Chapter 5

Decisions

After a short wait, Kai told them the councilmen were ready, and opened the door, calling out, "Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and Princess Anna of Arendelle!" Elsa and Anna entered the chamber at a dignified pace (or, at least Elsa did; her sister sort of shuffled into the room awkwardly). Inside was a long table, around which were the men serving on her Council—the Ministers of Defense, Finance, Foreign Affairs, and Agriculture, Captain Rolf of the Guards, and the Mayor of Arendelle Town—as well as the group of foreign dignitaries she had spoken to the previous day, save only the Duke of Weselton.

The Councilmen stood respectfully on their arrival, and the Queen said, "Gentlemen, good morning." The men murmured greetings in return, though she noticed that some of them were glancing Anna's way, evidently puzzled by her presence. Elsa strode to the tall-backed chair at the head of the table, motioned Anna over to the empty chair to her right, and sat. Her sister and the Councilmen followed suit.

"Your Majesty," the defense minister asked, "may I ask why the Princess is in attendance?"

Anna shot out of her seat to object, only to be stopped by her sister's outstretched hand. "Does she need a reason, Minister?" the Queen asked him, as Anna reluctantly settled in her seat again. "She is inexperienced, yes, but that can be remedied. Anna is the heir to the throne, if not yet crowned. So unless some unforeseen circumstance produces another heir, the Princess has every right to be here." She hoped the flat glare she gave the assembled men would dissuade them from discussing that particular topic today.

"To answer your question, Minister," Elsa continued, "Anna is here because I asked her to come. I sincerely hope you are not suggesting she is undeserving of a voice on this Council, when it is needed?" The minister flinched at her harder tone.

"Of course not, Your Majesty," the Minister of Defense said. Turning to Anna, he said, "I apologize, Your Highness. I meant no disrespect." Anna nodded curtly in reply.

"Thank you, Minister," Elsa said, clearing her throat. "Now then. Gentlemen, first and foremost, I must apologize for the incident that followed my coronation four nights ago. I can assure you that it was accidental on my part, and it will not happen again, unknowingly or unchecked, while I am Queen." She paused, then said, "I'm sure you all have questions regarding my powers, but before I hear them, I feel that I owe you a full explanation.

"I have had these powers of ice and snow since I was born, though they did not appear right away, or so my parents told me. The magic is tied to my emotional state, and controlling it is difficult at best, especially since, until recently, I did not understand how to undo what I had done—to thaw. Unfortunately, before I could learn this, an accident with my sister when I was eight prompted my father to shut the gates, reduce the staff, and keep my powers a close secret, known only to a few. This was done for everyone's protection, especially Anna's, until such time as I learned to control them.

"As I now know, concealing my powers was the worst possible decision my parents could have made. I never learned to control them, only to conceal them, simply because I allowed my fear to rule me—fear of my powers, the fear of hurting someone. As a result, they tended to burst out, forcing me to spend the majority of the last thirteen years isolated.

"At the coronation ball, my sister and I got into an argument over her obviously unwise decision to accept the marriage proposal of Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, after knowing him for less than a day. She pushed me too hard, and I lost what little control I had, revealing my powers to everyone in the room, and to the people in the courtyard when I ran. I believed that I could protect the people by fleeing Arendelle, yet my flight is precisely what caused the winter to begin.

"I built a refuge on the North Mountain, intending to stay there indefinitely, but Anna eventually found me, and told me what had happened. I lost control again, accidentally striking her with my powers. The morning after she left, Prince Hans and his search party arrived, and the Duke of Weselton's guards attempted to kill me. While they did not succeed, a stray shot caused a chandelier to fall, and when I tried to dive out of the way, I was knocked unconscious.

"I was locked in the castle dungeon with special shackles that covered my hands like gloves. I don't know where Prince Hans found them, but I can only assume that they were ordered made by my father for some dire scenario in which I lost all control of my powers." Anna gasped at this bit of information. "It's the only logical explanation, Anna. In any case, they were not strong enough to contain my powers when my fears for Arendelle—and fear for my life, when I heard guards coming—grew out of control, and I was able to break them and escape.

"Prince Hans was able to find me in the blizzard on the fjord. He lied and told me that Anna was dead, by my hand, and as I collapsed in grief, he drew his sword, intending to end my life then and there. Anna was in fact alive, though the strike from my powers was slowly causing her body to freeze from the inside. Hans had left her to freeze to death in the library, but by a miracle she was able to escape. She made it out to the fjord just in time to leap in front of Hans' sword, her body freezing solid.

"Her act of self-sacrifice shattered Hans' sword, and at the same time broke the curse on her, thawing her back to life. This act of true love gave me the clue I needed to control my powers, and thaw the winter: love will thaw. Prince Hans was... removed from the ship we were standing on—" Elsa paused to wink at Anna, "—and taken to the dungeons, where he now awaits my judgment."

The Queen stood, and said, "Now, before I answer your questions, I have one of my own, for our foreign visitors." She fixed the dignitaries with an icy stare, and took a deep breath. "I would like to know," she began, her voice and anger rising, "just what authority Prince Hans claimed to have, in order to convince you that I was to be executed, without trial!" Her last words were punctuated with a sharp crack! as she smacked one hand against the tabletop, causing ice to dance across it. The temperature in the chamber fell noticeably.

The men flinched, shocked by her outburst; finally, the Spanish dignitary spoke up. "He... he claimed that you had killed your sister, and that they had exchanged marriage vows before her death."

Next to her, Elsa saw Anna ball her hands into fists, a look of fresh fury and hatred on her face. The Queen placed a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder, and she relaxed a little. But the Queen was not done venting.

"And you actually believed that," Elsa stated, her voice cold. "Did none of you think to ask for proof of her death, to see her body? As for marriage vows, they require a priest and a witness, and by your words, he had neither!" It required nearly all of her effort to keep her powers from freezing the room—and the table she was leaning on—in a layer of ice. "And in no case should Hans Westerguard—a foreign national, left in charge for only a few days, without any proof of claim to the throne, besides his word—have been granted the right to summarily execute a prisoner, much less the ruling monarch!"

Elsa took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She looked over at Anna, who was gripping her skirts with her clenched hands. Feeling her sister's gaze, the strawberry-blonde loosened her grip and tried to appear dignified.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," Captain Rolf said, "not all of us supported the prince's actions. I, for one, would have no part in it, and I have since spoken to those of my men who went along with it."

"And for that, I thank you," the Queen replied. "Your loyalty is to be commended, Captain." Turning back to the now-silent Council—and the foreign dignitaries—Elsa said, "I will not hold the four of you to blame for this incident, for believing his lies; it is now obvious to me that Hans is a cunning, manipulative man, and quite possibly was planning this all out from the moment of his arrival. All the more reason, then, for me to make my decision now.

"I hereby declare that Prince Hans Westerguard is to be banished from Arendelle, and be deported back to the Southern Isles, to be judged by his twelve brothers, and his father the King, for his crimes against Arendelle."

"Are you sure this is wise, Your Majesty?" the captain asked. "You have every right to try and execute the man for what he's done."

"I know, Captain," Elsa said, "and I might consider doing so, if I did not fear serious repercussions from the Southern Isles, or being seen as a tyrant by the people. Therefore, I have chosen to be merciful, and let his family deal with him. If he ever returns to Arendelle, however, things will not go well for him."

"Your Majesty, if I may?" the French dignitary spoke up. "I would be willing to transport him to the Southern Isles on my way back to France. I leave tomorrow afternoon."

"Thank you, Ambassador," the Queen replied. "That would be most kind of you. I will have Captain Rolf arrange for the prince to given into your custody before you leave."

"It is my pleasure, Your Majesty," the Frenchman said. Captain Rolf gave a nod in reply.

"What of Weselton's treachery?" the Minister of Defense asked. "Surely the Duke will be punished somehow?"

"He and his men will be sent back to Weselton tomorrow." Elsa answered. "I do not have any proof that the Duke ordered his men to kill me, but he will not go unpunished for his actions. As for his men, they will likely be imprisoned." She eyed the Minister of Finance, bracing for his reaction to her next words. "My punishment, as I already hinted to him, is to cut off trade with Weselton. Permanently, or until such time as he and others who wish to exploit our goods are removed from power."

"Your Majesty, surely you aren't serious?" the finance minister blurted, paling somewhat. "Weselton is a valuable trading partner!"

"It seems to me, Minister, that we are more valuable to Weselton than they are to us," the Queen replied, "and I have heard multiple rumors of their crooked dealings with other countries. I will probably regret denying the people of his duchy our goods, but this is as merciful as I am willing to be with him. I will, of course, be approaching other nations to open trade with. Corona, in particular; I will be discussing trade possibilities with the Crown Princess before she returns home."

"Very well," the minister conceded. "But this may yet have consequences down the road."

"He does raise a good point," the Minister of Foreign Affairs began, "If—or rather, when—word of this gets out, some of the other nations may also choose to sever ties with them. This, in turn, could ruin Weselton, and potentially benefit Arendelle, if those countries then approach us."

"Thank you, Minister," Elsa said. "Now, seeing as we got sidetracked a bit, I will now hear your questions or concerns regarding my powers."

Unsurprisingly, it was the Minister of Defense who spoke first. "Your Majesty, is there any... practical use they can be put to?" Elsa tensed, knowing exactly what he was hinting at.

"I think I know what you're trying to say, Minister," the Queen replied. She glanced at each of them in turn, and her tone became hard. "Know this, gentlemen: I will not use my powers as a weapon of war or conquest. I can certainly use them to defend or shield the people in an attack, or for other defensive purposes. Only in the last defense of my own life or my sister's would I even consider using them as a weapon!"

"Please, Your Majesty," the minister said timidly. "I meant no offense. But you have to be aware of the possibilities, the tactical advantage—"

"That is entirely my point!" Elsa shouted, slapping her palm on the table once again. "I do not wish to be seen as a tyrant with godlike powers! I would have Arendelle remain neutral altogether, if we did not have such close friends as the Northern Isles and Corona who may request our aid someday. I will not use my abilities to shift the balance of power! As your colleague the Minister of Foreign Affairs could tell you, to do so would draw unwanted attention upon Arendelle. How would you feel if we suddenly had France, Germany, Spain, or England breathing down our necks, eager to secure my powers for their own purposes, or declare war to remove the threat of them?

"And another thing," the Queen continued. "I may not be the only person with magical abilities in this world. Though magic is a very rare gift, it is possible for there to be others." She chose to refrain from mentioning Rapunzel, or the trolls; it was better for their abilities to be kept a secret. "Reports of my freezing Arendelle will already draw enough attention to us. If I openly use my powers for war, as you suggest, it could bring war down on Arendelle, possibly even from others who possess magic. I do not wish to bring chaos and destruction down on Arendelle, simply to give us a 'tactical advantage'. I will not!"

The Council sat, stunned to silence again by her latest outburst. Into the silence Anna spoke up. "Elsa... the table..." Elsa looked over at her sister, and now noticed that the table was indeed frozen solid, from one end to the other, the ice radiating out from where she slapped the tabletop.

"Oh... sorry." Elsa murmured apologetically, trying her best to will the ice away, but as tense as she was, she wasn't making much progress.

"Gentlemen, please try to understand," Anna said, watching her sister try to thaw the table. "As she told you, she has spent most of her life in hiding, concealing her powers, just so that she wouldn't hurt anyone. Do you really think that desire has changed, despite her new-found control?" She beamed at her sister. "She cares too much for you, for me, and for the people of Arendelle to put them at risk. Even if she could wipe out entire armies or navies with a wave of her hand, she would not, simply because she's not that kind of person. I will not be party to violating my sister's morals. I stand with her on this issue."

Those on the Council who thought it odd that Anna was invited to the meeting (which was quite a few of them, though only the defense minister had dared to voice it) were shocked by this speech, as was Elsa herself. Several gasped at the speed at which the ice on the table thawed, as the Queen listened to her sister voice her support. Who knew that the clumsy, carefree, outgoing Princess was capable of such eloquent words?

Finally, Elsa managed to find her voice. "Thank you, Anna," she said gratefully. "That means a lot to me."

Turning to the men at the table, she said, "I assume there are no more questions?"

"Just one, Your Majesty," the Irish ambassador said. "Given your concern for the people's well-being, are you going to be using your powers in public?"

Elsa heard the unvoiced part of his question—or are you going to go back to hiding them?—and replied, "Yes, absolutely." At their astonished looks, she said, "Concealing my power is what led to my outburst four days ago. I can't keep it bottled up forever, not without putting everyone at risk. I can, however, use it in a peaceful manner—as entertainment for the people, for example.

"Which leads me to the other order of business for which I summoned you here this morning," the Queen said. "What should the people be told? I would hear your advice, gentlemen."

"Your Majesty, if I may speak?" the Mayor of Arendelle Town said. The portly man was the Council's only civilian member, but he was invaluable for his connection to the common people. At Elsa's nod, he continued, "Just tell them what they need to know. You don't need to tell them where your powers came from, or about the mistakes you've made. As long as you convince them that you have control, and that there is nothing for them to fear from you or your powers, we can live in peace and harmony."

"Thank you, Mayor," Elsa said kindly. "That sounds just about right." She paused, thinking about how she might prove her benevolence to the people. "Gentlemen, I don't suppose any of you would object to a small... demonstration, tomorrow? It would help the people to warm up to me, and be comfortable with my powers."

"What did you have in mind, Your Majesty?" the mayor wondered.

"An ice-skating rink, in the main courtyard," the Queen replied, glancing at her sister.

"That sounds wonderful, Elsa," Anna said, beaming. "I'm sure the people would love it."

This was followed by a chorus of affirmatives from the Council members. Addressing the foreign dignitaries, Elsa said, "Ambassadors, I will understand if you are unable to come, as I'm sure you have duties to attend to." The dignitaries murmured their apologies, and the Frenchman met the Queen's gaze, simply giving a nod of understanding; he knew what his duty was.

Turning to the others, Elsa said, "I would like for the townsfolk to meet me in the courtyard at approximately two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. I will speak to them briefly, and then we shall enjoy ourselves for a while." To the Mayor, she said, "Spread the word, if you would."

"With pleasure, Your Majesty," the mayor replied.

"A few other things, before we adjourn for the day," the Queen said. "It is my understanding that many ships were damaged in the storm yesterday. I am hereby authorizing the Minister of Finance to compensate those persons for the damage, and for the cost of repairs." Turning to the Minister of Agriculture, she asked, "Are there any reports of damaged crops or other goods from the freeze?"

"No, your Majesty," the minister said, "which I find very odd, but I can't complain."

"Very good," Elsa said, and continued. "Finally, and perhaps most importantly: I have, as of yesterday, instituted an open-gate policy for the castle. As I have already instructed the Captain of the Guards"—she paused, giving Rolf a nod—"except in dire circumstances, the gates are to remain open from now on."

The Minister of Defense opened his mouth to object, but the Queen held up a hand. "I understand your objections," she said. "Security will be increased accordingly, and Captain Rolf is tasked with recruiting more men for the Guards. For thirteen long years, the royal family of Arendelle has not been able to be open and treat with their people in a normal manner. It is time for that to change."

"Very well, Your Majesty," the defense minister conceded. Turning to the captain, he said, "I will make the necessary arrangements to aid you in your recruiting efforts."

"Thank you, Minister," Rolf replied.

"Now then," Elsa said, "if there are no other urgent matters to discuss at this time...?" When no one stirred, she said, "You are dismissed, then. Good day, gentlemen." With that, the Council dispersed, as did the dignitaries.

Before he could leave, Elsa waved the Frenchman over. "I am grateful for your assistance, Ambassador. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Your Majesty," he said, bowing, then left the council chamber, leaving her alone with Anna.

"Well, sister, I didn't know you had it in you," Elsa teased. "That was quite the little speech."

"You said you needed my support," Anna said, smiling, "and I'm always willing to stand up for you, Elsa."

"Thanks, Anna," the blonde said warmly, awkwardly pulling her sister into a hug. Suddenly she felt herself grinning, and pulled away from Anna, looking her in the eyes. "Hey Anna... you know what would be perfect right now, after a long, boring Council meeting...?" She licked her lips, hoping Anna got the message.

She did. "Choooocolate," they said in unison, then burst into giggles.

A/N: This chapter took a lot longer to write; as the dinner was originally the focus of the story, I had to do some actual thinking to put together the Council meeting. (I apologize for dumping more exposition on you, but it seemed necessary.)

–I put the Spanish dignitary on the spot simply because, in the movie, he seemed to be the quickest to look to Hans for leadership.

–The members of the Council I basically made up on the fly; a Mayor was included so that the common people have a representative (and thus someone for Elsa to consult with on public affairs).

–The "only in the last defense of my life or my sister's" bit is an accidental nod to the late Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time epic fantasy series.

–First mention of the Northern Isles. (Obviously, if there are Southern Isles, there must be Northern Isles too, right?)

Next chapter: snowmen, dungeons, and a sword fight!