Author's Note: Sorry I'm an asslord for taking like three weeks since the last update. I have a lot of trouble writing unless I'm in the right mindset so this can happen. I have an end in sight for this story but I'm still working out all the details of how to get there.
This time it was Anna who ate alone in her study. As much as she wanted to be with her sister, she didn't want to risk saying the wrong thing and pushing her further away. So she ate her breakfast alone and used the time spent waiting for Kristoff to think of the right way to ask Elsa about what's been happening. She didn't want to believe that Kristoff was right, but the more she thought about it the more it made sense; Hans hadn't really done anything wrong to anybody except Anna and the Queen so nobody else would have a reason to attack him.
Meanwhile, Kristoff was doing his best to be presentable. He was nervous about his lunch with Anna and even more nervous about potentially confronting the Queen on Anna's behalf. After promising Anna he would help her, he had spent all night and most of the morning attempting to find a way to broach the subject of the attacks without offending the Queen. Unfortunately, he was never very good at this sort of thing and hadn't made much progress. When he saw the sun rising higher he realized it was time for him to make his way to the castle. "I hope I don't screw this up, Sven."
Lunch started innocently enough, with the trio talking and laughing about the events surrounding Elsa's coronation. Elsa hadn't had much of a chance to speak with Kristoff yet, so she was interested in hearing what he had to say about the brief adventure he had been on with Anna. His version of the story was similar to the Princess's, though much briefer and easier to follow; he didn't have the same propensity to ramble that she did.
As the meal began winding down, Anna sent a look to Kristoff. They both knew the real reason he was here having lunch with the Queen, and Anna must have felt now was the right time. He was so nervous about confronting her he could barely think. He was scrambling for the right words to use to start this inevitable awkward conversation when Anna spared him from that duty.
Clearing her throat, the Princess began, "Elsa, there's something I want to talk to you about." With a quick look at one of the servants near the door, she added, "...privately."
The Queen didn't let herself react to the way Ann spoke. She softly ordered the servants from the room before turning to Kristoff, "You can wait for us in Anna's drawing room, Kristoff."
"No. He's staying," Anna interrupted. "I want him to be here for this."
"Oh, Anna. Please don't tell me you're..." Elsa began, before being interrupted again.
"N-no. It's not that!" The Princess said with a blush before shooting a glance and a smile at Kristoff. Elsa relaxed slightly before Anna began again, "It's about Hans and the Duke and his men. I talked with Kristoff yesterday and, well, since you never seem to want to listen to me about it, I thought maybe you'd listen to him."
"I have been listening to you, Anna. I just don't know why this upsets you so much. Those men did horrible things to us."
"So you really don't care what happens to them? Three men died because of you! You just left them out there!" Anna yelled.
"Those men died because they deserved it. They attempted to assassinate the Queen of Arendelle and they are lucky I didn't declare war on their homelands." Elsa's voice was level as she spoke. She couldn't let her emotions get the better of her now.
Anna couldn't take it any more. "Elsa, do you know who did this?" She almost whispered it, afraid of hearing the answer.
Elsa sat silently for a moment, trying to decide how to answer. "Yes, I do," she said at last.
Anna just stared at her sister. She couldn't believe it. Had Elsa really changed so much since they were children? She shifted her gaze to Kristoff, finding a sad look decorating his face. He understood that Anna couldn't ask the next question; depending on the answer it might destroy her. He spoke to her softly, "Hey, Anna, would you mind if I talked to Elsa alone for a minute?" She shook her head and slowly made her way to the door at the end of the large dining room. When the door shut he turned to Elsa and spoke with a low, calm voice, "It was you, wasn't it? You killed those men and mangled Hans, didn't you, your majesty?"
"What if I did? Do you want to be the one to tell Anna and break her heart? Do you want to be the one who shows Anna that her sister isn't the perfect girl she thought I was?" asked the Queen.
Kristoff sighed and sank into his chair, looking up at the ceiling as he spoke, "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I know how she would react and I wouldn't be able to handle it."
"So you don't mind lying to her if she asks you about it again?" Elsa asked with a hint of surprise in her voice. She hadn't expected Kristoff to be this calm.
"I don't think I really have a choice in the matter. If she knew, it would crush her." Kristoff paused momentarily before continuing, "So, why did you do it, anyway?"
Elsa waved a hand dismissively, "You know what they did by now. As I said earlier, I've given them what they deserve. Attempts on my life will not be excused," Elsa's tone changed dramatically, focused and almost angry compared to how disinterested she sounded previously, as she finished, "and anybody who means to harm Anna will wish they had never even heard of Arendelle."
The beginnings of a smile appeared on Kristoff's face, "She's something special, isn't she? You care about her a lot."
"O-of course. She's my sister. She's the only family I have left." Elsa was caught off guard by how unaffected Kristoff seemed to be by this conversation. She had all but admitted to killing three men and maiming another but all he seemed to care about was the happiness and well-being of Anna.
The Queen stood and cleared her throat, "Kristoff. You seem like a nice enough man. You care about Anna. She likes you, and I think I'm starting to see why. You may continue to court her if you wish," she moved a hand closer to him, a point of ice extending from her fingers and pricking his neck, "but if you break her heart, if you hurt her in any way, I'll..." her eyes darkened and Kristoff felt as though she were staring a hole straight through him. Suddenly, the ice on her fingers dispersed and she backed away before turning to leave the room. "You should visit Hans before you leave tonight," she said on her way out.
Kristoff let out his breath, not realizing he had been holding it since the Queen rose from her chair. Bringing his hand to his neck to rub where the speartip pressed against him, he thought Well, you're alive and it doesn't look like she was actually mad at you. That could have gone worse. He looked down at his hand and saw a drop of blood smeared on one finger. Servants were filing into the room now to clear the table. He sat there as they worked and replayed the Queen's words in his head, ...continue to court her...
"Wait, what?"