Ahoy my fellow readers. In this chapter there is a time lapse as you will notice. We return to Arendelle after the Great Thaw. Be free to review and also suggestions are very much welcome.

Chapter 9. A Queen's duty

Many things had happened ever since Elsa's coronation took place. In that day her life had been turned upside down in an instant. She was no longer a Princess but the Crowned Queen of Arendelle. Her powers were no secret to Anna nor her people anymore. At first she had ran away from that life and abandoned her beloved sister. She thought she could live all alone secluded in her ice palace. But Anna, an ice harvester, his smelly reindeer and a talking snowman had made her realize she was wrong. Her "unique family" might be a bit broken but still she would do anything to protect it.

She didn't want to abandon her people either. What would her parents think of her for being such a coward? No. It was her duty as the Queen to protect her people and the people she cared the most. Even if they were made of ice, smelled of reindeer or had an obsession with chocolate.

A knock in her door brought the Queen of Arendelle back to reality. She had been writing almost the same invitation to all the dignitaries, royals, ambassadors and ministers that were to attend to the Council. By now she could recite by heart each word of the letter.

"Come in." Said Elsa while she put the Arendelle seal, a crocus, over hot red wax in one of the letters.

"Good morning, Your Majesty" a man entered the study, closing the door behind him.

"Morning Kai. In what can I help you?" she said leaving her quill inside the ink container.

"I just came to remind you about the meeting with the Royal Council that will be held at midday."

"Thank you. I'm aware of it." She noticed how Kai pulled his neck nervously. He always does that when something is worrying him.

"Kai?" the Queen said looking at him directly. "Is there by chance, anything you are not telling me?"

"Well…" he hesitated.

"Kai please, you can tell me." Her eyes and tone tendered.

"You got me Your Grace. It's about Princess Anna." he finally said it.

Elsa was not surprised at all. "What did she do this time?" she said as she sighed.

"She, err, the Princess can't be found anywhere."

"She probably is playing with the town's children. Nothing to worry about Kai."

"That's the thing Your Majesty. She was last seen by some of the town's children, but when she got missing several children came to the castle reporting her disappearance."

"Wait what?!" the Queen stood. "Have you asked Kristoff or Olaf?"

"The Ice Master and Deliverer hasn't returned from his trip to the mountains and according to some witnesses Master Olaf was also playing with the children and the Princess as well. My guess is that both of them might be together."

"Your guess is probably right." Elsa frowned. "Tell me, has anyone reported anything strange on the last few hours to you or to Gerda?"

"Not exactly Your Majesty, but now that you mention it. Something odd did happen today. The clock of the tower in the city, one of the guards told me that it has stopped functioning all of a sudden." He explained. "That is why I came to remind you about the Royal Council meeting; because you wouldn't listen to the bell of the clock today."

Elsa rolled her eyes. This sounds just like Anna's and Olaf's doing.

"Thank you Kai. And don't worry I will be punctual to the meeting". She stood up and took all the letters she had been writing that morning.

Before the head butler could say anything else, she spoke. "By the way, would you kindly deliver these invitations to the post office?" She handed him several letters. "I would do it myself, but I have some family business to attend to."

...

Kai took the letters and said "Of course Your Grace. But If I may…"

"Kai, let me handle this." She said smiling softly. Kai stopped. For a moment he couldn't believe that the little girl with blonde girl and gentle smile would become such a beautiful and intelligent lady. The head steward of the palace felt nostalgic and happy at the same time. Kai never though he would ever be able to see that little girl's gentle smile. He was glad everything was different now.

"Oh, and before Arendelle turns into chaos, ask the tinkerer to repair the town's clock as soon as possible. Tell him to address the bill to the Crown's Personal Royal account. And before you ask why Kai, let's just say I have the feeling my sister and Olaf are part responsible for the incident." Elsa said while leaving the studio.

"As you wish Your Majesty."

She was already leaving the study when she turned once more to her head butler.

"I know it will not be easy to handle but, don't go too hard on the staff today if they lose track of time; you know it won't be their fault."

...

Elsa entered her room trying to make no noise. Everything looked normal. She didn't know how she knew it but she had a hunch Anna and Olaf were hiding in her room. But as she entered to her room everything looked the same she had left it in the morning.

Maybe they are in the stables.

As she was about to leave her room, a deaf sound called her attention. She remained quiet for a moment.

This time she heard some giggling. Elsa's lips formed a small smile as an idea came to her mind.

"They are not here. Pity. I guess, I'll go to the stables then." She spoke in direction to her closet. And closed the door pretending that she had left.

Then she waited in front of her bed.

Not many minutes had passed when her closet's doors opened abruptly and the Princess of Arendelle fell from it. Then Olaf over her.

Elsa smirked triumphantly.

Elsa rested her hands over her hips as she looked at her sister and snowman in the floor.

"May I ask what are you two doing in my bedroom? And what's more, why were you hiding in my closet?" Is that my purple dress?!

"We were playing." Said Anna while standing up. "OW! that hurt". She said as she bumped her head in the corner of Elsa's reading chair.

Elsa gave a questioningly look at her sister.

"Anna is telling the truth we were playing with the kids." said Olaf's head. His body was spread around the floor.

Elsa shook her hand and the snowman was fixed in a beat.

"Thanks Elsa" he said giving her a hug. She hugged back.

"No problem." She said. "Now, care to explain what happened with the city's clock?"

"Oh…How did you knew it was us?" said Anna

"As a matter of fact, I didn't knew for sure. But now you just told me it was you. Care to explain?" The Queen said rising one of her eyebrows and took a sit in the top of her bed. Anna sited as well next to her.

"We didn't mean to brake it." The Princess started. "We were playing hide and seek as Olaf was saying. And I thought it would be a good idea to hide up in the clock's tower. You know as I am very thin I could easily hide behind the engines."

Elsa just remained silent. Although she could figure out the rest of the story already.

"And then I found Anna and I won!" yelled Olaf

"No Olaf, it was Odd's turn to count. You were also supposed to be hiding."

"Ohhh.." exclaimed Olaf. "Then how did I found you if I was also hiding?"

"I don't know. That was odd too."

"Odd also found you?"

"No Olaf, what I meant is that you were also odd at finding me."

"My name's Olaf, not Odd."

Elsa cleared her throat, making her sister and snowman friend stop whatever they were doing and turn to look at her.

Anna smiled guilty. "Oops, sorry Elsa."

"Don't worry. I'm just glad you are both fine but I still don't understand what really happened."

"Well, you see…you might find this kind of odd. And I mean odd like odd, not like Odd, who is an actual person."

"I don't get that Odd kid, he is kind of weird sometimes…" said Olaf suddenly.

Both sisters stopped to look at their friend and giggled.

"Okay enough with odd things." Elsa said after they stopped laughing. "Now, Anna please."

"Promise you won't laugh…" she whispered.

"Fine, I promise." Elsa put her hand in her sister's. "You know you can tell me. I already told Kai to send the clock for repair."

Anna smiled at her older sister. "Okay." She breathed. "I was getting bored up there in the clock when suddenly Olaf came. He was insisting that he had found me and I was trying to explain to him the rules of hide and seek. Then the clock arrows started to move and thinking it could be dangerous I decided to better abandon my hiding spot."

"Needless to say that was a wise decision dear sister." Mentioned Elsa.

"Yes, well everything was going just fine when soon I realized that part of my dress was actually stuck between two of the gears and…"

"And?" Elsa insisted.

Anna closed her eyes in embarrassment and spoke "As I pulled away, my dress got stuck even more in the mechanism breaking it. And I … my dress…it got a big hole. And I mean really big. Big as Sven's appetite."

"You mean?" Elsa asked suddenly understanding her sister's embarrassment.

"Yes I was left wearing a dress with a whole big enough for my undergarments to be noticeable." Anna's face was all read. She looked at Elsa "I'm sorry I was so scared that some of the villagers might see me that I quickly took Olaf's hand and we ran back to the Castle. I was about to go inside my room when I heard a guard tell Kai about the big clock was no longer functioning. I got scared. You know how Kai reacts with punctuality. So I, I mean... we ran to one of the only rooms the servants not even Kai or Gerda would ever dare to search."

"Mine." Elsa said. She knew there was another room in the castle forbidden for anyone to enter except for the Queen and the Princess. It was their parents' room. But she knew Anna wouldn't dare to enter there just to hide. Even Elsa only went to that room in very rare occasions. When she needed their presence the most she would go there. Anna would too.

"Yes" accepted Anna. "And so I got changed to one of your dresses here and then we heard someone was coming so we hid in the closet. Lucky it turned out to be you."

"I see." The Queen said. Lucky it was her and not some of the guards or servants. Her sister's underwear was definitely something she didn't want to be a hot topic among the gossip around the castle.

"We are sorry Elsa. I know you are having lots of work to do; being the Queen and all. And also you have to deal those interminable meetings."

Elsa suddenly stood up remembering. The meeting!

She hoped it wasn't too late. She wished she had Kai's talent to know the time. He was like a living watch. If only she were like him. Maybe she should buy a portable watch just for the emergencies.

She stopped when an old memory hit her mind. She actually owns a watch. She approached her desk and opened one of her drawers. She took out a little box in which she kept her most precious things. She opened it with the little key she kept also in her drawer. And there it was.

She took it out carefully. So many vivid and nostalgic memories were coming to her. She looked at her silver watch and opened it. Not even knowing a tender smile formed in her lips.

It still works. She laughed.

She saw the hour. She still had fifteen minutes until the meeting started.

"Olaf could you make me a favour?" requested the Queen.

"Sure what can I do?" the snowman said.

"Could you find Kai and tell him I found the Princess and to get everything ready for the meeting?" she explained.

"Of course. I'll see you later guys." And he left.

Elsa looked again at her watch again. I wonder if he still keeps his.

"I didn't know you had a watch. It is very pretty." Anna said curious. "Is that why you are always punctual to everything. I was starting to wonder if you were a living clock just like Kai."

Elsa turned to look at her sister while caressing her watch with care. "Actually it's been a while since I used this watch. Since I had to remain in my room most part of the time I would only use it to see the time I had to go down to dinner. But I stopped using it because…"

"Because you stopped coming down to dinner…" Anna didn't dare to say it. Her face turned sad.

Elsa knew what she meant. She had stopped coming down to dinner since she found out about their parents death.

"I'm so sorry Anna I should have been there with you." Elsa looked at her sister.

….

By the sudden change in the temperature Anna turned to meet Elsa's face. She noticed a single tear coming down of the Queen's cheek. Anna felt sad. Elsa seemed so happy by finding her old watch and then a brief reminder of the late King and Queen of Arendelle had turned her so vulnerable.

"Elsa we've already talked about it. It's not your fault. You were trying to protect me. You were scared to hurt me. And for that I could never blame you." Anna hugged her sister and she returned the hug. The temperature of the room was once again warm.

After separating from the hug both sisters felt more relaxed.

"Thank you Anna. I can't imagine what I would do without you." She was smiling now.

Anna smiled and spoke "You would be fine. But just for the record you can't get rid of me that easily." Both sisters smiled.

...

The meeting with the Royal Council started at least half an hour late. Elsa had arrived five minutes before to the room as she always did. But she never expected that the rest of her councilors would lost track of time since the Great clock of Arendelle was no longer functioning.

So when they meeting finally started Elsa was grateful that at least all of the members of the Council had attended.

"Your Grace, please forgive me, for my tardiness." Said the Minister of Finance as he tried to arrange his spectacles. He was a small man in his forties. At first appearance he looked like a timid and fragile man; but what he lacked in social skills he outnumbered it in calculus. The man was skinny and his only hair was a big gray moustache. He had served to Elsa's father administration; and before that his uncle had served Elsa's grandfather. He shared a fascination for geometry and it was no secret to anybody that he was fascinated by Elsa's snowflakes figures as well. Every time he would see one of the Queen's fractal sculptures his inner child would come out of himself.

"No, apologies needed Lord Rikon. I already requested the Great Clock to be repaired." Said the Queen. "And before everyone tries to apologize about how late she or he was, I think it would be better for all of us to resume into business as soon as possible."

Many exchanged looks but all nodded to Elsa.

"Now, any news about the Southern Islands?" the blonde royal asked.

"Indeed there are, my Queen." Said Lady Eleanor in a sweet and slow voice. She was a very attractive woman who was in her early thirties. Elsa had chosen her not for her looks, though they seemed to be part of the ginger's tools to gain bargains in her favour. The reason Elsa had chosen Eleanor Verden as her Foreign Affairs Minister was because the woman could speak fluently seven languages including some death tongues. She was also commonly known as the Gossip Girl. She knew anything about everything. The only fault about lady Verden was that she just couldn't stop looking herself at the mirror.

"Well?" Elsa said as she set her hands over the table.

"I little birdie told me, that King Henrik has disposed his brother Hans from all his titles and privileges." Said the woman not hiding her pleasure. "And there are rumors that..."

"Ha! That serves right to that son of a b…"

"LADY IRIS!" yelled Bishop Robert who had turned abruptly to look at the person that almost cursed in front of the Queen.

"I was only going to say it serve that right to that son of a biscuit." Said Lady Iris innocently.

Elsa rolled her eyes as she saw once again the typical scolding the priest would give to the old lady. Lady Iris was a very old woman. No one knew for sure her real age, but Elsa could imagine she was quite old since the old lady used to be Elsa's father tutor in History and Culture of Arendelle. And according to her father's anecdotes Lady Iris was already an old wrinkled woman by that time. The old woman might be taking a nap most of the time and her vocabulary might be only proper between marines. But her experience and advice were invaluable. She had even written several books including "Arendelle, a History."

"But she is right. That son of a biscuit deserves to be humiliated." Exclaimed the Captain of the Royal Guard. He was a bulky man with blond hair cut in a military fashion. He was a man in his early thirties; impeccable suit and straight posture. An exceptional military in every way. He was setting some tobacco to his pipe as he spoke.

"Uhm, Captain Jorgen." Said the young Queen calmly. "Could you save that smoke for later if you may?"

"Captain, how many times does Her Majesty needs to remind you that smoking is not allowed in the castle grounds? Or do we need to send you back to school again and learn why it is forbidden?" Exclaimed Lady Eleanor as she took the pipe from the man.

"I remember quite well my History lessons Lady Verden. I was first in my class and I graduated with honours." Blurted out the Captain.

"Then Captain, you must recall that it was a forgotten pipe left in the stables that caused the Great Fire we all study about in school."

"I was not going to lit it!" the blond man yelled.

"Then what?!" the woman asked opening her eyes widely.

"I was just going to put it my mouth unlit. It makes me think better."

"Oh don't be ridiculous Jorgen! You are just making excuses."

I was not….HEY!" exclaimed the man. "Give that back Eleanor!"

The woman opened the window and threw the pipe through it. Soon the Captain was standing angry yelling at her. In the other corner Lady Iris was already snoring loudly with her mouth wide open. Father Robert was trying to clean Lady Iris's spittle from his robes. And next to Elsa, lord Rikon was already deep in his world making draws of smiley faces over his notes.

Elsa cleared her throat. In an instant everyone kept silent and took a sit.

"My ladies, my lords. Shall we continue?"

They all nodded.

"Thank you. Now, Lady Eleanor you were telling us something about Prince Westergard."

"Yes Your Majesty, and I suggest we should start calling him, "former" Prince Wstergard" said the other young woman as she sent a deadly look to Captain Jorgen "As I was saying, King Henrik disposed his youngest brother from titles and my sources tell me, the King has put Hans under house arrest and given him penal servitude. I recently got an owl with some other news. The message said that he was actually given the task of cleaning the stables of the castle. But the last is just a rumor, I'm afraid."

"House arrest? He didn't sentence him to death or at least send him to prison?" Mentioned the Minister of Finance.

"On the contrary, Lord Rickon" mentioned Lady Iris. "The King of the Southern Islands is dealing this very wisely. Former Prince or not. Hans is still a member of the royal family by blood and the King's little brother. Imagine if it were your own younger brother? Being a monarch is not easy."

"Your source better be right Lady Verden, and that Westergard is enjoying his happily ever after alongside his throne made of horse's sh …"

Lady Eleanor cleared her throat.

"Captain, watch that tongue of yours. Must I remind you, there are three" she looked at lady Iris and rolled her eyes, "I mean two…uhm," this time she looked down at herself, " well, at least there is one true lady in this room. And she happens to be the Queen nonetheless. Believe me when I say this Jorgen, nothing would make me feel happier than seeing that man promoting the new fragance of Eau du Cheval. But," Lady Eleanor took out a small mirror from her purse and started to arrange her hair.

"But?" asked Lord Rickon.

The woman closed her mirror and looked at the man.

"Although my sources are very confinable, these are simply rumors. Believe me, when I get the confirmation I will definitely share the information with the Royal Council."

"Fine, fine." Said the Captain. "I just wish I had the opportunity to punch him. But at least Her Highness sent him flying to the freezing water. Prince or not Prince he's still a monster and every monster deserves worst that a pair of metal handkerchiefs if you ask m…"

There was a sudden silence. Everyone had turned to look at the head of the table.

"Queen Elsa, dear. Are you feeling fine? You haven't said anything in a while."

Elsa blinked as she noticed someone had actually asked her a question.

"I...I beg your pardon?" she said as her eyesight focused on the woman. She noticed everyone was looking at her.

"Queen Elsa, is everything fine?" it had been Lady Iris who was calling her. She sounded worried.

Elsa was about to say everything was fine but noticing the breath coming out from their mouths she knew they would never believe her.

"I, I'm sorry." Elsa apologized as she concentrated in Anna's smile and her mother's hugs.

Soon the room returned to its normal warm.

"Your Grace?" that was Lady Eleanor. "Do you need a moment? Maybe we can postpone the …"

"No, thank you for your concern Lady Eleanor." Said Elsa quickly. The least she wanted was to postpone the meeting. "Uhm, is there anything else in schedule Lord Rickon?"

The man dropped his glasses as he heard his name.

"Schedule? Oh right the schedule!" he said as he put his glasses back on. "Yes, there's still pendant the deliberation of the date for the Winter Fair. And we need to analyze the budget for the Winter Ball and…"

As Elsa was pretending to listen during the rest of the meeting part of herself kept thinking about something else. When she had heard about Han's been removed of every title and privileges, she had felt as a heavy burden had suddenly been removed from her shoulders. She even felt the urge to tell Anna about the rumor of Hans cleaning the stables. That was a rumor worth to tell.

But at the mention of the word "monster" she could only remember the time Hans put her in jail. The image of the metal handkerchiefs; Arendelle all frozen over: her desperation to run away: Hans telling her Anna was dead because of her. How, with a single word she had lost control so suddenly?

Words can be stronger than swords Elsa. But they only can hurt us if we let them. The voice of her father made Elsa smile. Even if he was gone his wise words would guide her still.

Hans is the monster not me.

"So Your Majesty, do you have a preference for the Winter Fair day?" said Lord Rickon asked her.

Elsa set aside her thought and decided she needed to concentrate in her duties. She took a deep breath.

This is going to be a long day.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I already had decided the dates, so if the Royal Council approves I have a suggestion to make …."

...

Elsa was exhausted. She threw herself on her bed. The meeting with the Royal Council had took all day. They discussed about whether or not they should maintain social relationships with the Kingdom of the Southern Islands or not. They all had agreed to maintain trades to their minimal. They had totally agreeded in completely breaking trades with the Duke of Weselton. And the preparations for the upcoming Council of the Realms only meant extra work for the young Queen, since Arendelle was hosting once again after fourteen years.

I wish papa would have told me how he managed everything he did.

A knock in her door and voice of Anna made her get up from her bead. "Elsa can you open the door please."

Elsa stood and let her sister enter. Anna was holding a tray with sandwiches, wine and fruit."

"I thought the meeting would take your energies away." She said as she put the tray over the bed. "Sorry I ate almost all the chocolates in my way up." Anna excused herself.

"It doesn't matter, thank you Anna. But you know you are still not of age to drink." The Queen said seeing her sister handing her a glass with wine.

"I know." Anna said grabbing her own glass. That's why mine's got grape juice in it."

They both ate their meals. Anna was telling Elsa about how the other day she went with Kristoff to the park in downtown.

"And we bought some kites, mine was pink and his was orange. He always picks orange." Said Anna giving another bite to her sandwich. "I think the colour reminds him of carrots or something."

Elsa laughed. It has been three months since the Great Thaw and that her sister had started a romantic relationship with the Ice Master. At first Elsa had been doubtful about a man who had been raised by trolls and smelled of reindeer. But she had found in Kristoff a true friend. They shared their love for ice and for Anna. Also they were a bit socially impaired. And as Bulda once expressed they were both a bit of a fixer upper.

"…and the wind blew my kite so high and we ran after it. At the end it hit a tree and fell into the fountain and…" Anna put some more grape juice in her mouth. "Did you knew there is a legend that says the fountain can grant wishes? Kristoff told me if you if throw a coin into the water and make a wish it will become true."

"He forgot to mention that you must have a pure heart so that your wish can come true" Elsa explained.

"That's what the kites' seller told us. How did you know?" Anna asked looking at her sister.

"Well…" the older sister took a sip from her wine "let's just say it's a Queen's duty to know about these things." Elsa said while feeling the inscription in the back of her silver watch unconsciously. "By the way, you won't believe what I heard about Hans today? You are going to love this story."