In his mind's eye, he saw it clearly. He would be searching for a clue in some abandoned warehouse or dilapidated tenement, knowing that every moment was precious, knowing that she could die if he failed. At last he would find something, a scrap of paper, a trace of gunpowder, and then he would race to the castle. The queen's life was in danger, and only he knew how to save her. He would arrive just in time, tackling the traitors, struggling with them, subduing them. The queen would be crying in fear, and he would hold her and whisper comfort to her. Her head would lean against his chest, and she would whimper. But when her crying ceased, she would look up at him, and he would see in her dark blue eyes what she wanted to do, and he would nod. She would pull his head forward and tilt her own back, and their lips would touch, and hers would feel like the consummate fire that burned in his heart.

Detective Ebbe Amundsen shook his head to clear his mind. He had met Queen Elsa just once, a month ago, when he had been awarded the distinguished service medal. The ceremony had been only fifteen minutes, but those fifteen minutes of gazing upon her face had changed his life. He had never cared much for the monarchy before. He had long held republican sentiments and believed in the fundamental equality of all people. But now, in his thoughts the queen (his queen, his beloved queen!) had taken a place of honor above all others. She was queen not just by birth but because she was superior to everyone, better in virtue, in wisdom, and most especially in beauty. He had even reconsidered his disgust for the harsh punishments she meted out to men on the gallows.

As Amundsen's thoughts began to drift off again, he heard the sergeant calling his name. "Amundsen! I have something for you." As Amundsen followed the sergeant to an interview room, the sergeant explained, "This woman alleges that she was gang raped. We've sent for a doctor." Rage burned within Amundsen. He would bring the men to the queen's justice, he swore.

The woman wore a clean dress that flaunted her enormous bosom. Only by thinking of Elsa was Amundsen able to concentrate on the interview. The woman's name was Hilda Brekken. She claimed that her ex-boyfriend Herman Strand had shown up drunk at her apartment last night. She had let him in, thinking he meant to make up with her. Instead, he and three of his friends had raped her.

Amundsen nodded throughout. It was mere moments before he had decided that Miss Brekken was telling the truth, and he spent most of the interview building a case against the men. She had recognized Herman by his voice and the birthmark on his left cheek, and the attackers had referred to each other by name. When prompted, she said that yes, they had gagged her so the neighbors couldn't hear her. She had waited until morning to come to the police because she had been afraid to leave her apartment in the darkness. The queen will be pleased, he thought. If he were lucky, he might be able to stand next to her on the gallows while she emasculated the men. His heart fluttered.

But when the doctor examined Brekken, he disagreed. "She has no signs of trauma," he insisted to Amundsen. "No bruises, no lacerations, no swelling, no marks of any kind. She was not raped."

"Impossible," said Amundsen. "She can't be lying. The men were sailors. It's not even a surprise that they'd do something like this."

"You can't assault someone without leaving a trace. There are always injuries," insisted the doctor.

"They knew what they were planning. They would have been cautious."

"It can't be done," said the doctor, but Amundsen didn't listen. The doctor hadn't been there, so how could he have known? Miss Brekken's story was unscathed. The doctor's report was filed at the bottom of Amundsen's desk drawer, apart from the rest of the case.

Amundsen knew that his investigation was cursory, but thoughts of the queen had crowded out logic. When he talked to Miss Brekken's neighbors they didn't remember hearing anything that night, of course, but they did remember that she and Herman had gotten into screaming fights as recently as last week. She had mentioned a difficult breakup. No doubt Herman's motive had been revenge.

After a few days, Amundsen presented his case to his captain. He admitted to not having interviewed or even attempted to interview the suspects. But, he said, because they were all sailors, they could easily have found a way to escape if they thought they might be arrested. They could be questioned once they were in custody.

The captain shrugged. Amundsen's distinguished service medal proved that, despite his youth, he had already been noticed by upper management. It was best to get out of his way. "Fine. If you're sure."

Amundsen wanted to make the arrests as public as he could so that the queen would notice him. Notice him again, he reminded himself. She had smiled at him while pinning the medal on his chest. Maybe she was thinking about him just as he thought about her. Maybe she was ashamed to admit her feelings in public, but if he captured a dangerous gang, if he were a hero, she would be proud of him. And if she were proud of him, then—he didn't want to get too far ahead of himself.

Amundsen told the captain, "These are brutal, violent men. We need overwhelming force to ensure our officers' safety." The captain, who still remembered getting his nose broken twice while making arrests as a beat cop, acquiesced. Eight officers were sent for each of the suspects.

Amundsen invited a reporter from the Arendelle Messenger to witness the arrest of "the ringleader," Herman. The police apprehended him in the morning, just as he had arrived at the docks. Much to Amundsen's surprise, Herman didn't resist. When Amundsen announced, "Herman Strand, you're under arrest for the rape of Hilda Brekken," Herman turned pale. One of the other sailors called out, "Sorry, Herman." Herman went quietly. Amundsen allowed himself a smile. Yes, the queen would be pleased.

The next morning, the arrest was a front page story. "Did you read this?" asked Elsa, waving a copy of the newspaper.

"No, what is it?" asked Anna.

"Four sailors were arrested for gang rape."

"I don't want to read that over breakfast."

"They say it was revenge. The girl broke up with the ringleader last week. The men say they were out drinking at a tavern all night, of course." Elsa folded the newspaper and laid it aside. "It's what you'd expect from sailors. I think I'd like to punish them personally."

Kristoff picked up the newspaper. As he read, his brow furrowed. "They say they were at the Dancing Moose. On Tuesday." Kristoff looked up. "I was at the Dancing Moose on Tuesday."

"Oh, wonderful," said Elsa. "Go make a statement to the police. Then we can get right to the fun part."

"Tell me everyone you saw that night in the Dancing Moose," said Amundsen.

"The bartender and the barmaids, of course. Maybe half a dozen guys drinking at the bar, two of them with a lot of tattoos. A table with four guys and a woman. I remember that one of the guys had a birthmark on his face—"

"Describe it for me."

"Big? Purple? And on his, uh, left cheek."

"How long were they there?"

"From the time I got there until closing."

"About when would you say that was?"

"From six until almost two."

"You were at the bar for eight hours? What were you doing?"

"I was with all the guys I ice harvest with. Talking, drinking. Some darts. A game of billiards."

"So you weren't watching the man with the birthmark the whole time."

"Well, no—"

"So he might have left."

Kristoff shook his head. "Their table was loud. We would've noticed if they'd left."

"Even later in the evening?"

"Yeah. Who is this guy anyway? Is he the guy?"

"Did you get drunk that night?"

"Not really. A beer every hour or so."

"You were sober enough that you remember everything clearly."

"Yeah."

"You're sure? You'd testify that a man with a big purple birthmark on his face was at the Dancing Moose from six in the evening until two in the morning?"

"Yeah."

"Wait here," said Amundsen. Miss Brekken had said that the rape happened around eight o'clock. This man's story provided the suspects an alibi. There was only one possible conclusion. When Amundsen returned to the interview room, there was an officer with him. "Mr. Bjorgman? You're under arrest for conspiracy in the rape of Hilda Brekken." Elsa would be proud.

Kristoff was taken to the city jail. In a cell across from him was Herman, who had a big purple birthmark on his left cheek just as Kristoff had remembered.

"Hey, you're that guy, right?" Kristoff asked.

"Don't talk to me about it," said Herman.

"I remember you. I tried to give you an alibi."

"Mmm."

"I was at the Dancing Moose on Tuesday. But they just threw me in here."

A man in Kristoff's cell said, "Turns out having a good time is criminal." He offered a thick hand. "Jorg."

Kristoff shook Jorg's hand. "You're the bartender, right? What are you doing in here?"

"Conspiracy to commit rape, they tell me."

"This is insane."

"Tell me something I didn't know."

"Does anyone know what's going on?"

Herman said, "Yeah. Look, here's the problem. Hilda is smoking hot. She's got these huge tits, and I thought, who cares if she's crazy? And everyone said don't do it, Hilda is trouble, Hilda will do something to you. And I said, whatever, and we were all over each other for a few months, every time I was ashore, and it was great. And then I realized that she wanted to own my life. Every person I talked to, every place I went, every thing I did, if she wasn't there, then I couldn't do it, and if I did, that meant I was cheating on her. She didn't want me to visit my own mother! She had to come along, and then she checked Mama's house to see if there were any girls hiding in the closets. Because she loved me, she said.

"So about three weeks ago I met another girl, and it made me realize that I was done with Hilda. And when I told her that, she started screaming and cursing and telling me that I had no right, that I was hers, that I wasn't allowed to leave. Which just made me leave faster.

"So on Tuesday a bunch of us were at the Dancing Moose, and my new girl Emilia was there, and we had a great time. And then I got thrown in here. If Emilia didn't keep visiting me, I'd say, to hell with girlfriends, it's prostitutes from now until Doomsday."

Kristoff nodded. "I'd given up on women, heck, I'd given up on people. Then I met the perfect girl. It hasn't always been smooth, but God, it's worth it. She makes me happy like no one else can."

Jorg said, "That's great, I'm so happy for the both of you. Now how the hell are we getting out of this with our dicks still on?"

Kristoff sat down on the cell floor. "I don't know."

That afternoon, Amundsen shivered with excitement. Police Chief Leonardsen had asked for him. It had to be about the Brekken rape case, of course. The queen had surely heard of the case, so she had surely heard of him. Heard of him again, he reminded himself. Perhaps Leonardsen wanted to convey a message from her.

Amundsen entered Leonardsen's office without knocking and sat down across from the police chief. "I heard you asked for me," said Amundsen.

"I did," said Leonardsen, picking up a stack of papers. It was the case file, Amundsen saw. "I've been reviewing the Brekken case."

Leonardsen paused and studied Amundsen, waiting for a reaction. Amundsen let his nerves get to him. "What do you think?"

"Do you know who you arrested?"

"I'm sorry?"

"I'll be more specific. There was a man who came in to give a statement this morning. Do you know who he is?"

"I think his name was Bjorgman? It's in the file."

"I'm not asking his name. I'm asking if you know who he is."

"I don't think I know what you mean. Sir."

"The name Kristoff Bjorgman isn't familiar?"

Amundsen thought. With a start he remembered the name, and he knew why he hadn't remembered it before. He had never cared for royalty until he had met Elsa, and since then he had cared only for her. He had never had any interest in the Crown Princess's private life.

"I didn't recognize it, sir. But I do now." Yet, Amundsen thought, he had been right. Bjorgman's statement had contradicted the facts, so he must have been lying. Surely Elsa would understand.

"Let me ask you something else. The file seems incomplete. Mr. Bjorgman came in to make a statement. It must have been quite incriminating for you to arrest him on the spot. Where is it?"

Amundsen had filed the statement in his desk drawer next to the doctor's report. "It should be in the file."

"It's not. There's no mention of him anywhere, except to say that he was arrested."

Leonardsen stared at Amundsen, waiting. Eventually Amundsen said, "It should be there, sir. I can't explain it."

"Alright." Amundsen closed the file and laid it aside. "I'm going to let Mr. Bjorgman go. We can't hold anyone without evidence, and certainly not him."

"Sir, if you just—"

"No. In fact, I'm going to take you off of the case."

Amundsen gaped. Without the case, he had no way to attract Elsa's attention. "Please sir, I'm sure I can handle this."

"It's for the best. The case is notorious now. Arresting the Crown Princess's lover is a serious blunder. And, looking at the file, it's not your only one."

"Pardon me, sir, but what do you mean?"

"Miss Brekken has a file of her own. She's been jailed for making false police reports before. But don't worry yourself over it now." Leonardsen lowered his voice. "Tell me, Ebbe, is there something in your private life that's affecting your work?"

Amundsen allowed himself to think of Elsa. The joy of his fantasy distracted him from Leonardsen's question, and he made no reply.

"Ebbe? Are you all right?"

"Sir?"

"Why don't you take some time off? Take care of whatever it is that's bothering you."

"I'm fine, sir."

"I insist. Go home."

"I feel better now than I ever have!" Amundsen shouted. His own vehemence startled him. To prove that he wasn't overreacting, he leaned forward and said, "Excuse me sir, but this case means a lot to me."

"I can see. But you need to take your mind off of it. I'm going to suspend you. With pay, so don't worry. It's just procedural. You're not under investigation. I only want for you to stay away from work until you're feeling better."

Amundsen was dizzy as he walked through the city streets. "Just procedural," he mumbled. The sun came at him from all angles, blinding him, chasing him whenever he tried to look away. Elsa, he thought. He had defended Miss Brekken because that was what Elsa would have wanted. Everything he had done had been for Elsa. It would have been worth doing even if she hadn't known about it, because it was done in her honor and she deserved honor above all women. Yet, she must have known about it, about him, because of the newspaper story. The story had really been a love letter. Everything he did was now a love letter. His love for her had overwhelmed his being and was now his sole existence. If she had not enthralled him by force of beauty, he would have renounced himself, forgoing his soul as unnecessary.

With a start, Amundsen looked up. He was at the castle gates.

Amundsen said to the guard, "I request an audience with Her Majesty the Queen. Tell her I'm the investigator on the Brekken rape case."

"Wait here," said the guard.

The sun was no longer in Amundsen's eyes. He had regained his focus and now contemplated the future. He didn't have the police department anymore, only Elsa. He could become part of her staff, perhaps a guard or an administrative assistant. Pay, seniority, prestige, none of it mattered. If he was on her staff, she would get to know him, and when she knew how much he loved her, she would love him, too, because his love was pure and beautiful like she was.

The guard returned. "This way."

Amundsen was escorted to Elsa's study. She sat behind her desk with a copy of the day's newspaper. Kristoff sat in a chair to the side.

Amundsen bowed. "Your Majesty," he said. "May I presume you're familiar with the case?"

"Yes, I saw it in the newspaper this morning. And Kristoff was just telling me about his experience."

Her voice was like the sound of a harp, Amundsen thought. "Pardon me, Your Majesty, but Mr. Bjorgman isn't in a position to know everything about the case."

Kristoff said, "Explain, then. Why did you lock me up?"

Amundsen ignored Kristoff. "Your Majesty, I've been trying to imagine how you would want this case pursued. I know how much concern you have for the problems of women. I'm not a woman, but you've taught me, no, awakened me to the mistreatment of women. When Miss Brekken made her allegations, I knew you would want a full investigation. I couldn't shrug her off. It would have been like blaming her, the victim. I knew that she deserved justice, and everything I've done since then has been for her and for you."

Kristoff asked, "How does that explain anything?"

"I have no reason to doubt Miss Brekken's story, and I have plenty of reason to doubt yours. Why are you so sure that Herman Strand was in the Dancing Moose all of Tuesday night? You admitted that he wasn't with your group and that you weren't paying attention to him."

Elsa asked, "Kristoff? Is he right?"

"Of course not."

Amundsen said, "You claim that you were drinking for eight hours but never got drunk. And who spends eight hours in a tavern?"

"Look, I don't see any need to defend myself from you."

"That's as good as an admission of guilt." Amundsen's face turned serious. "Your Majesty, I believe that Mr. Bjorgman is a potential rapist himself. He's a danger to you and to everyone."

Kristoff interrupted, "That's going too far! What gives you the right—"

"Stay away from her!" said Amundsen. "I'm warning you!"

Kristoff stood and loomed over Amundsen. "What's your problem with me? How do you want to settle this?"

Elsa said, "Calm down, Kristoff."

Amundsen said, "I'll do whatever it takes to protect her!"

Kristoff said, "You need to leave. Right now."

"And leave her to be raped by you? Never."

Kristoff grabbed Amundsen's collar and lifted him out of his chair. "Last chance."

Elsa called, "Guards! Separate those two!" A host of guards appeared in the room and restrained Kristoff. Elsa continued, "Kristoff, Mr. Amundsen is only concerned for my safety. Go for a walk. We'll talk later." Elsa motioned to the guards, and they escorted Kristoff out.

When Elsa and Amundsen were alone, she said, "I'm sorry about that. Kristoff seemed offended when you called him a rapist. But all men are capable of it, so it's an honest mistake."

Amundsen hardly heard her. He was alone with the queen. His queen. "Elsa—" he began. "Your Majesty, I'm sorry for disturbing the peace of your home. If you'd prefer that I go, then, well..."

"It's fine. Now what did you come here for? Are you ready to put the suspects on trial?"

"I'm concerned about prosecuting the case. I'd like to move forward, but Chief Leonardsen doesn't believe that there's enough evidence."

"But why not?"

Amundsen felt a moment of fear as he wondered what Elsa would think of his suspension. But when he looked into her eyes, he felt peace. "He thought that there was something in my personal life that was interfering with my work. He suspended me. I'm no longer on the case."

"Is he right?"

A cloud passed by the window, covering the two of them in shadow. "I denied it, but he's right. My personal life has been turned upside down in the past month."

"Around the time you got the distinguished service medal."

"You remember!" Amundsen felt his heart swell. "Yes, since just then. Ever since then, I've thought of only one thing. You."

"Pardon?"

Amundsen laid his hands face up on the table and offered them to Elsa. "Elsa, ever since I met you, I haven't thought of anyone else. You've become my whole life. Everything I do is for you."

Amundsen watched Elsa as she reflected on his words. At first, he thought she was puzzled, perhaps because of his frankness. Then she seemed to be worried. It must not be the right time to announce their love to the world. He could live with that. They would share their love in secret. He would visit her at night, when nobody would see, and he would depart in the early morning, before anyone awoke.

When Elsa spoke, she sounded cautious. "That's very sweet, Ebbe, and unexpected. I assumed that a handsome, successful man like you would have a girlfriend. Don't you have a girlfriend?"

She had called him handsome! His hands were shaking with excitement. "No, I've never had a girlfriend. I've always been scared to talk to girls. I'm scared now, too."

Elsa said, "I can see. But you'd like to be my boyfriend?"

"More than anything."

"Have you ever wondered whether we're moving too fast? We've only met once before, and—"

"No, never. I don't have any doubts at all." Amundsen stood, walked around her desk, and knelt in front of Elsa. He took her hand and said, "Elsa, will you marry me?"

Elsa stared mutely at Amundsen. He looked back at her with wonder and admiration. She wanted to say no, but she was so stupefied that the only thing to come out of her mouth was a gurgle.

Amundsen grinned. "It must be too much all at once. You don't have to answer me now. I'll go so that you can think, but let me leave you with a present." He leaned forward and kissed her.

Elsa screamed. "Help! Guards, guards!" she called, falling out of her chair as she tried to escape Amundsen's lips. She scrubbed her mouth with her sleeve. "Oh my God. I've been raped. I've been raped!" Guards poured into the room. "Arrest him!" shouted Elsa, pointing at Amundsen. "He raped me!"

"But what's wrong?" asked Amundsen as the guards grabbed him. "I love you, Elsa! I love you!"

Elsa got up from the floor and stood in front of Amundsen. "It's all clear now. You and Miss Brekken conspired so that you could get to me. I hate to think what you've done to other women who've gotten your attention." And she spat in his face.

Elsa concluded that the other suspects in the case were Amundsen's victims, too, so they were released that evening. Hilda Brekken was arrested and charged with filing a false police report and conspiracy to commit rape. The next day, Amundsen was led to the gallows. As the guards stripped him of his pants, Amundsen whispered, "Please, sweetheart, please don't. Please don't."

Elsa asked, "Is that what your other victims said?" She grabbed his manhood, froze it, and with a violent twist, snapped it off.