Chapter 2

In her private chambers, Queen Elsa sighed, clutching the treaty to her chest. "Oh Lord, why am I acting like this?" she muttered. There was a pleasant "scent" rising from the paper. Is it his?

She shook her head and composed herself as Anna, Kristoff, and Kai entered. Anna was almost smirking, but the two men had far more serious looks on their faces. Elsa looked at Kai, "Well, what do you think?"

Kai spoke first, "If the legends are true, Yoitsu would be a powerful ally; and they aren't asking anything...unreasonable."

Anna couldn't hold back, "Elsa, you completely drooled at Prince Naeil..."

The queen looked at her younger sister, "I DID NOT!"

Ok, maybe just a little.
Kristoff spoke up, "But according to legend, Yoitsu was destroyed centuries ago. How can they really be here offering help?"

Kai nodded, "Yes, but there has been another tale...of the last Wolf Princess of Yoitsu finding a human trader...they traveled back to Yoitsu and then came north, even past Arendelle. Far in the mountains, they found the Princess's siblings and founded a new Kingdom of Yoitsu. Their children prospered and the Kingdom flourished. Eventually, one of the sons left looking for true love, and found it far to the south, a young woman who, in some of the tales, actually was said to be a Vampire. They returned to Yoitsu and ruled over it, having children of their own, Happily Ever After, as the old phrase goes."

Elsa smiled, "The Story of the Wolf King and the Night Queen...I always loved how our parents would tell it...not as some horrible tale to frighten, but a fairy tale of romance and happiness.

Anna giggled, "And now, the son of your favorite bedtime story is here, literally begging you to let him help you!"

Elsa frowned, "He is offering to pledge an army to defend us. Please don't let your childish thoughts of fairy tale romance diminish a serious act."

My own thoughts are doing enough of that already!

Naeil paced quietly, his inner nature not liking to be kept waiting, heightened by the thoughts running through his mind. Her eyes were bluer than I was expecting, her hair was paler...why does it feel like...Am I sweating?!"

Standing against the wall, Sergeant Ragnar looked almost bored. "I don't know why you are getting so worked up about this, Captain. She'd be a fool to refuse such generous terms to gain an army within 3 days notice."

Naeil glared at the older warrior before continuing pacing. Ragnar smirked, "Or does something else have you all bothered?"

Naeil stopped and turned, "That's enough, Ragnar," he growled. "What was the latest word from our scouts?"

Ragnar yawned, his lengthened canines glistening, "Nothing has changed, Weselton's fleet is still riding at anchor, loading men and material. Arendelle's other allies have started to mobilize their own forces, but the first ships won't be here for at least 2 weeks, if not more. Arendelle is basically on it's own, unless of course, we help."

Naeil nodded grimly before pulling out the miniature portrait he kept in his breast pocket. Although well done, it failed to capture the true beauty of Queen Elsa. Ragnar raised an eyebrow, "Of course, it really doesn't matter if the Queen accepts the Treaty or not, you're still planning on helping her, aren't you?"

Naeil looked at the Sergeant who just wore a knowing smirk, "Nothing wrong with it, after all, your Father would approve of such reckless action, your Mother on the other hand, well she'd probably suggest a more subtle approach."

Naeil grimaced, put away the portrait and clenched his fists. If he were in the halls of the palace in Yoitsu he'd probably let his irritation fly with a series of howls and growls, but here amongst others, it was just simply not appropriate. So he sat grimly on a bench in the hall and waited. Kai emerged and bowed slightly, "Queen Elsa wishes to see you now."

Naeil swallowed before glancing over at Ragnar, who just grinned sheepishly.

Entering the chamber, the two men from Yoitsu bowed before the Queen of Arendelle. Elsa calmly nodded as she motioned for them to rise. "Prince Naeil, we have considered your most generous offer of assistance."

Naeil bowed once more, "It's our pleasure, your Majesty."

Elsa nodded, "However, before we can accept, I must ask you a question."

Naeil looked briefly at Ragnar before returning his gaze to the Snow Queen. "Of course, your Majesty."

"Why does Yoitsu really wish to help us?"

Naeil looked up in confusion, "Pardon me?"

Elsa's face remained calm, even though she thought the young prince's confused looked was adorable. "Yoitsu has no stake in this fight. The mountains are so treacherous as to prevent an influx of refuges, nor is it likely that Weselton would seek to attack Yoitsu afterwards, yet you offer to send us the majority of your army to assist us for what amounts to a minor reduction on trade tariffs on goods leaving our port. So, it's perfectly reasonable to ask, why does Yoitsu really wish to help Arendelle?"

Naeil's eyebrows furrowed, and he looked at Elsa, "Because it's the right thing to do," he said simply.

Elsa paused, looking into those ice blue eyes before her. So sincere...almost like...she flashed backed.

She was done. Anna just wouldn't stop knocking on her door. Her powers were growing stronger, and not coming under control. She was done with it all, she was 14 and knew it was hopeless. She had decided to run away. Perhaps head north. She knew the trolls lived up there, King Pabbie might take her in. The stories her parents told her spoke of a kingdom even beyond the North Mountain, a kingdom where someone like her might very well be accepted. Perhaps a handsome Wolf Prince might accept her...accept her powers. So, she slipped out the window, sliding down a magically made snow slide. She ran into the woods. She could hear the cries behind her, the anguish in her parent's voices. She could hear Anna's voice also, asking what was going on as Kai tried to get her to go back to bed. She steeled herself. This was for the best, after all...

Then she heard the howls, the wolves that hunted in the woods. She felt the pang of fear grip her heart, as she stumbled, twisting her ankle. The wolves emerged from the shadows, surrounding her. She actually saw one of them lick it's lips as it growled. Then she heard a voice, and looked into the deep blue eyes of it's speaker, "Hello," it said. He then placed himself before the growing pack of wolves around them. She dared to ask, "Wait, what are you doing?"

"Coming to your aide, what does it look like I'm doing?

"But why?"

"Because it's the right thing to do."

She looked at the face of a young boy, maybe a few years older than her at most, his unkempt hair was blonde, like hers, almost white. The face was filled with an expression that she somehow instinctively knew meant he would be by her side forever and then, he straightened, and she spied what she thought were wolf ears and a tail . She let out a gasp, was he really one of those so called Wolf Kind her parents had told the stories of? The boy howled, and she felt amazement and fear merged into an incredible shiver down her spine. The wolves fled. She was just about to ask the young man what he'd done when her father burst into the clearing, calling her name. When she looked back towards her rescuer, he was gone, although she could have sworn there were his eyes, peering at her from the shadows...

"Very well," she said, sitting back, "Then we graciously accept Yoitsu's offer."