Summary: After years of solitude, Elsa now seeks to be the queen Arendelle deserves. But when Arendelle is invaded by a Southern King who is intent on deposing Elsa and claiming Arendelle, Elsa must muster all her courage to protect her country, and herself.
Chapter One
- The Herald of Ovelia -
The wall rose like a wave from the depths of the water. It was as tall as the rocky cliffs of the fjord and dwarfed the city of Arendelle below. Torchlight gleamed over the wall's smooth surface and reflected it back on the tired faces of a small company of soldiers. They shivered on their mounts and glanced around, searching the snow for glints of steel or red coats. Kristoff wrapped his cloak tighter around his body and followed the curve of the wall to its peak. His vision swam, and he was forced to look away to steady himself on Sven's back.
Beside Kristoff, Knight-Captain Evangeline held up her fist and signalled for the rest of the patrol of halt. Evangeline was a formidable woman; she was as tall as a man and better with a sword than anyone else in the country – or so Kristoff had heard.
"Your thoughts?" Evangeline asked Kristoff, voice muffled by the scarf she had wrapped around her nose and mouth.
Kristoff swung his leg over Sven's back and dismounted, only pausing to whisper a meaningless comfort to the reindeer while scratching behind his ears. Then, with the snow up to his knees, he pushed towards the wall and considered the problem before him. Many considered him slow of thought, because he was larger and was careful about how he moved when others were around. But while he did take longer to make decisions, it had nothing to do with being 'slow' – he just liked to consider a problem from all angles before leaping into a decision.
Anna's not like that, he thought with a grumble. How much easier would things have been if Anna simply looked before she leaped to conclusions?
"Kristoff?" Evangeline prodded.
With a frown and a heavy sigh, Kristoff said, "It's hard to be sure. It would take a full team of picks at least a few days to cut through ice this thick."
"A few days. . ." Evangeline considered this carefully. Kristoff could see her weighing the implications.
Kristoff ran his gloved hand against the wall, then tapped it with his knuckle. He could have been tapping on solid rock. He grimaced. "Longer, probably."
"Then how. . .?"
From fjord cliff to fjord cliff, Elsa's wall had been as smooth and daunting as the magic that formed it. But then a patrol had found the hole. It was narrow, only wide enough for a single person to pass through. The smooth folds of melted then rapidly refrozen ice spoke of an intense heat. Kristoff was helpless to offer any kind of logical explanation that would even come close to explaining what had happened. Only. . .
"Perhaps cannon fire. . ." one of the patrolmen suggested from behind, loud enough to be heard over the stamps and unsettled murmurs of the horses.
"No, the ice would be jagged." Kristoff said. "See how smooth these edges are – how they ripple. Nothing blunt or heavy made marks like those."
"We must assume there is sorcery at work," Evangeline said quietly. "It would be naive of us to think otherwise." She snapped her fingers at a pair of soldiers near the back of the group and brought them forward. "Make haste to the palace – Queen Elsa must be informed of this at once."
The soldiers nodded, wheeled their horses about and galloped back into the howling wind and snow.
"The hole is one thing," Evangeline said quietly enough so only Kristoff could hear. "But how did the blasted man get through that?"
Kristoff followed Evangeline's gaze to look at the swirling mass of dark clouds hanging low in the sky. The city lay protected in the eye of the storm, but outside the boundary of Elsa's wall was a different story. Kristoff didn't have an answer for her, nor could think of one, no matter how long he took to consider the problem.
#
The storm was a thing of cruel beauty. Frosty wind tore down from the slopes of the North Mountain, carrying sleet and snow that buried Arendelle in cold darkness. Despite the wind, the storm refused to be pushed out to sea. Instead, it swirled above the palace. Beneath the eye, the days were as black as the nights, and the wretched cold seeped into the peoples' bones.
Elsa had heard that the townspeople were miserable. The patrolmen had been hesitant to tell Elsa at first, but Elsa had ignored their discomfort and ordered them to speak. Already, the infirmaries were filled with those who had caught sudden chills, to the point where the healers were forced to turn people away. Farmers moaned over their ruined crops; the innkeepers and tavern owners groaned over the carafes of wine frozen solid in their cellars, and the air was cold enough to freeze the tears on children's' cheeks. But they were alive, at least, and if Elsa hadn't summoned this storm or raised the wall in the fjord, they very well may not have been.
From her vantage point on the balcony of the Palace's tallest tower, Elsa could see the pinpricks of firelight over her wall's curved top. The waters behind were frozen solid and packed with snow, which trapped hundreds of red-flagged warships and the men aboard them before they could disembark and seize control of the harbour. The wall and storm kept the invaders confined to the warmth of their ships, but the uneasy stalemate couldn't last forever.
Wouldn't . . . she thought, not if the commander of Arendelle's army told Elsa the truth.
"The watch found him banging on the palace gates," General Lennox said. His voice was weathered and gruff – nothing like the silky courtiers Elsa had been dealing with for the last year. "He looked near-blue from the cold and shook like the Night Queen's hand hung over him."
Elsa glanced sideways at Lennox and noted the concerned lines around his eyes. "How did he get through the wall?" she asked.
"We're investigating," Lennox replied. "I sent that ice farmer of Lady Anna's to inspect the perimeter."
Elsa frowned. "By himself?"
"With a patrol led by Evangeline. She'll see him safely returned."
"And what if this Ovelian soldier wasn't alone?" Elsa murmured. "Couldn't we be sending Kristoff and Evangeline into a trap?"
"They have orders to retreat to the city at the first sign on trouble," Lennox replied. "But we must know, either way. Do not worry yourself, my lady. For now, you must focus on the task at hand. . ." He hesitated a moment, and Elsa already knew what was on his tongue before he spoke. "If you would reconsider your decision. A night spent shivering in the dungeons can loosen any man's tongue."
"And give Aubert opportunity to address him without me?" Elsa replied.
"I don't think that Lord Aubert would. . ." Lennox began.
"He would," Elsa said firmly. This was an argument they had had many times before.
Lennox frowned, but not press his point. It would come up again, of course, over a different matter at a different time. With a sigh surly enough to rival the roll of thunder overhead, Lennox stroked his moustache and said, "If you insist, My Queen."
"I do," Elsa said, and softened the order with a smile.
#
The throne room was dark, and far too cold. The only light and warmth came from a pair of braziers which stood on either side of the throne. The light illuminated the gild-trimmed chair yet left the rest of the expansive hall in shadow. As Elsa and Ser Lennox emerged from a staircase and entered the throne room, a pair of men looked up from one of the braziers and stared at them.
"Queen Elsa," one of the men said as he offered a respectful bow. Chancellor Kai was a full head shorter than Elsa, with finely trimmed and oiled red beard. His thick coat of fine black wool strained around his belly and buttons threatened to pop whenever he made a sudden move. "Has there been new a development?" he asked. "The boy you sent to wake me said it was an urgent matter."
"I fear I am as in the dark as the chancellor," Chancellor Kai's companion, Lord Hoster Aubert said. In contrast to Kai, Lord Aubert was tall and willowy. He hailed from Stark, a middling keep on Arendelle's northern border. Elsa had only visited there once when she was very young. She remembered everyone being so tall up north; tall and hard unlike anyone to the south. "Why have we been summoned from our beds at this late an hour?"
"A man from Ovelia was found by the palace gates," Elsa told them. "It seems he made his way through the city without anyone noticing. I thought you would like to be present when I spoke to him."
Both men stared at her, although Lord Aubert seemed significantly less perturbed than the old chancellor. He knew, Elsa thought with a hard frown.
"By the palace gates?" Kai repeated slowly. "How is that possible?"
"A question I intend to ask him," Elsa replied. She turned to Lennox. "Bring the Ovelian to me," she told him.
"At once," Lennox replied. He saluted her, hand over his heart, and departed. When the doors creaked closed behind him, Elsa ascended the slight steps leading towards her throne and sat down. A yawn escaped her lips before she could catch it. It had truly been a long day – a long three days ever since these invaders and their ships appeared in the fjord. Maybe Lennox had been right; maybe she should have waited to speak to the Ovelian until morning. Her supernatural storm sapped away at her strength; summoning a storm from clear summer skies was difficult enough but keeping the north winds from blowing it out to sea was almost too much for her. She needed to sleep, or else she might find her storm slipped through her fingers.
And then there was Chancellor Kai and Lord Aubert. Elsa regarded the two men, who had returned to the warmth of the brazier in silence. They were a different kind of strain on her entirely. Always questioning, always thinking they knew what was best. But could she really blame them? They had watched her hide inside her bedroom for years while they took care of the day-to-day business of the kingdom, and it was a rare man who gave up power after holding it in his hands for so long. Elsa was sure Ser Lennox felt the same way, although at least he had the decency to only question her in private, and he never tried to circumnavigate her decisions when he thought another course of action was for the best.
Perhaps the two men sensed her mood, for they remained uncharacteristically quiet while they waited for Lennox to return. Chancellor Kai even appeared awkward, shifting his feet frequently and washing his hands against his coat.
When Lennox returned, he lead a pair of blue-coated soldiers who half-guided, half-dragged a man behind them. The man was dressed in a thick fur-lined cloak wrapped around the crimson coat of an Ovelian soldier. A sack had been unceremoniously placed over the man's head and his arms were tightly bound behind his back. The soldiers brought the man forward until they stood at the bottom of the stairs to Elsa's throne. Elsa leaned forward with interest.
"Has he said anything?" she asked one of the soldiers, who quickly shook his head.
"Hardly a word."
Lord Aubert descended the steps and examined the Ovelian curiously. "Has he been searched?"
"Yes, my lord," the soldier answered. "He came unarmed, save for this dagger." The soldier retrieved the dagger from his belt and held it out to Lord Aubert. The slender blade was long and curved at the tip, protruding from a golden hilt with a small red gemstone embedded in the pommel. The ruby glistened wetly in the firelight, reminding Elsa sickeningly of blood.
"A fancy blade indeed," Lord Aubert grunted. He took the dagger from the guard and tested its tip with his finger. He winced and took his hand away. A long droplet of blood slipped down the blade. "Much too fancy for a mere envoy."
"It was a gift, if you must know," the Ovelian's muffled voice spoke through the sack. "And I would appreciate having that back when you're done."
Lord Aubert harrumphed and handed the dagger back to the guard. "Remove his hood then, let's hear what this envoy has to say."
Elsa's fingers tightened on the throne's armrest momentarily as the guardsmen did as Aubert commanded without a look to see whether Elsa approved of the order. Yes, she would have to bring Aubert into line soon – somehow - but not now . . . not in front of this Ovelian.
With the sack removed, the man sneezed violently and jerked his tussled hair out of his eyes. He was young, Elsa noted with a hint of surprise. She had been expecting someone older, more experienced, but he was probably only a year or two older than she was. The envoy glanced about the throne room with mild interest, then his dark eyes settled on Elsa. He smiled in a very self-satisfied way and inclined his head.
"Queen Elsa," the man said sweetly. "A glimpse of your beauty has made this journey entirely worthwhile. I would offer you a proper bow, but..." He strained against his bounds and shrugged.
"That will be unnecessary," Elsa said, folding her arms beneath her breasts. If this envoy thought flattery would win her over... "What is your name, Ovelian?"
"They call me Aedan, my lady. I am Herald to King Maximilian Du Von, King of Great Ovelia and the Lands of Summer-"
"Herald?" Ser Lennox breathed, and he regarded the Ovelian with newfound curiosity.
"You give us your title," Lord Aubert interrupted, "But my queen requested your name, yet you only deign to give her half of one."
The herald, Aedan, winced and shot Lord Aubert a wry smile. "I'm afraid I don't have a family name to give you, my lord."
Elsa's eyebrows rose. A bastard? She had heard of Ovelia's tradition of withholding the surnames of illegitimately born children; some of her favourite stories as a child were ones of bastards earning their names by performing great feats or services for the nation. But she'd never heard of any bastard serving a king before he'd earned his name. She regarded this herald with renewed interest.
To her right, Lord Aubert's lip curled in distaste. "Is it common in the south to have bastards deliver the messages of kings?" he said.
"No," Aedan replied curtly.
"Then why does Maximilian dishonour my queen by sending one such as yourself to treat with her?"
"I didn't think bastards were treated with such disdain in the north. Especially since half of Arendelle's nobility trace their lineage to King Doran the Frost's bastard son. What was your name, again, Lord . . .?" Aedan let his question linger with a mocking curve on his lips.
Lord Aubert bristled and leaned forward to reply with some biting comment, but Elsa raised her hand. "Enough," she said, but Lord Aubert ignored her.
"I will not have this bastard speak to me that way," Lord Aubert spat in the envoy's direction. "You will mind your tongue, or I will cut it from-"
"Enough, Lord Aubert."
Lord Aubert shivered, and white smoke erupted from his mouth with every breath. The Ovelian envoy fared no better. He huddled into his cloak as best he could with his hands still bound. His whole body trembled.
She turned her gaze upon the herald and raised her chin in a haughty expression she didn't quite feel. "Say what you have come to say."
Aedan straightened slowly and when he spoke his voice was firm. "King Maximilian wishes to parley with you. This stalemate is doing little good for either of us. Our men freeze in the harbour and your people freeze in this city."
"We Arendellians are hardy folk," Lord Aubert cut in once more, much to Elsa's chagrin. "You think we're bothered by a little cold?"
"Maybe not yet," Aedan replied with a shrug. "And perhaps you will outlast us. Perhaps you will send scouts over that ungodly wall in a week and find us all frozen to death in our ships."
"You don't seem perturbed by that outcome," Elsa noted.
"We in Ovelia are not inclined to passivity," Aedan said. "We will not wait in our ships forever – in fact, we'll not wait another day. King Maximilian wishes for a peaceful resolution to this conflict, but if one cannot be found then we will turn our cannons upon your city. We will blow down that wall of ice and rain fire down on your city until nought is left but ashes and corpses. Of that, King Maximilian has promised, and you can trust me when I say that my king is not one to break his promises."
"You dare threaten Queen Elsa in her own hall?" Lord Aubert spat, outraged.
"I make no threats," Aedan said quickly. "I only provide consequences – consequences that can be avoided if Elsa simply agrees to treat with Maximilian."
"This is absurd," Aubert said. "Throw your might against Arendelle, and we'll see you driven back into the sea."
"Then I am glad for Arendelle's sake that the decision does not lie with you." He shifted his eyes to Elsa and regarded her expectantly.
Doubt clawed in the back of Elsa's mind and threw itself against the cage she kept it in when others were around. Who was she to make this decision? This is too much, she thought with despair. But she breathed deeply through her nose and forced her doubt far away.
"If King Maximilian wishes to meet with me then I will grant him that courtesy," Elsa said. Aubert opened his mouth angrily, but Elsa forestalled him with a raised hand.
"Delightful," Aedan replied, voice bright. "King Maximilian will be pleased. He's wanted to meet you for a long time now." He paused. "You may choose the meeting place – I would suggest in the shadow of your city gates, but with that giant wall of yours in the way..."
"The mouth of the harbour gate will do – between the fjord and the sea wall," Elsa said. "I will clear the way and ensure the ice below us holds. Now, if there is nothing else...?"
"Only one small matter. I brought you a gift." Aedan looked at the soldier closest to him and nodded towards the inner pocket of his cloak. "If you wouldn't mind..."
The soldier glanced at Ser Lennox, who nodded. Elsa watched with mild interest as the solder reached into Aedan's pocket at retrieved a blue wildflower; its stem and petals glittered prettily with magical frost.
"A flower?" Elsa said, eyebrows high. "King Maximilian wishes to charm me with a flower?"
Aedan shook his head. "The flower is from me, Lady Elsa.
Elsa took the flower from the solder and twisted it about between her fingers. She looked back at the envoy and was startled to see his dark eyes peering intently into hers.
"We've all heard of the tales of your sorcery in Ovelia. Stories about the beautiful snow queen have become quite popular. I didn't believe half of them, but then we sailed into the harbour only to be greeted by a blizzard conjured from a cloudless sky. . . How can a man see something like that and not believe?"
Elsa frowned. "If you're trying to flatter me, it won't..."
"I'm not, I assure you," the envoy said. "I picked that flower in a little garden near the market. Quite a crowd had gathered outside a home there – cloaked head-to-toe and drawn close together for warmth. I suppose they were drawn out of their houses by the screaming. A girl had died, you may have heard?"
Elsa's chest became cold, and she realised she had stopped breathing. Aedan paused his story to purse his lips at the look on her face.
"I see you hadn't heard – perhaps word hasn't reached the palace yet – perhaps it won't at all. The man I spoke to told me the girl had crept out of bed to check on the flowerbed she had planted in the spring. Her mother found her frozen to death not four feet from the front door. She was only three years old.
"Many of the stories paint you as the Queen of Nigh come again; that you don't care for the lives of others . . . but I can see by the look on your face that they are wrong. Your storm may have been levelled against us, but we're not the only ones who are suffering. There's no life in constant snow, and only a tyrant is satisfied to rule over a dead land."
Elsa stiffened and clutched the flower hard against her chest. "Take him. . ." Her voice cracked. She swallowed deeply before continuing. "Take him away. Turn him outside the city gates."
"At once," one of the soldiers said as he saluted.
"And see that he doesn't do any counting on the way," Lennox added sharply.
"Yes, Ser," the other guard said, and readied the sack once more.
"I look forward to speaking with you again, Queen Elsa," Aedan said with a smile, before the sack was jammed over his head. As the guards dragged the Ovelian envoy away, Elsa looked down at the flower and felt her heart twist.
The doors were barely closed when Lord Aubert rounded on her. "Foolish girl," he said, voice taut and shaking with anger. "This game your playing is going to get us all killed. 'Courtesy'" He snorted derisively. "Those people know nothing of the kind. By allowing them to dictate terms all you've done is show them how weak you are!"
Elsa almost buckled under the criticism. She forced her legs to stillness and raised her chin as she regarded Lord Aubert. When she spoke, she was thankful that her voice didn't shake. "You will consider how you speak to me, Lord Aubert. I am your queen, and you will not question my authority in front of anyone else again. Now leave me, I wish to think."
Lord Aubert bristled, but in the face of a direct command he thought better of protesting further. "I hope you know what you're doing, Elsa," he said, his voice softer, but no less emotional. "Because we're the ones who will pay the price if you don't." And with that he strode out of the throne room. Chancellor Kai followed silently, only stopping to bow to Elsa as he passed by the throne. Then Elsa was left alone with Lennox, who stepped close to her and waited.
When Elsa was composed again, she looked down at the flower in her hands and felt her heart twist all over again.
"Elsa?" Lennox inquired gently over the howls of the storm outside.
"See if what he said was true," Elsa said.
With a somber nod, Lennox said, "At once."