This is officially the longest chapter I've ever written for this story. I hope you like it!
The next morning, the castle was very quiet. Indi woke from the first rays of sunlight hitting his face through the window.
He rose and put on the simple outfit he brought with him. He yawned, rubbing his eyes. He went over to the washbasin and splashed some water onto his face. He looked in the mirror behind the basin and saw that his scar was not healing; if anything, it seemed to be getting worse, the white veins tracing out slightly further.
Leaving his room, he shut the door quietly and walked through the halls. He only encountered a few servants, all of whom were busying themselves with their duties. He made his way to the courtyard, where he found Sleuther, who was sleeping next to the wall.
Indi smiled and walked over to the dragon, kneeling to pet his head. Sleuther woke, looking over to the knight.
"How are you doing, buddy?" Indi rubbed the dragon's chin. Sleuther yawned, his large teeth glinting in the morning light. An awful smell assaulted Indi's nose.
"Aw, Sleuther!" he said, turning away. "Dragon morning breath…" Sleuther rose, stretching. He walked around Indi, smoke puffing from his nostrils.
"Yeah, c'mon," Indi said. He led the dragon to the stables. Once they reached the passageway, Indi held up a hand. "Stay here, buddy." He ducked in and located Sleuther's saddle, before returning. Working quickly, he strapped the saddle to Sleuther's back.
Sleuther snorted, nudging the young man with his snout.
"I'm coming." He climbed onto Sleuther's back.
Sleuther shot into the air, his wings flapping rhythmically. The wind ripped at Indi's shirt, and his hair blew back. The pair went fishing, before racing a small pod of dolphins, which they easily outpaced.
They glided North, before settling down in a forest, near a small stream.
Sleuther began to drink. Indi joined him, cupping the water in his hands.
The stream was cool and fresh. Indi gathered some branches and sticks and arranged them into a pile.
"Sleuther, would you mind?" The dragon snorted and shot a small blast into the pile, igniting the wood. "Thanks, buddy." he found a stick and peeled the bark off. He began preparing the fish, removing the head, organs, and skin. He gave the refuse to Sleuther, who happily accepted the gift.
He sat back against Sleuther's flank, putting the fish on his stick, and held it out over the flames.
They sat, enjoying the fresh air and the sounds of morning. Birds called in the trees above them, and a frog croaked from somewhere in the vegetation near the stream's bank.
After some time, Indi was satisfied with how cooked the fish was and ate half, giving the other portion to Sleuther.
Indi found a small patch of mint, and plucked one of the leaves, chewing it absentmindedly as he sat on a large rock. Today was the funeral for King Charles so he would need to visit Elsa soon; he'd been able to fumble his way through this visit so far, but the funeral would likely have many more people, all of whom he had to leave a decent impression for, at least for Elsa's sake.
Indi rubbed Sleuther's head. "You're lucky you don't have to deal with this stuff." The dragon rumbled in his throat.
Indi heard some footsteps behind him. He and Sleuther turned to see several families, many were riding horses or being pulled in carts. The carts were largely full of crates and sacks.
They had landed right near a small path. The families stared wide-eyed at the young man and his accompanying dragon.
"Ah…" Indi said. "Hello." Sleuther rose, shaking his head. The families stared, their eyes widening in fear. The horses began to whinny.
"Go! Go!" one of the men in the group said. "Run!"
The group stormed off, hooves pounding and carts clattering down the path.
Indi looked at Sleuther, climbing into his back. "Oh, I have a feeling we'll be hearing about this later."
Indi pat Sleuther's neck and the dragon took flight, gliding back. They were sure to avoid flying over the paths.
Elsa was sitting in a chair. Some of the servants that attended to her yesterday had returned today. They helped her wash, combed her hair, and applied makeup. Princess Olivia had given her a deep violet dress to wear.
She heard a light knocking at the door.
"Come in," she said.
The door opened, revealing a windblown Indi.
"Hello, Queen Elsa," Indi said, immediately noticing the servants. He entered the room and closed the door.
"Sir Indi," Elsa said. "I was wondering where you'd gotten off to. Did you eat something? We missed you at breakfast."
Elsa had eaten with Prince Isak and his family. Princess Selma was slightly crestfallen that Indi had not joined them, as she was hoping to ask more about dragons. Elsa consoled her, explaining that Indi was out, likely flying and getting Sleuther his breakfast.
"Yes," Indi said. "Sleuther and I ate."
Elsa nodded. "Good."
"I have a couple of questions I need to ask you."
Elsa looked at Indi, and the queen waited a moment for the servants to finish her makeup before dismissing them. The servants bowed and left the pair alone. "What's going on?"
"What exactly do I do today?"
Elsa smiled. "Today, you will just need to be present. Support me, and support Queen Isabelle and her family.
"The family and those who knew him will likely have something to say and will give small speeches. I will have something to say as well. Nobody will expect you to say anything."
Indi nodded. "So, just be there and stay quiet."
"That should be alright," Elsa said. "Oh, about Sleuther... please do your best to keep him away from the ceremony."
"Why?" Indi asked. "You act like he's a giant firebreathing reptile."
"I don't want any panics today," Elsa said, tilting her head forward. "These people aren't used to dragons, dinosaurs, or anything like that."
"I understand," Indi said.
"There should be some clothes set in your room," Elsa said. "I'll meet you in the receiving room."
Indi nodded and left, walking down the hall and entering his room. Folded up on the bed was an outfit. He unfolded the clothing and saw a green tunic and matching trousers, with a brown leather vest that had a trim of gold thread.
He changed his clothes and splashed water on his face, attempting to fix his hair into some semblance of neatness.
Once he was satisfied, he made his way down to where Elsa was. Elsa smiled at him.
"You look very handsome, Sir Indi," Elsa said as the knight bowed.
"And you look beautiful as well, Queen Elsa." Indi offered his arm, and Elsa accepted. Elsa noticed that Indi smelled of woodsmoke, likely from his adventures that morning. The scent was not typical of nobility, especially before events, but it wasn't unpleasant. It also suited him.
The servants opened the doors, and the pair walked out, following the other people to the chapel.
Once they arrived, Indi saw that the chapel was very nice. At the front, there was an open casket. Laying inside was the lifeless form of King Charles.
Elsa and Indi were directed to stand by the family, farther from the center. Indi stood at the end.
As Indi stood next to the queen, he noticed that she had applied a light perfume. It took him a moment, but it smelled of flowers; perhaps lilac.
More and more people filtered into the building, until every seat was taken, and then some more. People stood in the aisles, all wishing to take part in this momentous occasion, somber though it was.
The funeral was largely a blur to Indi, only certain portions stood out to him.
Every member of the royal family was donned in black, and with the number of sons that King Charles and Queen Isabelle had, there was a large number of them.
"My father was a most honorable man," Prince Isak said during his turn to speak. "He worked day and night, doing his best to rule over the Southern Isles with justice and intelligence. Once I came of age for him to include my counsel, I worked with him most nights to make sure that the next day would proceed smoothly. Our allies valued his assistance and his courage. He will forever be missed."
Most of the family had largely the same sentiments to give about their deceased patriarch.
Eventually, it was Elsa's turn to speak. She stepped forward and stood in the center. The crowd seemed somewhat surprised that the queen of Arendelle had come, let alone speak, considering what happened between her family and a certain member of the Southern Isles' royal family a few years ago.
"King Charles was truly a great man, presiding over these islands with such grace is no small feat. Admittedly, I did not know him very well, only coming to power a few years prior, yet he was always a joy to see visit Arendelle.
"He always had wonderful input, and I valued his advice should I ever have an issue or dilemma that I could not come to a satisfactory solution to on my own. He will be greatly missed, not only by his family and kingdom but by my kingdom as well."
Elsa stepped back, returning to her spot next to Indi. He gave her a small smile; she had done wonderfully, and certainly better than he could.
After some time, the castle dispersed, and the six eldest princes took the casket each with a bronze handle that was attached to the outside. The procession lifted the casket, and carried it down the center aisle, followed by the rest of the family, which was in turn followed by Queen Elsa and Sir Indi.
As the men carrying King Charles' body started making their way down the stairs of the chapel, the sun had started to go behind some clouds.
The entire group went to a section of fields, surrounded by metal fencing and trees. A large stone with carvings on it sat behind a hole in the ground.
Several ropes were lashed around the casket, and it was gently lowered in.
Each member of the family took a handful of soil, and gently dropped it in, saying their final goodbyes.
Queen Elsa and Sir Indi were also invited to participate.
Once Indi had dropped his handful of dirt in, soil was gently shoveled onto the casket.
He noticed that his chest was tightening. He glanced over and saw a few tears dripping down Elsa's face. He reached over to her, and gently took her hand, which was ice cold. Elsa looked at him and gave a sad smile, entwining her fingers with his.
Indi noticed that many people were weeping silent tears. From behind the rest of the royal family, he saw Prince Hans, who, through a few tears, glared daggers at the visiting couple.
It's odd, a voice said in the back of Indi's head. Putting a body in a box for safekeeping.
Slowly, the crowd dispersed, a few at a time, until only the royal family and the visitors from Arendelle stayed. After some time, Elsa leaned over to Indi and whispered. "Let's let them have some time alone."
Indi agreed, and the pair started to leave. He caught Prince Isak's gaze and gave him a slow nod, to which the man returned with a slight smile through his sorrow.
The pair made their way back to the castle, walking in silence. The town was relatively quiet. Understandably, few people were working today.
It was now mid-afternoon, and Indi's stomach gurgled. Having heard, Elsa snorted in amusement.
"Do you want to go eat?" Elsa said.
"I doubt that the castle staff will be making much until the evening," Indi said. "And even then, I want to give the family their space. We could go out."
Elsa smiled, knowing what Indi was suggesting. "Let's change first. I'd hate to dirty this dress." Indi nodded and they turned a corner, to where they saw several families in a panicked discussion with the castle's general.
"Calm down," Genera Markus said. "One at a time."
"There was a young man in the woods," one man said. "With a giant beast!"
"It had horns," a woman said. "And massive wings, like a demon!"
"Its mouth could have eaten a child whole!" another man said. "Probably even a horse." Elsa looked at Indi after the string of frantic descriptions.
"Hey," Indi said. "That was this morning before you said to leave Sleuther."
Hearing his voice, General Markus looked past the crowd and saw the kingdom's visitors.
"Ah, Sir Indi," he called, bowing. "And Queen Elsa. Sir Indi, please explain to these people that your dragon is harmless."
"If I were to remain honest, I can do no such thing, general," Indi said. "Sleuther is potentially dangerous, but should people give him space, or if I or Her Majesty is present, he is generally quite calm.
"When these fine people encountered us this morning, they took us by surprise. We were not expecting to see anybody. It's not anyone's fault, simply a misunderstanding."
General Markus nodded, turning back to the crowd. "See? There's no danger. Sir Indi was present."
"Though, Sir Indi," Elsa said. "Perhaps we should let Sleuther be, at least for the time being. I'm sure General Markus would rather not deal with a panic, especially on such a day as this."
"You're right," Indi said. The general looked grateful.
Elsa and Indi went inside the castle, leaving General Markus to deal with the crowd.
"I feel I shouldn't be upset with you for scaring those people," Elsa said as they entered the castle's receiving room. "There's nothing you could have done, I think."
"I try not to scare people," Indi said. "Unless they deserve it."
Elsa shook her head, and the pair leisurely walked through the castle walls.
"You gave a very nice speech," Indi said.
"Thank you," Elsa said. "It was a bit short, but I did what I could with such limited time."
The pair passed by a window, where they saw Sleuther glide up to land on one of the roofs of the castle. Indi sighed Elsa glanced over. "I don't think this is the best place for Sleuther. At least right now. He's not dangerous if shown respect, but people are afraid of him. I don't want that." Elsa gave a sad smile.
"Give it time," she said. "He looks intimidating, but I feel no fear."
"Thanks because you're used to giant reptiles," Indi said with a small smile. "Giant flying reptiles that breathe fire isn't that big of a step from there."
Elsa gave a small laugh. "Perhaps not."
Elsa located one of the servants who ranked higher than many others and spoke with gentle authority. "Sir Indi and I request lunch," she said. "Nothing overly extravagant. We don't need much."
"Of course," the man said. "I will tell the kitchen immediately. Where might I find you to let you know it's ready?"
"We will be in the room that was given to me," Elsa said. "If it could be brought there, I believe that would be ideal. There's no need to get the entire dining hall ready."
The servant nodded, bowed with a smile, and walked off.
Elsa led Indi to her room and the pair entered. Elsa browsed the selection of books that were offered on a small shelf. Elsa found one, and Indi located some paper, a pen, and an ink well that were in the small reading desk. They sat together on a small sofa. As Elsa read, Indi used a book as a makeshift table to draw on.
After a short time, Elsa glanced over at Indi to see what he was working on. Scattered across the paper was a series of small drawings of dragons.
Indi's work was simple, yet each image was identifiable. She made out the images of a Deadly Nadder, a Night Fury, a Changewing, a Razorwhip, a Terrible Terror, and a Triple Stryke.
He seemed to be working on a small image of a Whispering Death, adding the spines over its snakelike body. Rather than illustrating the more intimidating dragons with their mouths open, he made them with their mouths closed.
Elsa said nothing, closing her book and moving closer.
"Just something simple," Indi said. "Nothing like the ones you drew, but…" He shrugged.
"They're nice," Elsa said.
"Would you like to label them?"
"I would," Elsa said, gently taking the paper from Indi. Indi dipped the pen into the inkwell and handed it to the queen. Elsa began writing the names of each of the dragons near the appropriate pictures, her penmanship nearly flawless.
A knock on the door sounded into the room, followed by a voice. "Your Majesty?"
"Enter," Elsa said.
Into the room came a few servants, carrying trays of food: some small sandwiches, some bowls of soup, and a small kettle of tea with associated cups.
Elsa nodded and dismissed the servants who left with a bow.
As the pair began to eat, a thought came to Indi.
"Elsa, I've been thinking."
"That's dangerous," Elsa said as she took a spoonful of soup into her mouth, before noticing Indi's somewhat serious face. "What's wrong?"
"I'm thinking about going back north," Indi said. "I want to be with the dragon riders."
Elsa's gaze dropped, and she set her spoon down. "You like it up there with them."
Indi nodded, sighing. "I do."
Elsa set her hand on Indi's. "I'm sure something can be arranged." She gently touched the scar on Indi's cheek, tracing the white veins with a finger. "You really should get this looked at."
Aw, that's nice, the voice said.
Indi nodded. "I know."
"Perhaps when we return, Grand Pabbie can take a look at it," Elsa said.
Indi smiled softly. "Perhaps."
The pair spent the rest of the day together, eating dinner in the same fashion.
After they had finished, Indi rose. "I'm going to take Sleuther out for our evening flight. Would you like to join us?"
Elsa smiled. "Of course."
The pair left her room and walked down the halls and into the courtyard. Indi was surprised to see quite a few people milling about in the courtyard. Though the sky was dark, many torches and lanterns provided plenty of light. Glancing up at the castle's roof, he saw Sleuther looking down at the people below.
"Let's get him out of here for a bit," Indi said.
"I'll call him down," Elsa said. "Why don't you go get his saddle." Indi nodded and walked off. Elsa put her finger and her thumb inside her lips and blew, the sharp tone getting not only the dragon's attention but also the attention of everyone else in the courtyard. Sleuther looked straight at the queen and jumped down, opening his wings. As he glided down, people shouted and scrambled to get out of the way.
Sleuther flapped his wings a few times as he descended, landing right in front of Elsa. "Hello, Sleuther," Elsa said, holding out her hand. The dragon gently placed his nose underneath her hand, rumbling in his throat.
"Hey, buddy," Indi said as he returned with the saddle. He worked quickly, placing the saddle on Sleuther's back and securing the straps around his body.
Indi helped Elsa up onto the saddle, and he climbed up to sit in front of her. Elsa placed her hands on Indi's shoulders, and Indi gripped the front of the saddle. "Let's go, Sleuther!" The dragon sprung into the air, soaring high.
The pair hung on as Sleuther took flight, his wings flapping. They soared out over the castle walls, over the buildings outside, and out over the ocean. As their eyes adjusted, the light of a full moon glinted off the surface of the small waves. Sleuther dove towards the water, releasing a jet of fire, and snapping up the floating fish.
After a few more passes, Sleuther climbed higher in the air. Indi directed Sleuther over the other large islands that made up the kingdom, each one lit by various lanterns, candles, and torches in the night. The settlement of each island was surrounded by a large wall, in some places it came right up the water's edge. Consistently, the only areas where it did not, were places like ferries and docks for ships.
Elsa wrapped her arms around Indi's torso and rested her chin on his shoulder. Indi leaned back slightly, feeling Elsa's body press up against his.
Sleuther glided over one of the settlements quietly. Indi breathed in deeply, before sighing.
"I don't want you to be unhappy, Indi," Elsa said. "If there's anything I can do to make you more comfortable, tell me. Alright?"
Indi nodded. "I will. I just need to work through some things. Figure out what I need."
Elsa rubbed his shoulder. "I'm here for you."
Indi looked back at her and gave her a sad smile. "Do you… do you think my mother would be proud of me?"
Elsa's eyes widened. "Of course, Indi." Where was this coming from?
"I'm just not sure," he said. "I wonder if she would be happy about the things in my life." Elsa pulled Indi close, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"Indi," the queen said softly into his ear. "If your mother is anything like you've said she is, I'm sure she'd be so happy with everything you've done."
Indi turned his head to give Elsa a quick peck on the cheek. "Let's head back." Indi guided Sleuther back to the castle. The dragon landed in the courtyard, people still giving him a wide berth with quite a few fearful looks, yet no one panicked.
Indi helped Elsa down from Sleuther's back and removed the dragon's saddle.
Sleuther took flight, landing on one of the castle rooftops once more, apprehensively looking down at the crowd.
Indi hung his dragon's saddle in the stables, and the pair entered the castle. Indi walked with Elsa to her room. The pair stood in silence for a moment.
"Goodnight, Elsa," Indi said.
"Goodnight, Indi," Elsa returned. "I'll see you in the morning."
Indi nodded gently as Elsa went into her room. Indi sighed and walked back down the hall from where they came, meandering through the castle with no clear direction.
We need to go hunting, the voice said.
"No," Indi said quietly. "After what happened this morning, we don't need people to see me going hunting."
Why not? the voice asked, goading him. We are a predator.
"Perhaps you are," Indi hissed. "I'm more than that."
You may think that, the voice said, almost with an audible sneer. But deep down, how much can you deny? What will it take for you to accept it again?
"Go away," Indi said.
A voice from outside his head sounded out. "Who are you talking to?" Indi turned to see Prince Hans. Indi did his best to hide his scowl. He could tell that the young prince had been crying recently, though Hans seemed to be trying to hide it.
"The voices in my head," Indi deadpanned. Hans squinted his eyes at Indi in the dark hallway, which was only lit by a few lanterns and candles. "I thought your brother told you to stay away from me?"
"What he doesn't know won't hurt him," Hans said dismissively.
Indi scowled. "What do you want?"
Hans snorted. "We all know what you're doing. You want the queen so you can build a little haven for you and your monster friends."
"'I want the'..?" Indi began, furrowing his brow. "The haven just sort of happened. As far as Queen Elsa goes, she's been absolutely lovely. I don't want anything from her."
"Really?" Hans said, leaning back on the wall. "Then what about your knighthood? Likely the result of some blackmail so that she could court you without political backlash… at least, not too much of it."
"I got my knighthood because I worked for it," Indi said firmly. "Perhaps you should try it sometime."
Hans gave the knight a dismissive wave. "Please, I'm a prince, and I should be king."
"Unlikely," Indi said.
Hans frowned. "I was going to be king of Arendelle."
"Yeah, and how well did that work out?" Indi asked.
Hans disregarded Indi's question. "We all know that you've been using Queen Elsa in… certain ways, let's say."
Indi felt his hand clench and his claws extend. "I would mind your tongue if I were you. Your brother wouldn't appreciate this."
"Listen here," Hans said, grabbing Indi by the collar and lifting. "Who do you think you are to order me what to do? I'm a prince. You are a lowly peasant who managed to weasel his way into some semblance of power."
Just rip his head off, the voice said. It could be argued as self-defense at this point.
"Let's say you're right," Indi said, resisting the temptation to commit murder. "If that's true, then I'm a lowly peasant who got closer to the throne of Arendelle than you ever did. All without damaging my family and my kingdom's reputation."
Suddenly, Indi felt something hard connect with his face with surprising force.
"P-prince Hans!" a voice said from nearby. Indi looked over to see General Markus holding a small lantern and staring at the pair of men, stunned. Indi's face stung, and he blinked away tears.
Realizing he'd been caught, Hans dropped him, stalking down the hall.
The knight rubbed his cheekbone. "I'm not sure how much of that you heard."
"I heard most of it," General Markus said, stepping closer. "Apparently you struck a nerve, though I can't say it was unwarranted."
Indi sighed. "Perhaps I should have kept quiet and agreed." General Markus scowled, though not at Indi.
"Please come with me," he said. Indi nodded, and the pair of men walked through the halls, descending a flight of stairs. The general led the knight to a door and knocked. From inside the room, a woman's voice responded. "Come in."
The general opened the door, and inside were Prince Isak, Princess Olivia, and Queen Isabelle. They were still dressed in black, and they seemed to have been in a quiet discussion.
"I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, Your Majesties," General Markus said with a bow. "But this requires immediate attention."
"What is it, general?" Prince Isak asked. Queen Isabelle, narrowed her eyes at Indi and rose, slowly walking over to him. She motioned for the general to raise his lantern.
"Sir Indi," she said, gently touching the mark that was already forming on his face. Indi flinched away at her touch. "What happened?"
"I've had worse," Indi said in a feeble attempt to placate the queen.
"That wasn't my question."
Indi sighed, before relaying what had just occurred with Prince Hans. Queen Isabelle was soon fuming.
"What Sir Indi says is true, Your Majesties," Markus said. "I heard almost all of it myself, and I did witness Hans strike him."
"Where is he?" Isak growled.
"He walked off," Markus said. "I'm not sure where he is now."
"Come with me," Isak said. Markus nodded, and the pair of men and Queen Elsa stormed out of the room, leaving Indi with Princess Olivia.
They stayed silent for a few uncomfortably awkward moments.
"I guess I won't be able to hide this from Queen Elsa," Indi said, motioning to his face.
Princess Olivia smiled with pity. "Likely not."
"Did I do something wrong to deserve this?" Indi asked. "I've never been very good with royal protocol and whatnot."
Olivia shook her head. "No. And even if you did something wrong, you did not deserve to get hit. Even more so since you are our guest." She motioned for him to sit next to her. Indi sat down on the small sofa next to the princess. "May I?"
Indi nodded, and the princess gently took his face in her hands, gently turning his head this way and that, examining his face.
"You will certainly have an ugly bruise on your face," she said. "He also opened up your scar. There will be no hiding this. I suspect you are not a fan of makeup."
Indi shook his head. "I've never worn it, and I don't plan to. It'd probably just get ruined with the amount of dragon-riding I do."
"Hm. Yes, Queen Elsa will likely have something to say about this." The princess released Indi's face and sank down. "As if we couldn't sink any lower."
"It's not your fault," Indi said. "You didn't punch me in the face."
"No, but a guest was attacked under our roof, by a member of the family."
Indi rested his hand on the princess's. "I'm sure Queen Elsa will be understanding, but you might want to dress warmly when she finds out."
The next morning, Indi heard a knock at his door. He groaned, his face still hurting. Rolling over, he ignored the noise.
The sound crashed into his head again. He clumsily grabbed a pillow and threw it at the door.
"Go away," he mumbled.
He heard the door open and he burrowed his aching face into the one pillow he had left.
"Indi?" a woman's voice said.
Indi recognized that voice, the events of the previous evening coming back to him. He mentally prepared himself and sat up.
"Good mor-" Elsa stopped, her eyes widening. "What happened?!"
"It's nothing major," Indi said, once again trying to placate a royal.
"Indi," Elsa said. "What happened?"
"Don't get upset," Indi said. Elsa crossed her arms expectantly. Indi filled her in on what occurred last night. Elsa's face went from worried to angry.
"Are you mad?" he asked tentatively, feeling the room grow colder.
Elsa stayed silent for just a second. "No, I'm not mad. I'm furious!"
She turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door, ice shooting from the door as it impacted. The doorframe was coated in icicles. Indi sprung out of bed and hurriedly got dressed.
He rushed out of his room, and dashed down the hall, following a trail of frost on the floor. As he ran, he attempted to fix his hair.
Elsa stalked down the hall, her eyes blazing. Several of the castle's servants scurried away as they felt the temperature drop and saw her coming.
She descended the castle stairs, making her way to where she knew she would find the royal family.
Footsteps came up behind her, accompanied by a familiar voice.
"Elsa," Indi said.
Elsa slowed her steps and glanced back at Indi. It was bad enough that he was struck, let alone punched by a member of their host's family. The honor of the Southern Isle's royal family was hanging on by a thread.
She had approached the doors to the dining hall when Indi grabbed the queen's wrist and pulled her into a hug. He shivered at the contact with Elsa when she was in such a state, but he persevered. "I'm fine," he said as he held her.
Elsa stood stiff for a moment, before relaxing slightly and gently wrapping her arms around Indi, careful to not freeze him.
Perhaps she was being too rash, but only slightly. What had happened was unacceptable, but she didn't need to go about seeking justice via angry retribution.
Elsa sighed. "I'm alright, Indi." She pulled away slightly so Indi could see her face and forced a smile, though seeing the ugly injuries on his face nearly made her anger return in full force. Nearly.
Indi gave a small smile. "Let's go eat."
Elsa nodded, taking a breath to calm her emotions.
One of the servants nearby glanced at Indi and opened the door. "Presenting Queen Elsa and Sir Indi Rex of Arendelle."
The pair entered together. Looking at the table, Elsa saw Queen Isabelle sitting at the head of the table, with Prince Isak and Princess Olivia sitting on either side of her. The children were absent, likely eating with their governess.
Perfect; the adults had things to discuss.
"Queen Elsa," Prince Isak said, rising. "Sir Indi. Please sit."
The pair sat together, Elsa taking the chair at the far end of the table from Queen Isabelle. Indi sat between Elsa and Princess Olivia.
Queen Isabelle cleared her throat, clearly nervous. "Queen Elsa, we have something to tell you."
"If it's about what happened last night, Indi told me what happened," Elsa said.
The tension in the room was palpable; Indi felt as though he could scrap the tension out of the air with a knife and smear it on bread.
"We are deeply sorry," Prince Isak said.
"Prince Hans was specifically told to stay away from you and Sir Indi. Clearly, he did not listen."
Elsa frowned.
"I'd say he targeted me because he knows he can catch me alone," Indi says. "I also don't have magic."
"So, he knew he had better chances," Olivia said.
Elsa frowned. "Hans is lucky Sleuther didn't see this. I am almost certain that that dragon would have killed him."
"That might honestly be better," Prince Isak said under his breath.
"Isak!" Queen Isabelle said.
"What? The fool continues to sink lower, and he's dragging all of us down with him. Sooner or later, we'll drown. He left Princess Anna to die, he tried to kill Queen Elsa, and he shot one of Sir Indi's closest friends. And now he's attacked Sir Indi, who is an invited guest in our home."
"You needn't remind me," Queen Isabelle said, years brimming in her eyes. "I am not able to deal with any more heartbreak, Isak."
Elsa's heart went out to the queen. Though Hans was definitely in the wrong on all counts, his mother still loved him. On the other hand, Prince Isak, though the relationship was clearly strained, cared for his brother, yet also had to look out for the kingdom, which had a very tarnished reputation.
"Then what do you suppose we do?" Isak said. "We can't let him off with simply working in the stables again, Mother."
The room fell silent for a time until Indi spoke. "Speaking of which, where is Hans?"
"We don't know," Princess Olivia said. "He disappeared last night."
Elsa frowned. "Of course he did."
"I have guards scouring the castle and the surrounding area as we speak," Queen Isabelle said.
After breakfast, Elsa and Indi spent most of the day together. They went for a lovely morning flight on Sleuther, which he seemed to enjoy.
They then spent some time in the castle gardens. Elsa had sat down and leaned back against a tree. Indi lay down next to her, resting his head on her lap. The pair were soon joined by Sleuther, who curled up next to them. Indi gave the dragon a gentle pat, grateful for his presence.
"He's scaring people, Indi," Elsa said, petting the dragon's head. Other nobles had arrived in the kingdom and were enjoying the castle's gardens as well. She noticed the fearful look that they were giving Sleuther.
Indi closed his eyes. "They'll never get used to him if he's not around."
Elsa shook her head and chuckled, combing her fingers through Indi's hair. "Yes, but don't you think there's a better way?"
"No," Indi said. "Unless you'd like me to let him roam through the castle halls. Although, now that I mention it…" He gave the queen a mischievous smile.
"Banish those thoughts from your mind, Indi," Elsa said, patting his head.
"You're no fun," Indi said. Sleuther rumbled, looking into the distance.
"What is it, boy?" Elsa said, looking in the same direction. She saw a servant boy walking up to them. "Indi." Indi looked at the boy and sat up.
The boy bowed. "Your Highness, my lord. I've been sent to tell you that your clothes have been set in your rooms for the coronation and ball tonight."
"Thank you," Elsa said. The boy bowed again, before turning and he left. The queen turned to her companion. "Shall we?"
Indi nodded and rose, helping Elsa to her feet. "Come on, Sleuther."
The dragon looked at Indi for a moment, before laying his head down.
"Don't eat anybody," Indi said. "Elsa would hate needing to explain that." Sleuther snorted, closing his eyes.
"He'll be fine as long as people stay away from him," Elsa said. "That shouldn't be too hard." The pair walked back into the castle and made their way to their respective rooms. Two handmaidens had joined Elsa and went with her.
Indi saw that on his bed was a pile of clothes: a brown leather vest, a pair of trousers, and a shirt, both deep red.
He removed the clothes he wore that morning, washed himself with a damp rag, and put on the supplied outfit.
He examined himself in a mirror, attempting to fix his hair. He looked at the bruise and scar on his face and smiled.
He shrugged and left his room.
As he walked down the halls, he felt a strange tingle in his face on his freshly-opened scar. He instinctively twisted his face and rubbed his cheek, careful not to get blood on his hand.
He stood by an open window, watching as the sun started to sink towards the horizon.
After a short while, he heard gentle footsteps walking up behind him. He turned and saw Elsa. She had been bathed, her hair still slick with water, yet it was put up tight in a braided bun. She wore a red gown, with a white lace collar. She also wore a necklace that was entwined with small diamonds. Indi smiled and bowed.
"Queen Elsa," he said, taking note of the various noblemen and women that were nearby. "Lovely as always."
"And you as well, Sir Indi," Elsa said with a gentle smile. Just as he did the day before, Indi offered his arm to the queen, and the pair walked down the halls and descended the stairs, passing various people who stepped aside and bowed to Queen Elsa and her companion.
The pair went to the chapel once more. They found their seats in the front row of the pews. More and more people crowded into the room, once again wanting to witness history.
The room continued to fill, making Indi feel increasingly uncomfortable, it was one thing to be in front of the room, but being among a massive crowd bothered him in a way that he could not explain. His leg started to bounce unconsciously.
Noticing his nerves, Elsa reached over and took his hand, calming him slightly.
A man wearing a white robe stood at the front of the room. Indi vaguely understood him to be some sort of priest. He began speaking in a language that Indi had no way of understanding.
Once he seemed to finish, several people in raised seats at the front of the room began signing in the same unusual language.
Behind the choir was a massive stained-glass window, each small section a different color. Behind the window, casting a faint shadow seemed to be the head of a dragon or some other large reptilian creature. He blinked, and the shadow disappeared. He glanced over at Elsa, who made no indication that she saw it as well.
Extremely slightly so that no one could tell, he mouthed to himself. "Was that you?"
Maybe, the voice said. But, more likely, maybe not.
After a short while, the doors at the back of the chapel opened. Everyone turned to see Prince Charles slowly walk down the aisle. He stood at the front of the room, kneeling in front of the man in white. The man was handed a golden crown with various jewels embedded in it by a young boy, who supported it on a silk pillow.
The priest took the crown and set it on Prince Isak's head.
Isak rose and turned to the crowd.
"Presenting His Majesty, King Isak of the Southern Isles!" the priest announced loudly. The room surrounding Indi erupted into loud applause and cheering.
Indi stood near the wall of the ballroom, watching the room in front of him, sipping from a cup of water. The room was hot and slightly stuffy from the amount of warm bodies inside it. A band of musicians played nearby, and several couples danced in perfect unison to the music.
He and Elsa had already congratulated the now-King Isak on his coronation. Elsa explained privately that he technically had been king ever since his father passed, but this coronation ceremony made it socially official.
Glancing about the room, he caught Elsa talking with a pair of nobles, who seemed surprised to see her here in the Southern Isles.
Elsa shook her head, smiling, and gestured over to Indi. The nobles she was talking to looked over at him. He slightly raised his cup in greeting. Elsa tilted her head and excused herself, before walking over to him.
"Hey," she said quietly. "Are you okay?"
"I'm alright," Indi said, sipping his drink. "You don't look it," she said, gently placing a cooling hand on Indi's forehead for a moment. He closed his eyes and sighed, thankful for the release from the warmth of the room. A servant came by, tipping his head and offering a plate of drinks to Elsa. The queen selected one, and the servant bowed once more and moved on.
Elsa sipped the liquid, which turned out to be a very nice wine.
"I'll be alright," Indi said, watching the people dance, before turning to Elsa and giving a weak smile. "Go have fun."
She placed a hand on his cheek, examining his injuries for a moment. "Is this bothering you?"
"No more than it should be," Indi said. He reached up and took her hand, squeezing gently. "I've been through worse. You know that."
"I know," Elsa said. "You just seem somewhat standoffish tonight."
"You know I'd rather be flying," he said quietly.
"We'll go later," Elsa said, turning to leave. "If you need anything, come find me."
"I will," Indi said, watching the woman leave. He looked at the crowd for a few moments, before noticing a group of young women watching him closely. He raised his cup and nodded at them, which caused them to giggle.
"Flirting with the local women, Sir Indi?" a familiar voice said. He turned and saw it was Olivia, now Queen of the Southern Isles, walking up to him. Indi smiled and bowed, before shaking his head slightly, looking away.
"They have no idea what they'd be in for," Indi said with a chuckle. "There's not many people who would actually be able to handle a dragon rider for a friend. Queen Elsa is special, in that regard; she tolerates my… shenanigans, let's say… quite well."
"Yes, that's the only reason she's special," Queen Olivia said with a smile.
Indi took another sip of his water. "Where's Princess Selma?"
"Over there," Queen Olivia said. Indi looked in the direction she indicated, and saw the young princess, dancing happily with one of her uncles.
"Ah," Indi said. "Should I forget, please remind me in the morning. I have something for her."
Olivia's eyes brightened. "A gift?"
"Something along those lines."
The new queen nodded. They stood together in silence for a moment, observing the dancing crowd.
"Do you dance, Sir Indi?"
"Extremely rarely," Indi said with a chuckle. "Unless Queen Elsa puts on an event where I have to be present, I'm generally busy with my other duties." The current song that was playing ended. After a moment, another one was started, and various couples entered the center of the room.
"Well, since you are here," Queen Olivia said. "May I have this dance?"
Indi shrugged and smiled. "Who am I to refuse a queen on her husband's coronation day?" He set his cup down and offered Olivia a hand, which she accepted. Indi noticed that her skin was cool to the touch, though not anywhere near Elsa's.
The pair stood in the center of the room, surrounded by other couples. Olivia took his left hand in her right and placed her left hand on Indi's shoulder. After quickly glancing about the other couples, Indi placed his right hand on the queen's waist.
As the pair spun slowly with the other couples, Indi was careful not to step on the queen's toes. He looked at the queen's face, smiling softly, which earned him a smile in return. Through his peripheral, he saw Elsa watching them, smiling. She was standing near King Isak, the man nodding in approval.
As the dancing pair turned, Indi saw some men frowning at the sight of him and the queen. Indi bemused that they were likely upset that they had been denied the apparent honor of dancing with her. Another possibility was that they disapproved of this strange man who was dancing with the queen since he was so beneath her in their eyes. It was likely a combination of the two reasons for some of the men.
Elsa watched, smiling. She was very happy to see Indi partake in the festivities, and dancing with the queen would make her kingdom look good as well, which was a nice bonus.
Halfway through the song, outside of the large set of double doors, the sound of people screaming echoed into the room. The music stopped, and everyone looked at the doors in horrid curiosity.
suddenly, a large dragon burst into the room. People scrambled back in fear, doing their best to avoid the beast. Sleuther looked about, quickly locating Indi, and charged the young man, throwing a saddle at his head. Queen Olivia quickly backed away as Indi ducked the improvised projectile. Indi put his hands out, trying to calm the dragon.
"Hey, hey!" he said. "What's going on, Sleuther?"
The dragon roared in his face, and jumped over the young man, landing behind him. He grabbed the saddle in his teeth and held it out. Indi took it, and quickly put it on Sleuther's back. Elsa slowly began to make her way to the dragon, the people in the room around her terrified.
Indi tightened the straps around the dragon. As he stood up, Sleuther ducked his head between Indi's legs, throwing the young knight onto his back.
'Watch the horns!' Indi exclaimed. He glanced at Elsa, and Sleuther stormed off.
King Isak approached Elsa. "That was..." Elsa looked at the door the dragon and knight vanished out of.
"Something is wrong," she said, running out of the ballroom after her companions.
Indi hung on as Sleuther ran down the hall, servants scrambling out of the way. The dragon burst out of the doors into the courtyard and Indi saw, General Markus standing on the wall, overlooking the ocean with a telescope. The sun has begun to set over the horizon. Sleuther leaped up into the wall, catching the general's attention. Indi dismounted, and Sleuther kept low, just peering over the top of the wall. A low growl came from his throat.
"General," Indi said, directing Sleuther to the ground behind the wall.
"Sir Indi Rex," Markus said, passing the telescope to the knight. "Do you see what I see out there?"
Indi raised the telescope to his eye and adjusted it slightly. What he saw made his heart drop into his stomach. A small fleet of large ships with burlap sails were making their way towards the Southern Isles. He recognized the style of the ships and the symbols on the sails. No wonder Sleuther came to get him.
"Dragon hunters," Indi said, noticing Elsa, King Isak, and a few others coming up onto the wall with them.
The men on the ships were preparing weapons and ballistae.
"You've encountered these men before?" Markus said.
"We have," Indi said, passing the telescope to Elsa, who peered through.
"Like back in Arendelle, they're probably here under orders from another," Elsa said.
"For what?" Isak said. "We don't have any dragons here, aside from yours."
"Humans for their experiments," Indi said. More soldiers were arriving in the walls. Suddenly, a ball of fire flew from the flagship, smashing into the wall, the stone crumbling.
People shouted as the wall shook.
"Men!" General Markus shouted. "Prepare for battle! Quickly! Close the gates, barricade the ports!"
"We can help," Elsa said.
The general looked at the woman for a moment, seeming to quickly mull it over. "Go."
"Elsa," Indi said, throwing protocol into the fire. "Barricade the docks and the shoreline. Don't let them get close."
"What about you?" Elsa said as she manifested a slide of ice down from the wall to the shore.
"They're expecting human resistance," Indi said. "Not a dragon."
Elsa nodded and kissed Indi quickly on the cheek. "Stay safe."
"You too," Indi said as the queen jumped off the wall, sliding down her ice and running towards the shore.
"With all due respect, Sir Indi," King Isak said. "You have one dragon. Is that really going to make a difference?"
Bolts and large spears clattered against the wall. One man yelled as he was struck in the shoulder between two pieces of armor.
"I don't think we have a choice, Your Majesty," Genera Markus said as he loaded a crossbow.
"General Markus," Indi said. "Give us some cover fire, and we'll do what we can." The man gave a single nod and Indi jumped down from the wall, landing on Sleuther. The dragon roared and sprung into the air, shooting over the heads of the men on the wall.
Elsa looked up, seeing Sleuther shoot over above her head. She ran along, skating on a path of ice. She threw her left hand out, the ice growing from the shore for several hundred feet, large spears of icicles crowding the edge. She quickly reached the docks, blocking the water near them with thick spears of ice as well.
Once she was satisfied, she ran back to the wall and conjured a flight of stairs, which she ran up as she manifested it. Once she reached the top, she waved her wand and the ice stairs disappeared.
"Loose!" General Markus said. The soldiers living the wall fired their bows and crossbows at the approaching ships, some of which had started to reach her ice.
The flagship crashed up onto it.
Elsa scowled and stood up on the edge of the wall. Holding out her hands, she flicked her wrists upwards, and the flagship was raised from the water, the hull being pierced by long spears of ice.
Indi hung onto the saddle as Sleuther shot forward, the wind blowing his hair back from his face. A volley of arrows followed them, flying towards the ships.
He leaned forward. "Ready, Sleuther?" the dragon snarled and folded his wings. He dove, shooting over the ship. He came close shooting by the hull of one of the ships. The men on the ships' decks scrambled, clearly taken by surprise by the presence of a dragon. With a mighty roar, Sleuther unleashed a thick jet of flame, igniting the sails and deck of another ship. The men on the ships yelled in terror, the flames licking towards them.
Sleuther banked away, Indi hanging on.
The dragon banked towards another ship, igniting the sails and mast, as arrows rained down from the castle.
The element of surprise was over, and the men in the ships began to organize, aiming their weapons at Sleuther. Several bolas were launched at them, the projectiles spinning into the ocean and Sleuther dodged them.
Sleuther shot into the air, angling into a barrel roll.
Elsa watched as two more ships landed at the edge of the ice and men jumped from the boat, carrying swords, ropes, and other weapons. Off at the fleet, she watched as Sleuther burned a deck, before flying into the air, flames and smoke trailing behind him.
Several more large stones slammed into the wall nearby, causing it to crumble into large pieces of rubble.
"They broke through!" General Markus shouted as he fired his crossbow, his aim true, the bolt striking a man in the eye through his visor. The attacking dragon hunter fell, his head cracking audibly on the ice. "Guard the opening! Don't let them through!"
Elsa watched as the men charged across her ice towards the castle. With a wave of her hand, some of the ice in front of them disappeared, and several fell into the water.
She watched as Sleuther flew along the hull of an already burning ship, burning the wood with an intense jet of fire. Banking away, the dragon flew over a section of charging dragon hunters, lighting the men on fire with a blast.
Sleuther and Indi shot over the castle, turning hard, and went in for another attack.
Sleuther came in close to a line of men. The hunters were ready and raised their shields. The dragon inhaled and roared, but the men stayed standing, unscathed. Elsa's eyes widened in realization.
"Why didn't Sir Indi's dragon attack?" King Isak asked, firing a crossbow.
"Dragons have a certain number of times that they can attack with fire," Elsa said. "And Sleuther just hit his shot limit."
Another large stone was launched from the ships and smashed into the castle, splintering wooden beams and widening the hole. Several men scrambled to vacate the area.
Elsa put her finger and her thumb into her mouth and whistled. Once she saw Sleuther bank towards her, she began to run along the castle walls.
"Queen Elsa!" Isak shouted.
Around her, everything seemed to slow down. Her shoes clicked on the wooden planks that lined the wall's walkway. Her heart thumped loudly in her ears. Around her, the screams of injured men seemed to fade. The wind blew her dress, and an arrow whizzed by her, ripping the bodice of her dress. She glanced at the approaching dragon, his eyes narrowing. Once she reached the hole in the wall, she jumped.
She hung in the air for one heartbeat, then another. She closed her eyes as she began to fall, before being ripped out of the air.
"Elsa!" Indi's voice said from above her through the wind.
The queen opened her eyes to see that Sleuther had grabbed her with his pincers.
"Good boy, Sleuther!" Elsa said, reaching up. Indi reached down and took Elsa's hand, pulling the queen up to sit behind him.
"We're out of fire," Indi said as Elsa hung onto his shoulders.
"I know," Elsa said, ducking as arrows shot by them. "Get me in close."
Indi glanced back and nodded. "Go, Sleuther!" The dragon roared and dove. Elsa reached her arm out and let a stream of her magic fly from her hand, which caused the ice in front of the dragon hunters to sprout giant spikes.
"That should buy the soldiers some time," Elsa said. "To the ships!"
Indi directed Sleuther towards the invading ships. As they shot by, Elsa conjured ice on one of the masts, causing it to crack and fall.
Sleuther banked and his passengers leaned in unison. As they passed by close to the charging hunters, Elsa punched at them, unleashing her magic in conjunction with the Southern Isles' weaponry.
Suddenly, the pair saw that a small group of hunters had gotten through Elsa's icy defenses and were climbing the wall.
Sleuther wheeled towards the castle.
Elsa watched as the hunters reached the top of the wall, where General Markus and his men fired their bows, knocking some of the men down, before drawing their swords. Sleuther zipped by, knocking the men off the wall with his tails. Markus stabbed one of the invaders in the face, and Sleuther grabbed the now-bleeding man in his jaws, savaging him, before dropping the lifeless body.
Indi saw Markus saluting the dragon as they shot away.
suddenly, an arrow shot right by Markus and embedded itself in King Isak's leg. The king yelled, falling to the ground as dragon hunters stormed onto the wall. Markus stood in front of his king, brandishing his sword.
"Go, Sleuther!" Elsa yelled. The dragon swung back to the castle walls, roaring. Elsa shot her hands out, punching into the air, her magic striking the area in front of General Markus, the area exploding into spiked ice.
Sleuther landed between the hunters and the king and his men, roaring ferociously. He swung his three tails forward, stabbing a trio of men and injecting them with venom.
Elsa jumped from the dragon's back.
Sleuther grabbed three more men, one in each pincer and one in his jaws, before throwing them from the wall. He knocked another man from the wall with his snout and chased away one more, his jaws snapping at the man's heels.
Elsa and General Markus helped King Isak to his feet as Indi and Sleuther took flight once more.
"Let's get you inside," Elsa said.
"Guards!" Markus said. "Two of you miserable louts! Get the king inside!"
Indi hung on as Sleuther flew over the ice. The dragon hunters' ranks had been thinned out, and several were retreating.
The dragon flew over the town and landed. Everybody seemed to be inside, which was probably best. Indi glanced about and saw a hooded figure talking to some dragon hunters.
How did they get to shore?
Indi dismounted and stalked them quietly.
"You were supposed to disrupt the celebrations and remove my brother," a familiar voice said.
"We did what we could," another voice said. "You failed to mention that there would be a dragon here."
"Well, I didn't know there would be a dragon here," Hans said.
"No matter," the voice said. "We've breached the wall. Our men should be raiding everything as we speak."
"Good, Mister Hoskins," Hans said.
Indi's heart dropped at that name. He had not heard it in what felt like years.
"And what of these three?" Hoskins asked.
"Take them with you," Hans said. "Your employer could find a use for them, especially the woman. I'm sure your men wouldn't mind her company as well." Indi crept closer and saw Queen Olivia and her children bound and gagged.
Hans turned to see Indi. "You!"
Indi snarled. "Let. Them. Go."
"Indi?" Hoskins said, looking at the young man. "You're supposed to be dead!"
Indi grabbed the closest dragon hunter and threw him against the side of a building. Sleuther darted forward, grabbing one hunter with his jaws and stinging another with his tails.
Indi felt something hard slam into his head, making him fall to the ground. Hans drew a knife and placed the point between Indi's ribs.
Elsa darted out of the castle, looking for Indi. She was accompanied by General Markus and several soldiers. They had seen Sleuther land, and apparently, Queen Olivia and her children were missing.
Most of the dragon hunters had retreated back to what ships were still seaworthy, and no one had seen the royal family leave.
The group darted around a corner, where Elsa saw Indi on the ground, Hans kneeling over him with a knife, and one live man and several men surrounding him.
Suddenly, Indi's arm sprang up, grabbing Hans' throat. Indi's right arm turned white, and his skin became covered in small, white scales. His fingers elongated, and long claws extended.
He rose from the ground and held Hans in the air. The right half of his face changed, the soft skin surrounding his newly opened scar turning to leathery scales. His lips and cheek retracted exposing sharp, pointed teeth. He blinked his right eye, the iris changing to amber.
The voice that came from Indi's throat chilled Elsa to the bone.
"Eyes. Lungs. Pancreas. So many snacks, so little time."
Hans struggled and began to yell in fear. Suddenly, the one man who was still standing free dashed around and slammed a shield into Indi's head. Elsa quickly recognized him as one of von Schwicke's men, a man named Hoskins. Indi turned, and tossed Hans away, before grabbing Hoskins by the arm and burying his claws into the big man's chest.
Hoskins fell away, slowly gurgling on his own blood.
Indi looked at Hans for a moment, before recognizing Elsa. Everyone stood in silence. Indi cocked his head.
Elsa watched in fear as Indi's face registered in her brain. His face, though human in shape, was half-covered in the skin of a human, and half the white scales of an Indominus. The sharp teeth on the right side went to just beneath Indi's nose, where his lips began. The claws on his right arm now dripped with blood.
She looked behind Indi and saw that Queen Olivia and her children were bound and gagged.
Indi raised his right hand and looked at his palm, examining the blood for a moment. Slowly shifted his arm back to human skin, as did his face. Slowly, he stepped towards the bound members of the royal family and untied them. He helped them to stand, and gently ushered them to Elsa, the general, and the soldiers.
Elsa slowly approached Indi. "Indi?" Indi slowly looked at the queen. "What happened?"
Indi silently pointed at Hans, who was groaning on the ground.
"Seize him!" Queen Oliva shouted. The guards darted forward, grabbing the prince from the ground. "Put him in a cell."
Carefully, as though she were afraid that Indi was going to bite her, Elsa gently took Indi's chin and looked into Indi's eyes.
"What is going on?" she said quietly.
"Elsa," Indi said. "I don't know."