An hour after sunrise, Elsa awoke to the sound of teeth chattering.
She opened her eyes to perceive Anna in her arms, shivering in her sleep. The Queen didn't see any manifestation of her powers; the room was free of ice and snow, yet what else could be making the redhead so cold?
"Anna!" she shook the redhead in her arms.
"Uugh," Anna groaned as she came to. Slowly, as the former thief returned to consciousness, the shivering began to fade.
"Are you alright?" Elsa demanded. "Did I… why are you cold?"
Anna turned around to face her, mouth etched into a low frown. "I'm sorry," the redhead apologized. "It wasn't you. I just… it was just a dream." As she spoke, her teeth still chattered slightly.
Elsa sighed in relief. "It must have been some dream," she mused.
Anna's eyes were tinged with sadness. "I mean, I guess… it wasn't… just a dream," she murmured. "It was more like a memory."
The Queen frowned. "A memory?" she asked.
The redhead's gaze dropped to the sheets. "After I left the orphanage, I didn't always have enough money to stay indoors. Some nights I had to stay in an alleyway, or if worst came to worst, a doorway. I'd always be chased off in the morning, but it helped me survive the winter nights. Still, it was cold as hell. I think I was dreaming of a night around a year ago. Last winter was really cold."
Elsa's heart panged. "What about the money you were able to steal?"
"It wasn't always enough. I never took too much during a single robbery, and sometimes what I had dried up before another… opportunity… presented itself. There were times some people on the street were generous enough to part with a little coin, but not always."
The Queen couldn't think of what to say in response. What could she say? All her life, Elsa had been warm and fed within the Royal Castle. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like… living on the streets, thieving and begging to survive. How could anyone ever sleep in an alleyway? How could someone like Anna be forced to…?
The redhead was still shivering.
Without thinking, Elsa wrapped her arms around the redhead and pulled Anna into her chest, hugging her tightly.
"Anna, I am so so sorry that you had to go through that," she whispered. "But that's over now. You're warm and safe… you're with me. You'll never have to go through that again."
The redhead pulled back just enough to raise her head and look at Elsa. Anna smiled slightly, but the Queen could still perceive doubt within her eyes.
Elsa imagined what the redhead must be feeling. True, she'd been rescued from a life on the streets and given lodging within the castle, but such an arrangement only lasted as long as the Queen allowed it. Even though Anna knew how much Elsa cared for her, the monarch could understand how the notion of one person's goodwill separating her from a life out in the snow would be frightening.
She leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on Anna's forehead.
"Anna, listen to me," she said softly, staring into the girl's teal eyes. "You will never have to sleep out in the cold ever again. Even if you don't want to be with me any longer. Even if you grow to hate me. Even if you come to your senses and don't want to be my personal attendant anymore. Whatever happens, you will always have a home here. You shall never want for food nor clothing nor warmth. I swear it upon my life and title."
Elsa noticed Anna's eyes begin to shine with tears just before the redhead pulled her into an even tighter embrace. The Queen unconsciously ran her hand soothingly through Anna's messy hair as the former thief sobbed softly into her chest.
"Why?" Anna asked faintly.
"Why what?"
Again, Anna pulled back slightly so she could look at the Queen. "Why are you so concerned with taking care of me? Why do you do so much for me? Sometimes I just don't understand… I mean… why do you choose to be with me in the first place? You could have anyone, and…"
Elsa stopped Anna's spewing of her fears with a quick kiss to her lips.
Part of her couldn't understand how Anna didn't realize how wonderful she was. Here the former thief was pondering how Elsa could believe her to be worthy when twelve hours ago she had taken an arrow for the Queen without hesitation.
But part of her could. Anna had spent sixteen years living in an orphanage. Somehow, no one had ever chosen to adopt her. After that, she had been homeless, unable to secure a job, and even been reduced to occasionally begging on the streets. Clothed in rags and asking strangers for money, most people had probably looked at her as if she was the scum of the earth.
Yes, after a life like that, part of Elsa could understand why Anna sometimes struggled with self-esteem.
"I could tell you it's because you've saved my life twice, Anna," Elsa began, gently wiping away the redhead's tears with her finger. "And that on it's own is enough reason. But the truth is… it's because you're you, Anna. An amazing, talented, intelligent woman who is selfless enough to sacrifice her life for those she cares about without a second thought. A woman who makes me happy just by being in the same room as me. I love you, and I could never bear the thought of you being homeless again. You're the last person in Arendelle who deserves that, and I will gladly do anything in my power to keep you safe. Just like you would do for me… like you have done for me."
Finally, Anna's shivering stopped completely.
"Elsa, I… thank you," she said warmly. She pulled the Queen closer, nuzzling Elsa's neck.
The peaceful moment was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Your Majesty?" Gerda's voice called. "Your maid is wondering where you've gone, and Kai tells me you have a meeting within the hour.
Elsa resisted the urge to groan. "Thank you, Gerda. I shall be along shortly!" she replied. The interruption irritated her, but she was thankful that the woman herself had chosen to bring her the message. Another servant might have been perplexed as to why she had spent the night in the room of her personal attendant, but Kai and Gerda were two of the few people currently aware of their relationship.
Still, the Queen felt bile rising in her throat at the thought of the meeting. After they'd returned last night, Elsa had scheduled an emergency Council session for the morning while waiting for Anna to wake. The agenda was without a doubt the most unpleasant series of topics that Elsa had ever had to deal with.
The Council would be meeting to plan for Vlora's funeral and consider the Councilor's replacement. Then they would discuss the attack, and attempt to formulate a strategy as to how to find the perpetrators and increase Elsa's protection. As if that wasn't bad enough, their meeting would then turn to the small matter of the Queen's superstorm… and the destruction it had caused.
Reluctantly, she realized that she was going to have to tell Anna about the blizzard she had created. At the time, Elsa had been too consumed with grief to realize what she was doing, but now that her redhead was safe, her thoughts were free to process the damage her powers had wrought.
Her heart went heavy with guilt. There had been no fatalities, but there was no doubt that her people were terrified. Many had had their livelihoods damaged. Making a silent vow to herself, Elsa swore that she would do whatever was required to make things right.
And although Anna would be informed of the storm, she would not be told what had been its exact trigger. The last thing Elsa wanted was for the redhead to blame herself in any way for what had happened. Even though she had only been its indirect cause (and had saved the Queen's life in the process,) Elsa knew Anna well enough to predict that the attendant would feel some guilt for the harm that the blizzard had wreaked upon Arendelle.
It was going to be a long day.
\
Anna walked into the Council room, keeping her eyes fixed on the floor. Elsa had filled her in on what everyone was going to be talking about, but the knowledge did little to assure the redhead. Despite her position as the monarch's attendant, part of Anna still felt like an interloper during the time she spent observing these discussions.
The two women were the last to arrive. Taking up her post behind Elsa's throne, the dark mood prevalent in the room became apparent to the redhead almost immediately. Every single Councilor wore a hard look, grief plain on every one of their faces. Evangeline in particular looked upset. The spymaster was almost unfailingly stoic, but today her pupils were etched in anger and sadness. She was staring down at the table so hard that it appeared as if she was trying to bore holes in it.
Elsa's voice broke through the oppressive silence.
"Before we begin, I would like to call for a moment of silence," she said. Her regal tone was still in place, but it was unmistakably tinged with grief. Elsa didn't specify what the moment of silence was for. She didn't need to.
Ten seconds passed as everyone looked down at their hands. Anna noticed Evangeline's fingers clenching.
"Councilor Vlora was a servant of Arendelle. For decades, she was an indispensable advisor at this table, both to my parents and to me. Her years of service will be honored with…"
Thus, the meeting commenced. Anna listened with more interest than was typical, but she couldn't help but notice General Kale, who was glaring at her with even more disdain than usual.
"I can acknowledge that I was wrong," Elsa was saying. "I allowed my overconfidence to get the better of me, believing that my abilities would protect me from any attack. But the assailants planned their assault well. They attacked in the dark, limiting my field of vision, and coordinated their assault in a way that caught me completely by surprise. While the protection I had on hand proved sufficient to defend my life, three innocent lives were lost, and even more would have been killed if not for the presence of Princess Rapunzel. For the time being, my travels will have to be… yes, General?" she broke off. Kale was rising from his seat, clearly intending to speak.
"We are all grateful for your continued survival, Your Majesty, but your protection must be addressed," he began. "From the details I have been told, it seems that the attackers very nearly succeeded in taking your life, and may well have done so if luck had not been on your side."
Elsa frowned. "What do you suggest? Increasing the number of Royal Guards?"
"Yes, but you must also eliminate the weak link." Kale's gaze shifted to Anna. "Although she claims to be a skilled warrior, it is to my knowledge that your personal attendant was one of the first to be struck down in the attack. The efforts of yourself and Princess Rapunzel to save her life prevented your quick extraction from the storm. It is possible that young Miss Anna may not be suitable for the responsibility…"
The change in Elsa's demeanor was so sudden that Anna briefly wondered if the Queen had been possessed. The monarch's face shifted from composed grief to blatant rage as she shot up out of her chair and slammed her hands onto the table.
"How dare you?" the Queen hissed, the room growing noticeably colder. "Anna's heroism is the only reason I am still alive today. Without hesitation, she took an arrow to the chest for a chance to save my life! And you insult her?!" Elsa demanded.
The General's face paled. "Your Majesty, I wasn't aware…"
"Since her actions do not impress you, it is clear that you do not value the life of your monarch. Am I correct?" Elsa asked, her voice ice cold.
Kale's eyes fell to the floor. "No, Your Majesty."
Slowly, the Queen sat back in her chair. "Then apologize," she commanded.
"Forgive me, Your Majes…"
"Not to me," Elsa interrupted. "To her, " she pointed to Anna.
The redhead in question struggled to keep a smirk off her face. It was a guilty pleasure, to be sure, but Anna couldn't help but be touched by Elsa's defensiveness. After all she had done for the Queen, it was getting exceedingly tiring to be on the receiving end of half the castle's disdain. But the monarch taking her side made most of her resentment melt away.
At the Queen's words, the fear in Kale's pupils diminished, contempt again coming to the forefront of his features. But no matter how much he hated her, even he had to bow to the monarch's wishes.
"I apologize, Miss Anna," he said, his tone tinged with reluctance. Anna nodded stiffly in response, not betraying the wave of satisfaction that rushed through her.
The discussion then turned to the storm Elsa had created. Though some argued that the matter should be dropped entirely (in effect denying Elsa's responsibility in the matter) the Queen was adamant that the truth be disclosed and reparations be awarded.
"It was my abilities that brought destruction upon our people. To deny this would strain the crown's credibility, invite rampant speculation, and most importantly would not reimburse those whose lives were affected by the damage," Elsa had argued. Several advisors disagreed, but ultimately the monarch overruled their concerns.
Finally, the meeting turned to the Queen's continued protection. It was agreed upon that Elsa would be accompanied by a larger guard detail outside the Palace in addition to Anna and the usual number of Royal Guards. Until the perpetrators could be found, the monarch's time outside the Castle would be limited as much as possible, and any time she had to travel in the city her route would be strenuously monitored.
"Your Majesty," a man Anna now recognized as Lord Arald spoke up. "While these measures go a long way to ensuring your safety, the fact remains that we are still no closer to discovering who was responsible. This was the second attack on your person in as many months, and we remain unaware both who planned them and why."
Elsa noticeably frowned as the Council deliberated what was to be done. Evangeline's agents still had not produced any leads as to who was responsible for the first attack, and no useful evidence at the site of last night's ambush had yet been uncovered.
"Whoever they were, they had both agents in the Royal Guard and enough resources to employ a dozen skilled assailants in a coordinated ambush," Lady Katherine pointed out. A middle-aged woman with graying brown hair, Katherine was the head of one of Arendelle's wealthiest noble houses.
Anna's eyes narrowed. "What if it wasn't the same people?" the personal attendant interjected before she could stop herself. Immediately, a dozen pairs of eyes were trained on her. The redhead's heart climbed into her throat. Though she was permitted to attend these meetings as Elsa's guard, Anna was not officially permitted to speak.
Only Elsa's gaze was not hostile.
Taking a deep nervous breath, the redhead explained her reasoning. "The men who attacked us last night… they wanted to kill you. Obviously… with the fire and the arrows and the swords…" She stopped herself with another breath. "But the Royal Guards who tried to kidnap you… it was clear that they didn't want to kill you. Couldn't kill you. The last man admitted as much to me when I called his bluff… he was threatening your life, but I knew he needed you alive… obviously, otherwise I wouldn't have…"
"Why are we listening to the ramblings of a peasant?" Lady Katherine interjected irritably.
The Queen fixed her gaze on the older woman. "Anna is the sole eyewitness for much of the attempt to capture me. And her reasoning is sound," Elsa said firmly. "It is plausible that it was indeed a single party behind both attacks; their motivations may have changed. But we must not discount the possibility that it was two different groups."
That's the second time Elsa's defended me. If they didn't suspect something was between us before, they definitely will soon. Anna sighed mentally. She loved the notion of Elsa coming to her defense, but she knew the Queen didn't want their relationship to be public knowledge just yet. Hopefully, the rumors would remain rumors for a while longer.
"Whoever it was that attacked last night," Elsa continued, "They were extremely devoted to their cause. Rather than be captured, one of their men chose to impale himself before he could be subjected to interrogation. Such dedication is… rare." The Queen's eyes briefly flickered over to Anna as she finished.
"That would make it unlikely that he had only taken part in the attack in exchange for money," Evangeline supplied. "These men had a cause. The only question is… what is it?"
Elsa pursed her lips. "As he died, the assassin said something strange to me. I believe his words were…'Control… you… can't… ritual.' I have not the slightest idea what he meant."
The Council was silent for a moment.
"Ritual…" Lord Arald mused. "Is it possible that the attack had something to do with magic? That might be a route worth investigating."
Evangeline frowned. "Perhaps. But what kind of ritual would involve killing the Queen?" The spymaster sighed in frustration. "We have little knowledge of magic. We know it exists. We know some can wield it. But as to how it works or what others can accomplish with it… Arendelle is blind. As is most of the world. Even after our Queen has had powers for over twenty years, we still have no idea as to how they truly work or where they came from."
For a brief moment, something lit up in Elsa's eyes. "Maybe…" she began hesitantly. But as the eyes of every person in the room turned to her, the Queen broke off the sentence. "Never mind. Evangeline, I need your agents to look into this, regardless of how little we know. Arald, Katherine, and Vance, as the leaders of the three most prominent noble houses in Arendelle, I expect you to use every resource at your disposal to assist in the investigation. One attack on my person is troubling. Two is a disaster. Never in the last century has the monarch of Arendelle been so threatened, not even when Evangeline," she turned her gaze towards the spymaster, "Barely managed to intercept Duke Overland's assassination attempt on my parents fifteen years ago. I refuse to allow those who threaten my life and my kingdom the chance to regroup and attack again. Everyone in this room will do everything in their power to root out those responsible. Time and expenses are irrelevant. Am I understood?"
Around the table, everyone on the Council nodded.
"Thank you. You are all dismissed," the monarch ended the meeting.