Disclaimer - I do not own Frozen nor Spice and Wolf

Chapter 26

"I don't know how to row a boat!" cried the little snowman as the storm worsened.

Suddenly the wind rushed past him, and he could have sworn he saw the phantom image of a wolf running in the swirling flakes.

Just pull both oars in the same direction, and at the same time. And relax, you're a snowman, if you fall out, you'll float. Thank you, Olaf. I couldn't have done this without you."

Arik locked eyes with the Snow Queen, and they both stared at each other in mutual hatred.

"Stop this storm."

She glared at him, and finally decided he'd called her bluff. "Make me."

He nodded slightly, and in a fluid motion, pulled the knife away and backhanded her.

She cried out in pain and shook her head, but continued to stare defiantly at the man.

"Queen Elsa, I charge you with witchcraft and consorting with demons. How do you respond?"

She laughed out loud. "I will not respond to you...you have no authority over me as the rightful ruler of the Sovereign nation of Arendelle."

Arik snorted, "I am acting on behalf of a special charge granted to me by the Vatican and the Pope himself, which grants me the authority."

Elsa blinked her eyes, the swirling pattern in the storm was becoming more agitated, and this time she knew it wasn't her doing. It almost seemed like... she smiled and looked at Arik.

"I am no witch. My parents always believed my powers were a blessing from above. And the only demon I've ever encountered is standing in front of me."

Arik scoffed, "You can't deny that your powers have caused great harm you your people."

Elsa shook her head, "Of course I won't deny it. However, I know they have also brought great joy as well.

Arik growled and looked at the young woman. "Let me make this clear for you, Elsa. You are alone, you have always been alone, and you are about to die alone."

She looked into the man's eyes and then at his father, who actually seemed remorseful, as if he couldn't believe all that had occurred. She then looked into the swirling snow, the pattern swirling like a massive wolf was standing hunched on the deck. It was Elsa's turn to scoff, "I've learned some things over the past months and days about myself. Do you want to know what the most important thing I've learned is, Lord Arik? I am not alone! I have a wonderful sister who has stood by me even when I treated her horribly. My parents loved me, and did all they could to try to help me as best as they knew how. She looked up, her eyes sparkling in joy as a pair of blue eyes resolved within the swirling flakes. "And I think you should know, my beloved Wolf Prince loves me, enough to return from the dead for me. So you might want to take this up with him."

Arik looked at her in confusion but then stumbled as the ship rocked under the weight of a giant arctic wolf standing upon the deck. Turning around he felt hot breath on his face and stared into a fanged maw.

"Let her go," growled Naeil.

Arik snorted, "So, you really are a demon wolf." He looked at the crew standing in shock, "Well what are you waiting for? Kill him."

The crew took a few faltering steps forward and Naeil let loose a deafening bark and snarl. The men yelped and ran towards the back of the ship, a few even diving overboard. Turning his attention back towards Arik, he knocked the man over and pinned him under a single massive paw. "Release the Queen. NOW!"

Arik looked up in surprise, but then sneered smugly at the Wolf Prince. Naeil snorted in irritation, and then decided to try a different tack. "Alright, then," Naeil growled, "DUKE, release Queen Elsa, or you will get to watch your son be disemboweled and eaten alive."

The Duke's eyes widened in horror, and even Elsa was a little stunned. She really didn't think Naeil intended to go that far, but then again, he was more than capable and Arik might very well have pushed him to that point. Naeil's eyes narrowed and he pushed down with his paw.

The Duke looked down at his son, and thought back over all the years...sending him off to tutors, because he just couldn't be bothered. He was a busy man after all. He hadn't been there for Arik, but he could be there now. He held up his hands, "WAIT!"

The Duke raced over to Elsa and undid the engraved leather strap holding her hands. Elsa breathed a sigh of relief being able to feel her power quickly return to it's more "normal" levels. As the Duke stepped away, Naeil nodded and removed his paw from Arik's body, moving to stand by the newly released Queen. She rubbed her wrists and smiled up at him reassuringly, "I'm alright, especially now that I know you're..."

The Duke had raced over to help his son, but the man glared at his father, "What have you done?" he snarled, as he fought to his feet. He pulled a flintlock pistol from his belt. "I will still end your reign, WITCH!"

The Duke reached for the pistol, "Arik, stop this madness, it's over!" Naeil reacted instinctively, dropping low to block the incoming shot from hitting his beloved. Elsa merely threw out her hand." The Duke succeeded in forcing his son's arm down as the pistol fired, sending the shot into the wooden deck. Naeil watched as ice flowed around Arik and his father, wrapping them in a sheath that immobilized them, but left their heads free. Naeil stayed crouched, just in case any more threats emerged, but Elsa calmly strode around the giant wolf form of her fiance, before giving him a sly smile. "Is that what you meant that day, Captain?"

Naeil stood and walked to the trapped Weselton's, lightly swatting the ice block so it went sliding across the deck into the ship's main mast. It stopped with a loud thump, but didn't shatter. Naeil's wolf head nodded, "That would be exactly what I meant, your Majesty."

Elsa smiled and walked over to the two trapped nobles. "If I really were the evil witch you claimed I was," she calmly stated, "I would have frozen both of your hearts, something you know I am fully capable of. Instead, I'm going to demonstrate exactly what kind of woman and ruler I am." She made a gesture and the Duke found himself released from his icy prison, although his son remained trapped. "Surrender, Weselton, and I will once again offer what I did before you pushed through with this whole unpleasant affair. Leave Arendelle. Apologize to my people, my sister, and myself, and I might, just might, be willing to consider negotiating a new trade accord, after a few decades of thought."

The Duke looked at his son, who just continued to scowl at the Snow Queen. "This isn't over, the Church won't let you corrupt these souls!"

The giant wolf laughed, "Actually, I think you'll probably find that by the time you return to your home port, their might have been a slight change in the Papacy. Just a hunch."

Arik glowered at the Wolf, but the Duke sighed and nodded. "Very well, Queen Elsa. I accept the terms." The Duke looked over the ship and called out, "Signal our surrender!"

The private chambers of the Pope opened to reveal the figure of a woman with red hair and wearing a deep blue dress embroidered with pomegranates and compass roses emerging, she was quickly joined by two figures wearing gray/white cloaks. A Cardinal approached, tentatively. "Madame, are your negotiations are finished?"

The woman nodded and smiled, "Yes, although I'm afraid you should see to the Holy Father...he has...gone to his reward."

The Cardinal made a wicked leer, his mind imagining just what might have occurred to cause that...and the woman slammed him against the wall, a single delicate hand holding his neck in a vise-like grip, her strength not expected of anyone of her size. The two Wulfen calmly surrounded them, ready to fend off any who dared interfere in their Queen's business.

"Listen to me very carefully, I would not debase myself with such a worthless creature. I am faithful to my husband, and I do not appreciate your assumptions."

The Cardinal nodded, "Of course, Queen Magdalena...I never held any impure thoughts towards your personage."

She squeezed her hand, "Really, then let us talk of your future position on Arendelle, such as ending this ridiculous witch hunt against my future Daughter-in-Law."

The sun rose over the battered city. Smoke still rose into the sky, and the townspeople meandered amongst the damage, struggling to cope with the aftermath and count the cost. Still, the surviving ships of the combined Arenedelle and Yoitsuan fleets sat at anchor, their banners flying proudly in victory. The battered mass of the Noble Endeavor towered over Anna, Kristoff, and the Wolf Kind. Elsa appeared at the gangplank and raced down to embrace her sister.

"Oh Elsa!" Anna cried, "I'd thought we'd lost you, especially after Olaf told us..."

Naeil sauntered down the gangplank and everyone gasped, as Anna finished her sentence, her eyes wide. "That you'd died!"

Naeil shrugged, "Who, me? Die? Miss all the excitement?"

Elsa chuckled, and gave him a wry look, "Yes, you might want to explain how you pulled that one off, especially to me," she finished, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Naeil's ears flicked slightly, "Well, like I told you. 'As long as your snow remains, so shall I.'"

Anna and Kristoff looked at the Wolf Prince with confused glares, and Naeil dramatically pointed over to a sopping wet snowman who was jumping up and down excitedly in front of the reindeer exclaiming, "Sven! I can swim!"

The Wulfen rolled their eyes, as if mentally chiding themselves for not knowing better, and Elsa twisted her lips in irritation. "So you did bond with Olaf. I must admit that you scared the hell out of me when you disappeared."

Naeil's face dropped, along with his ears and tail, "Yeah...sorry about that. I was trying to make it convincing. However, I must say that if I never have to be in that mushy headed, stubborn..."

Anna smacked the Wolf Prince in the shoulder, "Watch it, Mister. He's part of our family, and been one for a lot longer than you have."

Naeil snickered and then heard a groan behind him. Racing up the gangplank, he stared at the battered and bandaged form of the Wolf King. "Father, you're supposed to be resting!"

Raehn shook his head, "Forget it, he's in one of his moods again, the ones that make him ignore reason."

Nathaniel growled in pain and irritation. "I'll go back to bed in just a minute, Raehn. Besides, I'm going to have to leave the ship at some point, we're leaving the Endeavor docked here."

Naeil sighed, "What is it, Father?"

Nathaniel sighed, "I wanted to...apologize. I wasn't able to help your lovely lady down there."

Naeil's faced twisted in shock and confusion. "Our cannons demolished the enemy fleet, our soldiers helped save hundreds of citizens during the terror attacks, and you kept Weselton from escaping long enough for Elsa to generate enough snow for me to board their ship...how did you not help her?"

Nathaniel grunted, "Yes, but I wasn't able to save her."

Naeil snorted in reply, "No...because that's not your privilege. It's mine. Now will you get back into your bunk and rest. We received word that Mother is on her way to escort you home, and if she finds out you've been pushing yourself when you're injured like this, you're going to wish you'd died in that battle."

The Wolf King chuckled but then paused as a voice came from behind his son, "Your Majesty?"

Naeil turned to see Elsa's smiling face, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to thank you. For helping me and my kingdom in our hour of need. We would never have won without your support."

Nathaniel bowed, "It was our honor, my dear." He smiled and his eyes twinkled mischievously, and Elsa immediately realized where her Prince got it from, "Now, you two go and live happily ever after...I need to lie down before I fall down!"

Naeil and Elsa looked at each other for a moment, smiling, before embracing each other and sharing a long kiss in the rising sun, oblivious to the hoots and hollers of those on the ship and on the docks below.