Disclaimer - I do not own nor seek to infringe on any copyrights involving Frozen or Wolf and Spice

Chapter 19

A cartload of crates left the dock at a leisurely pace. It was no trouble for Naeil to wait crouched in an alley before leaping onto canvas cover. The driver started at the noise and Naeil graciously nodded his head, "Cargo Inspection, good sir, Queen's orders."

The driver huffed as he pulled the reigns. "I bought these apples fer a good price, young man. With winter coming they'll make a nice treat fer the Sauna folk."

Naeil flipped the corner of the the cover, exposing one of the crates, "My grandfather was a merchant, actually, and my grandmother loves apples. In fact, one of their earliest trading deals together involved apples."

The trader twisted his mustache impatiently, "Tis a good story, yah...but what's it got to do with a cargo inspection."

The Wolf Prince opened the crate and caught the scent immediately. "What's your name good fellow?"

"Klaus Oaken, owner and proprietor of Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Sauna."

Naeil bowed, "Well, Master Oaken, how much did you pay for these apples?"

Oaken smiled, "A very good price...only one hundred fer the entire load."

Naeil forced a smile, the stench was really starting to get to him, "And did the seller mention they were covered in Wolf's Bane oil?"

Oaken's eyes went wide, "What?! You're telling me these are poisoned apples?!"

Naeil paused and carefully picked up an apple, thankful that he'd remembered to have his leather riding gloves on him. Carefully, he cut into the apple, and tossed the two halves away almost immediately. "Ugh, Did I say covered, try soaked. My good man, if you'd fed these to your guests, seriously ill would be the absolute best outcome you could hope for. Dead would be far more likely."

Oaken growled and Naeil actually backed up, because he suddenly realized just how large the owner of the Trading Post and Sauna actually was. "You're saying I've been cheated by those outlanders?"

Naeil pulled out pouch and tossed it to the seething Trader. "From one merchant family to another. That should more than cover your cost for the apples." Oaken opened the pouch and his eyes went wide as he spied the gold nuggets within.

"Oh my...thank you very much." Oaken's face suddenly went pale, "Oh no, I wasn't the only one buying apples."

Naeil's eyes narrowed, "Did you see anyone from the palace?"

Oaken thought and then nodded rapidly, "Yes, I believe I saw the Princess Anna..."

The large trader didn't finish his sentence as Naeil lept from the wagon, and bolted for the palace in a blur of motion...fear gripping his heart. "Anna, Elsa!"

It only took him minutes to reach the palace. As he raced through the gates, he started calling frantically, even as he started chasing their scents, and then he heard a woman's scream of anguish. "Elsa! Anna! Don't eat those apples, they're..."

He followed the scents to the stables, and froze as he spotted Elsa and Anna kneeling in tears over the fallen forms of the Royal Ice Master, and his beloved reindeer.

Kristoff's breath was shallow and rapid, as sweat poured from his skin. Doctor Raehn worked diligently, checking the Mountain Man's pulse frequently, and frowning almost as frequently. He then walked over to the hulking form of Sven, who, at both Anna and Elsa's insistence, had been brought into the Infirmary as well, despite the Wolf Kind doctor's protestations. "Sven is not just a beast of burden, nor is he only Kristoff's pet, he's part of his family, he's part of MY family!" Anna had cried.

Naeil stood off to the side, as Elsa explained what had happened in a quiet whisper.

"Anna came back with this bag of apples, and went straight to the stables. I went racing after her when I heard her calling that she'd bought them from the ship in the harbor, but apparently Sven and Kristoff had already bitten into...I heard Anna scream just as I walked into the stables, and then you arrived moments later..."

Naeil nodded, forcing the anger down into his gut. He looked at the ancient doctor, "Raehn?"

Raehn sighed, "I don't know...fortunately, the man's rather odd habit of sharing his food meant that the beast got the bulk of the exterior contamination. However, he did ingest a significant amount. As for the Reindeer...I also don't know, he is an animal and more able to handle the ingestion of the toxins due to his larger size, but I just don't know. I'm a doctor, not a veterinarian."

Naeil let the irony of a doctor that was and worked on a race of shape-shifting wolves making such a statement slide by without comment. "What do you need?"

Anna finally spoke up, "Yes, anything!? Maybe the Trolls who raised him can help!"

As if mentioning them was a summoning spell, a pair of massive rocks came rolling through the door, before unfolding into the familiar forms of Pabbie and Bulda.

Elsa looked surprised, but Naeil whispered, "I sent word through the wolves that Kristoff was hurt. It is said that the trolls and the Wolf Kind often worked together in the ancient times before humans came to our mutual lands."

Pabbie and Bulda raced to the bedside, "Kristoff!" cried Bulda, "Oh my sweet little boy, and Sven too! What have these horrible humans done to you?!"

The troll king sighed mightily and looked to Raehn, a slight smile coming to his face, "I'm glad to see him in your care, my old friend. If this was a magical curse, I could probably help solve it easily, but as it appears this is simple poisoning, magic really can't solve this."

Anna looked at Pabbie with pleading eyes, "Surely there is something you can do?!"

Pabbie looked at the young woman with his ancient eyes, "I'll do my best, child."

Elsa sighed and spied Kai standing forlornly in the hallway. "I'll be right back."

Naeil saw the Steward's expression and sighed, "That doesn't look good."

Kai bowed before his Queen and her consort. "Well?" Elsa simply asked.

"27 dead so far...including 2 children. We're bringing the few sick ones here, but, for the most part..."

Elsa and Naeil both felt their stomachs tighten in mutual anger and disgust.

"We've confiscated the cargo, and detained the crew. They're insisting they didn't know the apples were poisoned...and...Sergeant Ragnar has confirmed this with most of them."

"Most?" Naeil asked.

"We have yet to find Captain Cristian and 5 of his senior crewmen. The crew we have captured said they joined the ship shortly before they sailed and they simply disappeared this morning. None of them spotted any of them leaving the ship. Again, Ragnar says he hasn't sensed that any of them are lying."

Naeil shook his head, "That doesn't make sense...none of the Wulfen spotted them leaving the Windraker?"

Kai shook his head, "I realize your confidence in your Guards, Prince Naeil, but surely even your kind can't watch everywhere at once."

Naeil frowned, "No, but Thorin, Reisha, and Alexis have each had eyes on that ship since last night...I find it almost impossible to believe anyone slipped past them unnoticed..."

Elsa paced quietly, "Wait...what if they were noticed, just not for what they were?"

Naeil frowned, "What do you mean?"

Elsa's eyes were closed in thought, "What if they knew they were being watched? You said yourself that they've been unloading most of the morning, including entire cartloads..."

Naeil nodded in understanding. "They could have slipped out with the cargo loads, even hid in casks that were empty."

Kai shook his head, "But why? And why poison the townsfolk?"

Naeil and Elsa looked at each other. Elsa spoke first, "A distraction?"

Naeil nodded, "Trying to secure the apples from everyone who bought them, along with securing the Windraker and her crew ties up a sizable portion of our forces. Not to mention the panic being sewn amongst the people, making our jobs even harder. If you add in the hunt for the casks of Wolf's Bane, even more trouble."

Kai interrupted, "But there's no sign of any activity from Weselton's fleet, they're just sitting out there like they have all morning. The only change appears to be that those five ships of Marchaunts' finally took up their supporting roles in the blockade."

Naeil shook his head. "You said the Windraker is secured?"

Kai nodded, "Horwitz and I have soldiers guarding it even now."

Naeil nodded, "Then I think it's time I have a look aboard that ship myself."

Elsa straightened, "I'm coming with you."

Naeil shook his head, "No, Elsa, it could very well be a..."

Elsa glared, "My kingdom, my decision, I'm coming with you."

Kai spoke up, "Your Majesty, I really must protest..."

"My kingdom, my decision," she flatly repeated.

As she strode off, Kai and Naeil looked at her in silence, until Kai chuckled, "My boy, I hope you appreciate the adventure you're taking on."

Naeil nodded, "That's part of the fun, Kai."

At the pier where the Windraker was berthed, Elsa and Naeil greeted the soldiers guarding the ship.

"Any sign of our missing crew members?" asked Naeil.

The Yoitsuan soldier at the head of the pier shook his head. "No, your Highness. No one has tried to board the ship, and no one has come off of it since the we detained the crew."

Naeil noticed that since their arrival, a crowd had started gathering. The townspeople had recognized their Queen and were shouting questions. "Why? Why did they do this to us? Why are we suffering because they hate you?!"

Naeil's ears pricked up at this, and he sensed the anger growing in the crowd. But Elsa walked calmly forward. "Citizens...this...cowardly attack on our people, may or may not be the work of Weselton. Regardless, we will discover those behind it, and we WILL hold them accountable. My family has not been untouched by this despicable affair either. Even now, my sister's beloved fiance...lies at death's door. I could be merciful to those who attack me, I will NOT be merciful to those who dare kill our innocent children."

The people fell silent and remained gathered, as Elsa turned and started up the gangplank. Naeil bowed and followed her, his face showing quiet appreciation for his future bride's talents.