Elsa stares at the melting snow from her study's balcony. Her spell hasn't worked as it should and she knows it, there is no magical spring all around, no. The scenery is one of the land after a particularly mean winter. With the exception of nature being dead and not waking up... yet... hopefully. The grass is not its usual dirty old green as it's supposed to be after winter, it's brown and rotting, trees seem to have survived the sudden climate change. Thank goodness, but the queen does not believe she will smell any flowers this year. Unless she decides to ship them from abroad, which she will not. Crops are dead too. Her first priority is to assure the survival of her kingdom and its people. Hans actually set up some ground ideas for that when she was... away. He did expect the winter to destroy the land as she would not be there to magically call it off. Hah! She can't do it either way it seems.

Problem is, Arendelle was only halfway through the harvest when she made a mess of it. Likewise, no cloth can be produced because of that. Or not enough at least, she has ministers for this kind of thing that know more about it than she does. What they say is that the kingdom will be dependent on trade for at least a year, if there are no further- incidents, that is. That last part never fails to make them look vaguely uncomfortable, wary, as if she will curse them into ice for daring to mention her part in all this. It may be for the best though as that fear discourages people from approaching her, and her sister does not fear her. For Elsa it is enough.

As to their supply problem. She talked it over with Kai and came up with two plans, both possible, both sketchy. The first off is the fact that they currently hold the thirteenth prince of The Southern Isles as a hostage, that in itself is of no consequence, for his father is highly unlikely to care for him enough to pay for his release. No. What matters is that Hans has committed a crime against a foreign monarch, or attempted and planned to, which is really the same. Elsa is told that the king is an honourable man, thus he will likely want to enact punishment on his son himself, and MAY feel honour bound to recompense Elsa. As such she will send him his wayward son and ask for help.

She does not plan on even bringing Anna up in her letter to him. It pains the queen to say it but She did let herself be fooled by Hans and it is her fault. Elsa's too, in a way, not directly but her sibling suffers because of her and she knows it. The only possible way to gain from that would be to play the pity card. Anna does have a... reputation, after all. And manipulating the... slightly... unhinged princess into marriage is certainly a despicable act which could possibly sway the other ruler to her cause.

But she won't use Her like that, no. She will not shred what little dignity among rulers Anna has that is left. That would be the most disgusting act of all.

There is also the other plan. Of which name is Rapunzel and they have already discussed the situation in Arendelle. Apparently, the harvest in Corona is quite plentiful and the crops price is lower this year, which is good. But it's no trade agreement. It means that plenty a merchant will arrive in the kingdom anyway but Elsa worries about prices still, and if her subjects will be able to pay for what they need. Outrageous prices are bound to surface in December at the latest, Christ birth and all. So she asked for help, she might have came off as- well, cold, which is unfortunate but she and Rapunzel don't really know each other. Elsa isn't used to strangers. It doesn't help that her parents died on way to Her and Eugene's wedding. She feels cold even thinking about it.

Thankfully, the other girl seems kind-hearted and agreed to at least talk the subject over with her parents. Hammering out trade rights would take some time but it is not yet time to be desperate.

Also, she has to deal with The Duke of Weselton. Little men like him distaste Elsa and while trade with his duchy would indeed be most beneficial she does not trust people who would so obviously do anything for profit. This man in especial, he should be thankful that she simply wants him out of Arendelle. She did recognize his personal guards when they attempted to kill her. She could have him dance on her strings, under the threat of announcing him as ordering her murder, she knows she could, men like him are easy to manipulate. Alas, she won't do that. She is better than that, better person than he is and she doubts she would have the time to watch his hands anyway. She has no wish to constantly mind for an assassination attempt. Or for Anna's life, who knows with that man.

Elsa rolls her shoulders and sighs. She is tired, but she has created this catastrophe and she must be the one to remedy it. Who else will? Anna? She probably could manage if it wasn't for the scorn that foreigners show Her. It fills Elsa with cold rage, how dare they mock her sister, She's never done anything wrong, never hurt anyone, she's always so full of joy... or-most of the time. Point is, She has never wronged anyone, and yet people look at her as if she is unworthy of their presence. Would either regard Her with pity or distaste, Her and her ever present stuffed bunny.

Yes, she talks to it. And to the trees, Elsa's told. And so what? Is it reason enough for people to shun her? Because She's different? Because She... hears o-or sees things?

She made the greatest mistake of her life when she shut Anna out. Never should that have happened. This, all of this could have been avoided. Oh she kept tabs on her sister. Seclusion does not bother Elsa, it's actually become preferable by now. Simple touch feeling like an attack, caress, alike worms crawling under her skin. She can't contain her powers when someone touches her, not with these feelings just waiting to surface. Not with her elevated heart rate, or dizziness, or breathlessness, or shivers and vomit.

Anna though? She's much more outgoing than herself. Always so excited about meeting new people, so excited that She had to make them up herself when the castle's gates remained closed. It began roughly a year after that. Elsa had been reading a fairytale she remembers (she never touched that particular book afterwards) when she heard laughter, she moved to the window and there she was, her sister, participating in a snowball fight. With a couple of snowmen of Her making, She's been building them for some time, quite magnificent they were, for a 6 year's old work. She asked Elsa to go out with her that day, as She had every other.

The battle was rather one sided obviously, not that it bothered her little sister at all, She laughed and laughed until Gerda came to usher Her back into warmth. Elsa didn't think much of it back then, though it saddened her to see her younger sibling so alone as to play with the snowmen She made. Neither of her parents thought much of it either, and they all should have. All this secrecy for the sake of Elsa? She was content to be alone, but not happy for she could not be happy while Anna had been deprived of human contact she needed so much.

It amazes her that She grew up to be such a strong and confident woman. If a little... eccentric and awkward. She never did take up etiquette lessons and is a little uncouth but she makes up for it in excess with Her cheer and charm.

But so many people only see as far as her satchel.

It's sad to see how short sighted and uncaring people are. Well, some people. Rapunzel is delighted with her antics, even though she does recognize them for what they are. She just goes with it.

Knock, knock.

Hm?

"Elsa? Can I come in?" She keeps asking that, even now.

"Of course." She moves back into her study and smiles at her sister when She closes the door behind her.

"Erm, are you busy?"

"No, I've already finished for today," which is true, there is much that needs doing but she has time "why?"

"Well, I, me and Snowflake actually, were wondering if you'd like to go and play with us, you know, in the snow. Cause it's snowy outside and we know you like snow and you can- we can build a castle and do a snowball battle with Rapunzel and Eugene and Olaf and Kristoff- no. Wait, he's out of town now. But maybe Jack would join us too!" She gasps "We could even build a snowman!"

It takes Elsa only a second to nod and follow her sister. Snow is safe, no touching, her sister will be happy and she does like winter games after all.

She is tired, and so what?

Revised on 11.04.2015