers appeared out of various hiding places in the walls of crates and attacked the Arradians surrounding Anna, Elsa, and Schneider. They engaged, and Elsa could do nothing but stare as Donovan ran to the edge of the dock and launch another wave of fire at the nearest ship, setting it ablaze. He ran back to Elsa and drew the strange hilt from his belt. A long blade of blue fire materialized, and he jumped into the fray, always staying next to the stunned Elsa. He moved like a snake, blade flicking back and forth, always finding a target.

An enemy soldier swung his sword, and Donovan sliced the blade off at the hilt and shoved the man back with a burst of flame. Suddenly, behind Elsa, a soldier tore through the Arradian's ranks. Schneider moved in his way and pulled out a short dagger from his belt. The soldier slammed into him, throwing him to the ground. He grabbed Anna, and he clutched her close, holding his sword to her throat. "Put your swords down or I'll kill the girl!" He shouted.

The Arradians paused, unsure of what to do. Donovan held up a hand, and the fighting stopped. Elsa stood, and moved to help, but Donovan grabbed her arm and held her back. Anna was completely still, trying to keep the blade away from her neck. Donovan dissolved his sword and put his hands up. The soldier drawled, "That's it, now put it down. On the ground! Yeah, that's it. Now I'm going to-"His words were interrupted by an arrow slamming into the arm holding his sword. He screamed in pain and dropped it, and Anna slammed the heel of her shoe on his toes. He screamed even louder and let her go. An Arradian pushed the man to the ground, and Elsa looked for the archer. She saw Iy'ate on the roof of a far-off house, another arrow ready to loose. She looked back and saw that the remaining Weseltonians had either fled or been subdued. The guardsmen returned with the ambassador and the Duke, and Donovan sent the Arradians into the maze of crates and boxes to find the remaining enemy soldiers. Anna was on the ground, and Elsa ran to her. She knelt and embraced her, and Anna numbly responded.

A ring of Guardsmen led by Donovan surrounded the two of them, and Donovan knelt, wincing and holding his side. "Your Majesties, it is not safe here. We must go!" She shook her head, and gently released her sister. She stood slowly, and walked through the line of Guardsmen. Donovan tried to stop her, and she cast energy at his feet, freezing them to the ground. She strode to the edge of the dock, and another ship was coming about, its decks swarming with soldiers. Her rage was cold, but her thoughts were crystal clear. The fear was gone. She stamped her foot, and energy coated the dock with ice, spreading towards the ship. Huge icicles impaled the ship, holding it in place. She dissolved them, and water poured in through the huge holes in the hull. She turned around and let it sink. The last ship was fleeing with all sails. Donovan was beside her, watching it go down. She stopped next to him. He looked down at her, expression one of anticipation. She did not meet his eyes and strode away to where Anna had been embraced by Kristoff. Elsa walked back to where the Arradians had made their stand, protecting her and Anna.

In the place where the man had gotten through, a soldier lay on the ground, bleeding from a stab wound in the side. Elsa knelt next to the soldier, and took off his helmet. She was shocked to find that it was a woman. A girl younger than Elsa, with dark hair and eyes squeezed shut from the intense pain. Elsa put the girl's head in her lap, wondering if there was anything she could do. Another soldier knelt next to her, and called out, "Oi! Dulan, get the medic!" He turned back to Elsa. "Your Majesty, we need to get you to safety!" Elsa ignored him and waved a hand over the girl's wound. Ice formed over the wound, halting blood loss.

The girl opened her eyes, and she saw Elsa. "Your, your Majesty. What… are… you doing?"

Elsa replied. "Not Your Majesty. Not Highness, not even Queen. Call me Elsa." She stood and moved away as an older man ran up and began to treat the girl's wounds. She sent for teams of boatmen to rescue the sailors, and then she turned and walked to the castle alone.