Dear Eugene,

As you ask me questions about whether our current relationship is conditional or unconditional, you appear to be implying that you're growing suspicious of my intentions overall. I am not purposely withholding information from you, stiffing you, or cheating you out of a deal. I didn't think it was the right time to redirect the letter to my problems and neither did I have the time to do so. Apart from my slow recovery, my breathing spells and free hours are wearing thin. Please consider the possibility of my constitution having limitations without jumping to conclusions; the fact that you didn't leads me to believe that your skepticism does not entirely stem from my ambiguity or your trust issues.

To expand upon what I was unable to, I disliked you considering the odds of my heart reserving a special place for Aloysius because he deified me. I would never base even the tiniest ounce of favoritism on how much my powers are apotheosized. Contrary to what you believe, my heart isn't fickle. It's only natural that I would hesitate in a situation so alien, but romantic feelings and desperation had nothing to do with such hesitation. Your misguided opinion on this matter is what I disagreed with.

I understand why you have a lack of empathy for Aloysius and the dynamics within his brethren; at the same time, I am very put off by your perspective. I may be sensitive towards his plight, but having compassion is not the same thing as relinquishing the person of all responsibility; it's a level of awareness, not a level of naiveté. I don't necessarily appreciate your tone in your scoldings about "specifically telling me not to" follow my own inclinations by any means. With all due respect, I can very well do what I feel is just. If Aloysius was being threatened to commit atrocious crimes, overlooking this would inconvenience all of us.

What you were right about was my investment in the anti-genocide campaign. The positive aspect is that the Southern Isles has been forced to release its bondage contract on indentured servants. The King of the Kiribat Isles has also finally stepped in to return his people to his kingdom as of last month thanks to international support. His ambassador explained how the kingdom was harassed into consenting to the practice of debt slavery for several generations, but the tension didn't climax until the Late Blight in 1845.

Another thought you were partially accurate about was my motivation to accept Prince Aloysius's proposal. Much of that was for Corona; if you can recall, much of that was also kindled by my desire to keep the peace between our countries until I finally had a political reason to withdraw. Otherwise, my womanhood would have been undermined by all of the men in my council. Unfortunately, the foreign friends I gained in the Southern Isles have also withdrawn from revisiting the rumor about the cove tragedies; the court scandals have failed to surface for the one mole I have left in the kingdom. If Aloysius could be my mole, I would have better luck, but I know that the risks are too high.

Although I haven't answered them, you are correct about Aloysius sending me letters aggressively. I refrained from mentioning these disclosures because you were already experiencing extreme identity crisis, depression, and anger over Corona's tragedies, so I thought this information wouldn't help. Not too long ago, I opened one of his letters because it was stained with blood. In it, he promised he would reveal the truth about who poisoned you if I agreed to "bless him with my love before he was condemned to a slow death." In other words, he's asking for something I cannot give.

I hope you understand now why I didn't want to add this in my reply to you. His plea read as follows:

"Should you accidentally end me with your kiss, then I shall love you even more. It would be a much more beautiful death than the one my brother has in store for me. Your love for one day is the last comfort he will allow me to have."

I have no intention of giving myself to him. I can't even wrap my head around it. Am I struck by the proof of King Ragnar's despotism, however? Yes, so whatever I choose to do from this moment on will be a choice that I need you to respect and trust. Excluding Hans, King Kasimir has informed me about the psychological chokehold that man has on his brothers, and I have seen the way my ally would avoid speaking in Ragnar's presence.

Prince Hans, on the other hand, has been moved to a less ruthless environment. Instead of making his brother toil on the kingdom's cay like a slave for his own amusement, King Ragnar has confined him to a small shack on an even smaller cay without people or villages anywhere in sight. This level of exile, which Ragnar calls "Hans's graduation gift for good behavior," only allows him to have human contact with the officers who supervise him, the older princes who visit him, and the sailors who bring food to him. King Kasimir urges that the one pastime he has (writing literature) keeps his health in good condition, but the isolation is not going to improve his emotional disconnection from mankind. It'll only worsen it.

What you think is pity for Hans is actually caution. To prevent someone from repeating the same crime, you have to tackle their pathology. If Hans is not properly handled in a way that is mentally healthy, there is no telling what other havoc he could wreak on Corona or Arendelle even from where he resides. He clearly had someone helping him defame you. Maybe the actual writer is one of the older princes; I can't say, but something has to change for the better.

Towards the end of winter, I used my powers to create a ship after I read your note. It was little more than an iceberg in the shape of an unfinished schooner. I've never done that before, so trying to steer it with my magic, which has still been a little iffy since the Bovi Fever, is what landed me in bed with a broken ankle. Royal prerogative makes it so that I can disregard the Storting's travel ban so long as I don't use any funds to travel with, which makes it impossible to use a normal ship or seafaring supplies. My thinking was very short-sighted in that aspect; spending over twenty hours at sea without the latter would've been absurd.

Had I realized that you'd react this strongly, I would've put off the letter to explain that episode in greater detail when I found more time. I was just so eager to write to you and send something that I decided to save it for another letter instead. I don't want to be a hypocrite, but in all seriousness, even I'm getting to a point where I feel like it's almost wrong to talk about my end. My issues here feel too insignificant to mention compared to your issues there. Therefore, I feel selfish bringing it up; I guess I fall victim to the same fears that keep you from inviting me into all of your affairs, and for that, I do apologize.

To hear you say that I'm beginning to find a place in your heart is all I've ever wanted, but I don't think I've ever truly given you a reason to second guess the authenticity of our relationship to the point where you're also second guessing the placement you're giving me. Heartfelt as they are, some of your compliments are written like disclaimers. I feel as though your real feelings only show near the end of the letter; the rest is sending mixed messages while derailing most.

Your fear is justifiable because I know about the world you come from, but your doubt does hurt me regardless of whether we think it's justified or unjustified. I've always wanted to get to know you before all of this happened. By marrying into the very small part of the family I had left, you automatically became an extension of the most important thing in my life, but I was under the impression for many years that you were indifferent towards me. I'm at fault for keeping an emotional distance in response because I should've reached out to you ages ago without using Rapunzel as that bridge. It is possible that our relationship wouldn't have happened without this tragedy, but my love is unconditional.

I think I've done everything that is currently within my power to prove that to you, and I've alluded to wanting to make up for the moments we never shared together. I can only take your word for it when you say you didn't entertain your ewerer. I just hope you aren't entertaining vulnerable or miserable maidens in Corona at all. It'll inevitably lead to more character defamation. At best, it'll lead to confusion on both sides; sometimes when women, and I suppose even men, are at their lowest, they confuse compassion and desperation with true love.

I take it that you misunderstood my last lines about Isolde. It's not that I think she won't grow up to become a healthy young princess. With you as her father, she'll only grow stronger. I was just presenting the alternative to make sure that you were aware of it before you answered. Again, this is only a distant notion, not a forward proposal.

Based on your closing, your parliament is just as overbearing as mine. I hope you end up finding some common ground with your mystery suitress instead.

From Arendelle,

I of May, 1849

Elsa