Chapter Two - Aftermath

Everyone in the room stared in shock and horror at the bleeding corpse on the floor of the royal bedchamber. This was not the first attempt on the Queen's life, but it was certainly the closest. The first attempt had been a month and a half ago, just a few days after the disaster commonly referred to as the coronation party, and had only been stopped by the fact that Elsa had awoken to use the chamber pot just a few moments before the assassin had entered her bedchamber. The second assassin, who had come just over three weeks ago, had tripped over a loose curtain and escaped. This most recent one seemed far more competent than his predecessors, but nobody had expected him to deny them information the way he had.

After a long moment, one of the guards who had rushed in with Anna's scream slowly approached the former assassin and began sifting through the various bags and pockets in his clothes, explaining that he was looking for a letter, or something else to trace back to the man's employer. Finally, Elsa, sitting on her now thoroughly frosted bed, broke the tense silence.

"How is it that this man was able to enter my bedchamber when there were two guards standing at my door?" she asked in a quavering voice that was filled with a combination of fear and anger.

"We heard a sound at the end of the hall, Your Majesty, and left to investigate it. He probably slipped in behind us, ma'am." the shamefaced guard who was not rifling through the assassin's clothes admitted.

"What do we do now?" asked Anna, who was desperately clinging to her sister as though another murderer would appear at any moment.

"The same thing we did last time." Elsa replied. "We stay vigilant and go about our business. Have you found anything yet, corporal?" This last question was directed to the guard still searching the assassin's body.

"I found a letter, Your Majesty, but I doubt it will be of any use." he said, standing up. "All it says is 'Gunter, you are to enter the palace, kill the Queen, and leave undetected. We are being paid very well for this, and you will receive your usual percentage.' No signature, ma'am."

"So, we know his name was Gunter, and that he was working for someone else, but that's about it. Where does that leave us?"

"Stumbling around without a clue, to be perfectly honest. We need to capture one of them alive if we want to learn something new."

"Thank you, corporal. Would you please dispose of the - eugh, him - and have someone set up a cot for me in Anna's chambers?"

"At once, ma'am. I'll escort you to the princess's chamber immediately. You there, private! Fetch a cot for Her Majesty and bring it to Princess Anna's chamber, then accompany me back here."

"Yes, sir!" the young guard stammered, then ran to the barracks to fetch a cot.

xxx

Nothing of any particular interest happened over the course of the next week (save for a fifth letter from the Duke of Weasleton begging for a reinstatement of trade), and life slowly returned to normal, or at least as normal as it can be living under the same roof as a powerful ice mage whose power still escaped her control sometimes. That semblance of normality was shattered, however, when a somewhat winded footman burst into the frigid throne room in the middle of a rather intense debate between Elsa and the ambassador from Weasleton.

"What is it?" the Queen snapped, somewhat more sharply than she had intended.

"A ship has docked in the harbor, Your Majesty, flying the colors of Skyrim and the personal banners of High King Ulfric Stormcloak. He has requested an audience with you."

"I see. Shall we continue this conversation later, when we've both had a chance to calm down and think, Ambassador?" she asked the Weasletonian.

"That would likely be the course of wisdom, Your Majesty." he replied.

"Good." she turned back to the soldier, who had caught his breath by now. "Please tell my sister that her presence is requested here, and the Ice Master, if he is around."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" he said. Banging a quick salute on his chestplate, he turned and went searching for the Princess Anna.

xxx

When Anna arrived in the now somewhat warmer throne room, Elsa immediately asked her to take her customary place at her right side. Having been informed that Kristoff had returned to the mountain lakes to oversee the autumn preparations for winters ice harvesting, she turned to one of her attendants.

"Please tell His Majesty that we are ready to receive him now." she said. The attendant said something and left, but Elsa wasn't really paying attention, and just waited nervously for the King of Skyrim to enter. She admitted to herself that she still wasn't really comfortable around people, even after learning how to control her powers. 13 years of near total isolation does tend to do that to people. Her thoughts were interrupted then, however, by the large doors swinging open and two very large men, followed by two rows of six similarly sized soldiers, entered the room.

"Presenting His Majesty, Ulfric Stormcloak, High King of Skyrim!" the court herald announced.