Disclaimer! I do not own Disney.

Yaho! Thank you for waiting!

As for the questions on the review section, all will be answered on the incoming chapters hehe. And to those who are asking if I altered the story just to fit the reader's preference, no I didn't. This story has an outline from start to finish, I'll just have to navigate it and make it enjoyable for the readers.

Anyway, THANK YOU for your support and love for this story. I hope you like this chapter.

Warning for Violent and Adult themes.

Please enjoy and REVIEW.

Many petitioners had arrived one morning and it took most of Elsa's morning, her council meetings were pushed back until later in the afternoon. She was thankful to finish the petitioner's requests just a few minutes before lunch. She had asked Kai to set up an intimate lunch in the library and had her head butler deliver a message to her, the Eldr lady.

She proceeded to go to her private chambers to change her clothes into much more comfortable ones. She replaced her uniform into a dark blue double breasted waistcoat with four golden buttons over a long sleeved white shirt and wore a dark blue cravat around her neck. She had freed her hair from its braid and tied it in a low ponytail. She left her sword but had placed a dagger inside on one of her boots. She looked into the mirror and saw a bluish spot near the corner of her lips that would be needing to be re-touched. She sighed. "Rapunzel always had a good arm." She took a powder container and dabbed on her bruise to conceal it. Once she was satisfied with her look she went out.

Meanwhile Kai had delivered the message to the kitchens then had visited the lady in her private chambers.

"M'Lady, Her Majesty would like you to join her for lunch."

Anna paled at his words. She thought Elsa had found out her situation, of course the Princess of Corona had told the Queen. There was no other reason for the Queen to invite her for a meal other than that. The Queen had avoided her like a plague before but now she even received an invitation from the latter.

"I am not hungry." Anna responded.

"But M'Lady, you must. The Queen had ordered it." Kai said.

Anna glared at him. "You know full well that she is not my Queen! I am not her subject so I won't follow her orders!"

"I'm afraid you'll say that." the Queen's voice had reached their ears.

"Your Majesty." Kai acknowledged her presence while Anna deliberately ignored her.

"Kai, just bring the food in here. It seems our Ladyship isn't willing to go out of her room." Elsa had ordered. "We are not to be disturbed."

Elsa sat on the high backed chair near the fireplace while Anna was on the opposite side of the room, glaring at her. The lady wasn't happy being confined inside a room with Elsa, it brought unpleasant memories.

The servants came and had set up lunch for them. Once they were alone again, Elsa had pulled out a chair for Anna but still the latter refused to take her seat.

"You really want to make things difficult." Elsa walked towards the lady, however the latter had taken a step back.

"Don't come near me!" Anna said with a flinch.

Elsa noticed this and she halted her step and curled her hands into fist. "If you don't want me to come closer to you then, please have a seat." She took her seat and waited for the latter. "Do not fret, I didn't put anything on the food this time."

"Why did you come here?" Anna questioned, refusing to comply with Elsa's request.

"I want to talk about. . ." Elsa faltered then continued. "Your pregnancy."

Anna glared at her, she placed her hand on her abdomen protectively. "So you know?"

"Of course I know." Elsa responded while pouring wine on her glass while she poured water on Anna's. "I want to talk about how we are going to proceed from here. Please have a seat."

The latter reluctantly seated. It was true she didn't know how they would proceed through this together but she did know how she would do it by herself and she had a question that needed an answer.

Elsa had cut the smoked salmon on her plate and spoke. "We are both aware of what situation we are in. Now that you are with child, the people would start talking and of course they will know it is me who's responsible for it. The council would require marriage once they got wind of the news."

Anna's glare was there and it was directed to Elsa. "Marriage. That's what you and your power hungry supporters wanted all along isn't it?" she didn't touch the food.

"Oh believe me I don't." Elsa scoffed before smirking. "Someone told you about our plans. I wonder who that is."

The former princess paled at her slip of a tongue mistake. "No one." Anna steadied her voice. "It was obvious. I have the blood of the King Rozen the Great as you've said before and a woman like you who came from an unknown family needs the true heir. My blood is Arendellian and noble unlike yours." she said with a bite on her tone.

Humorless laughter escaped Elsa's lips. "Well, we will never know who has true Arendellian blood between us. But perhaps the child you are carrying would have the purest Arendellian blood. A unified House of Aren and Eldr."

Teal eyes were filled with confusion. "House of Aren?" she scoffed. "I knew you were a usurper, now you are a big pretender and a liar." Elsa merely raised her eyebrow at this.

"House of Aren ended with King Olav, making my grandfather the next king! Making me the rightful queen."

Elsa smiled. "You really know your history." she paused. "History written by your grandfather."

"Speaking of my grandfather. Where is his body?" Anna seethed.

"Oh I don't know." Elsa shrugged. "All I did was drive a sword through his chest and made sure he wouldn't see the light of day again then I've left him in the care of vengeance." She drank her wine but soon enough the table was flipped, spilling its contents in the process, by the angry strawberry blonde.

"How dare you!" Anna had reached for a dinner knife and lunged at Elsa.

Elsa quickly moved out of the way and had pulled her dagger from her boot and blocked Anna. "You surprised me there." she chuckled.

"Where is my grandfather's body?!" Anna growled.

"I don't know and don't care where that bastard's body is. They must've fed him to the hounds for all I care." Elsa had pushed Anna towards the direction of the bed and jumped right after to get the dinner knife from Anna's hand.

Both of them struggled in the sheets. Unknown to Elsa, Anna had always hidden a dagger under her mattress. She tried to reach for it, unsheathing on the process then flourished her hand to make a slash.

Elsa's eyes widened when she saw the glare from the well-polished steel, she blocked it using her own. "You're one dangerous woman." she stated.

"Get off me!" Anna was not afraid anymore, she had nothing more to lose so she would do anything for herself.

"Why? I rather like being on top of you." Elsa smirked and leaned down to whisper in Anna's ear. "You ruined me for other women. I never felt so satisfied in my lifetime." she chuckled darkly as she continued to hold her dagger against Anna.

"You disgusting lecherous bastard!" Anna had kneed Elsa on her stomach before pushing her off the bed. "Don't touch me!"

Anna's feistiness brought Elsa with such excitement, people always hesitated when having a duel with her and no one seemed to last in battle with her. She was having fun with the strawberry blonde.

"Too late I already did, in case you forget you are already carrying my child. Perhaps you should calm yourself before you lose it." Elsa had riled up the former princess and she liked it.

"BASTARD!" Anna knew Elsa was right so threw her dagger in Elsa's direction out of anger. The dagger was fast but Elsa was faster as she swiped it in mid flight using her own dagger with a loud clang.

Both of them were breathing heavily.

"I came here to discuss things regarding that child inside of you. We both know how you loathe me as much as I loathe you. The council requires marriage to solidify the claim of the child. If I had a choice I wouldn't bother myself with the likes of you." Elsa picked up the discarded dagger. "And this is clearly treason but I'll let it slide for the sake of the child." Elsa took steps close to Anna and lifted Anna's chin using her own dagger. "Take up arms against me again and your blood will christen this room."

"Why don't you do it right now?! You're a bloody coward and couldn't even kill a woman." Anna's eyes were defiant.

"Such fire in your eyes. So much hate." Elsa stated. "I had an enemy once who had the same determination but he didn't last long. I can kill you with a slight twitch of my fingers. However. . ." Elsa paused and caressed Anna's lower lip. She continued with whispering. "It would be a huge loss not to be able to taste these lips again." Elsa leaned down.

Anna abruptly pushed the Queen away from her.

Elsa was smirking at Anna's response. "Feisty. Riling you up is the highlight of my day." She then threw the dagger and hit the bedpost near Anna. "It was nice talking to you despite everything. You can tell everyone about your pregnancy if you want to be tied with me in a loveless marriage. Also if you did tell anyone, try to avoid being poisoned or stabbed to death by the assassins of the people who hated me. Good day." She left Anna alone after that.

Meanwhile Anna was so angry that she would want to kill the Queen with her bare hands. She had to act fast so she took a parchment and a quill and wrote a letter, which would be addressed to a certain general.

The council meeting had ended with Elsa sighing so heavily after being left inside the room with her personal guard. She needed time for herself. She had plans to make a coronation to arrange, a kingdom to run, and antagonize a former princess.

"I need time to settle these matters." she mumbled. "How are we on the matter?" she asked.

"The loyalists are already on route, I hand picked them myself, I made sure no mole among them. They were from the former private army so they are still yours. I even recognize most of them." Marshall assured her.

"Perfect. Relieved all the current guards there, I don't trust them, assign them here in the castle so we could monitor them closely."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Elsa didn't bother to correct her personal guard. "Did they bring provisions?"

"Yes, also the castle's storage was full, the steward made sure of that."

"Once they are settled, we will proceed as planned. I haven't told anyone but you about my plan, I want to settle this personally." Elsa had reached for the necklace under her shirt.

"Then what would you tell the Duke if he questioned your transfer of soldiers?"

"I'll tell him what he needs to hear. Tell him that I want to restore the castle to its former glory and enforce it with well trained men. Many would attempt to take it as a stronghold." Elsa collected her state papers. "Once you catch him, bring him to the castle, discreetly. And give this to Rapunzel, her assistance is vital to our plan." Elsa had passed a sealed letter to her personal guard.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Elsa and her guard had left the council room and once she got in her private chambers she changed her clothing into a fresh white clean shirt, black double breasted waistcoat and white cravat, she had braided her hair and took her sword with her.

"I'll be having afternoon tea in the garden with Master Merlin. We are not to be disturbed. Understood?"

"Yes, Of course Your Majesty."

Meanwhile at the castle garden, Anna was out in the pretense of taking a walk to the garden. She was accompanied by Gerda, to her dismay. She was carrying her reply to the general's letter. All she had to do was find the hidden thick bushes and find a way for Gerda to be distracted.

"Are you feeling alright M'lady?"

"Yes, in fact I feel refreshed. It's been a while since I went out like this." Anna said truthfully. "When I was a child, I spent most of my time in the library and in the training grounds. But my grandfather had rose bushes planted in the farthest part of the garden and had tasked me to take care of them, for me to embrace my feminine side of things." she chuckled.

"Your grandfather must've adored you so much."

"Yes he does until. . you know."

"Your ladyship must've looked up to your grandfather."

Anna smiled sadly. "And I still do. He was the only father I knew. My father died when I was four, or so I've been told. He was sick you see. I never knew my mother because she died giving birth to me." she looked at the different flowers that started to wither because of the incoming autumn. "My grandfather did his best to be able to spend time with me. But still I felt so lonely." Anna continued.

"What do you like about him?" Gerda kindly asked.

Anna stared at her for a bit. "You know, you are the only one who is not telling me how evil my grandfather was."

"I know what the other people say. But I never knew your grandfather, he was a good king they say but there were those who say he was not. You wouldn't know who to believe in. Perhaps stories and histories can be altered in favor of the victor. But if you want to know the truth, you should ask the people who personally knew him. You look up to him because he was your role model and a father figure, but have you seen the other perspectives?" Gerda asked.

"No. If I wanted to, I wouldn't even know where to start." Anna said.

"You'll never know, sometimes the truth can come from the least person you expect." Gerda smiled.

"Maybe." Anna answered as she stared at the farthest part of the garden near the waters. There were thick bushes at the edge and were quite hidden. It would be suspicious of her to ask Gerda to leave her alone but as if luck was on her side when an old man approached them.

"Excuse me M'lady," he bowed. "Kindly tell me where I should meet the Queen, I was redirected here in the gardens but I got lost." he felt embarrassed. "It's been decades since I stepped inside the castle." he chuckled.

"Oh that. Lady Anna, would you mind if I guide him to the meeting place with the Queen?" Gerda asked.

"No, not at all, I'll just stay there near the willow tree." Anna smiled.

Both elderly had turned their backs on her. Once they were out of sight she went to the strategically concealed bushes and hid her letter there before going to the large willow tree.

Unknown to her there were a pair of eyes watching her and had found the letter Anna hid.

Master Merlin was now talking to the Queen of Arendelle over tea, after he waited for a couple minutes for the Queen to arrive. An opportunity he never expected to experience.

"How are you and your company?" Elsa asked.

"We settled nicely, thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." Merlin smiled. "Also if Her Majesty permits some of us to work on farmlands or in the castle, it doesn't sit well with them being served. They wanted to at least take on a job."

"Of course, I already discussed it with Kai and he found openings in the stables and in the royal kitchens."

"They would be delighted by the news. We'll do our best."

Elsa sipped her tea and asked. "What was your job before moving to the outskirts of the kingdom?"

Master Merlin had a smile on his lips as said. "I was a baker. I moved to the city after I got married with the permission of my Master. I was the chief baker in his household when he was still a Young Master back then."

"I see. I can assume you took up the same profession here in the city?" Elsa asked.

"Yes, those were happy and prosperous times of staying here. My wife and children would sing songs as we worked in our bakery. Greeting people good mornings as they buy a loaf of bread from our stand. My children are playing and teasing their mother with flour." he chuckled at the memory.

"You love them. I see it in your eyes." Elsa smiled warmly.

"Of course. I still do even after they left to go to the halls of Valhalla."

Elsa mentally cursed herself for being insensitive. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's alright, Your Majesty." Merlin smiled. "My wife died a month after the new king ascended to the throne, she consumed foul water, not only my family but also other families were affected. Those were dark times. The cause of the spoiled water came from the rotting bodies being thrown in the river. Most of them were children, their ages ranging from eight to fourteen, boys and girls. My children fell victim to those killings just because of my association to people they were searching for."

Elsa's blood ran cold at the thought that ran into her mind. She wanted to shake the thought out of her head but she couldn't. She suddenly felt so guilty.

"I was questioned and told them I didn't know anything but they didn't believe me. They had called me a liar and slit the throats of my children right before my eyes. I wallowed in grief and had lost direction in my life. I sold everything I owned until I was being carted off to the far flung of the kingdom." Merlin looked down in shame.

"Do you hate them?" Elsa hesitantly asked.

"Who, Your Majesty?"

"The reason why you were questioned and had your family killed."

"At first I was so angry but then I realized that the people I was once associated with had suffered much more, that family was kind to me and my family, I was told they were wiped out." Merlin sighed. "I never knew the reason for the killings until we heard a rumor years after."

Elsa casually drinking her tea, as if it was the normal thing to do wherein her curiosity was killing her.

"May I ask what it was?"

Merlin talked in a hushed tone. "The story was, the family I once served were all killed. There were witnesses, they said a group of men had killed the attackers while some fled. This small band took two of my former Master's children." he watched the reaction of the queen and he saw none. "It was believed that these children lived, some declared they died, no one knew what happened to those children."

"And this was the cause of the murder of many Arendellian children?"

"Yes. No one knew who ordered the killings but I reckon it was the King then." Merlin knuckles turned white.

"What made you say that?"

"The former King's claim was weak unless the house before his own would perish without a living heir. I am well aware that the noble house I served was next in line for the throne. It happened so fast, an entire family was wiped out, then a few weeks later the ailing King died. It was well orchestrated, but back then I was so driven by grief and it clouded my mind."

Elsa knew that feeling so well.

"I know what it feels like." Elsa mumbled but Merlin heard her.

"Yes." Merlin gave her a sad smile. "I am sorry for your loss, Your Majesty."

"Thank you." Elsa felt justified for ending the likes of Runeard.

Innocent children were killed because of them. Innocent children's blood had tainted not only Runeard's but also hers.

Few Days later

The servant just got out of the Duke's quarters, giving him valuable information.

"My my. Who would've thought." he smiled. "Let's see how you're going to handle this, Your Majesty." he said to no one in particular.

Anna was invited by Olaf to the royal gallery to look at the new additions in the collection. Anna wanted to say she wasn't interested since she already knows the old contents of the room but how could she say no to the person who was kind enough to bother himself to brew tea just for her.

"Here we are!" Olaf enthusiastically said.

Anna chuckled at his childishness and looked at the paintings she knew by heart, however she was startled at what she saw. The paintings hanging on the walls were not the paintings painted by famous painters like she knew before. Instead they were all family portraits of a long line of Arendelle Kings and their families.

"I have never seen these before." Anna mumbled.

"Oh yeah they were found in a secret vault under the castle. The room was filled with these large sized portraits." He grinned. "Of course some of the new additions were copies of the ones which were in Corona. Her Highness had specifically commissioned them."

Anna could read the golden paint used by the painter for the names of the person at the bottom part.

She stared at the family portrait for King Rozen with his wife and four children.

"Princess Riella was beautiful, wasn't she?" Olaf asked.

Anna nodded in agreement. The portrait portrayed Queen Claire who was sitting on a red velvet chaise with her daughter Princess Riella. While the men were standing behind them. From Left to right were Prince Leif, King Rozen, Prince Eleazer and Prince Einrik. The women were smiling while the men were stoic and their right hands were holding the backrest of the chaise, flashing their pinky gold signet rings which bore their respective crest, while King Rozen had his right hand on the shoulder of his wife.

Prince Leif's crest was the Arendelle crocus with a long stem and two pointed leaves. Prince Eleazar was a detailed six pointed snowflake. Prince Einrik was a short stemmed crocus and leaves that formed a circle around the flower.

Anna had checked Princess Riella's hand and saw a signet ring as well, but it was worn around her index finger and less bulkier than her brothers'. Her crest was a crocus flower with leaves similar to Einrik's but with the additional laurel leaves at the bottom to distinguish them separately.

"Oh have you seen Queen Yelena?" Olaf asked.

"King Leif's wife?" Anna asked.

"Yes! She was right over here." Anna stared at the woman with long platinum blonde hair styled in an elaborate braid and her grayish eyes were beautiful. She was sitting on a settee and a dark purple scarf was placed on the space next to her, behind her was her husband.

"She was the youngest princess of Northul. She married the Prince for an alliance. But I think it was a happy marriage." Anna said.

Anna never saw these portraits before so she frantically looked for a portrait that she wanted to see. Her eyes glistened at the sight of a man with auburn hair and green eyes. The man was dressed in full military regalia, his blood red uniform with gold accent and his military awards proudly pinned on the left side of his chest. And his sword that was currently in her possession for her coming of age.

"Father." she mumbled. She stared at her father's face, his perfectly sculpted nose, perfect eyes, and a hint of sideburns growing on the sides of his face.

"He was supposed to be Fourth Duke of Eldr. But he was known as Baron Andrew since his grandmother was Baroness Eliza of Gielo. From what I know, your grandfather had given him the barony as a wedding gift." Olaf stated.

"I see." Anna didn't know that. She doesn't know about her father's life, much less her mother. "I didn't know. The only one I know was my grandmother, I was told that she was a descendant of Count of Isles. I never met my relatives, even my mother's."

Olaf gave her a side glance. "May I ask why?"

Anna shrugged. "I don't know either. I lived here in Arendelle castle for as long as I can remember. I barely remember my father and the castle Eldr. I don't know much about it."

"I see."

Anna's eyes then turned to one of the portraits nearby.

"Oh who's this?" She tried to read the name at the bottom but it was barely readable.

"She's Queen Ingrid, she was the sister of King Olav, Seventh of His Name."

The former princess let out an audible gasp as she stared at the woman in the portrait. The woman in question has long blonde braided locks, glacial blue eyes and pale white skin, beside her was the dark purple scarf she saw earlier on Queen Yelena's portrait.

"She looks a great deal l-like. . ." she stuttered. There was no mistaking it, Queen Ingrid was the spitting image of Elsa, only older, and this woman has a soft expression on her face and a gentle smile unlike the current Queen.

"She looks like Her Majesty. Well that would only be normal since they both share the same blood." Olaf shrugged.

"What? Olaf, how can that be possible?!" Anna knew there's now way Elsa was a descendant of the Coronan Queen. She read it. Saw it in the family three that there was no Elsa born from it. It doesn't make any sense! Wait. That's the King of Corona's mother, making her Rapunzel's grandmother. It was only stated in the book that she had two children. The names weren't mentioned. The family tree was incomplete.

"But why?" Olaf asked in confusion.

"Olaf there's no Elsa written on the family tree. And she claimed she was from the house of Aren, when King Olav died childless!"

Olaf's innocence suddenly left his face and stared at the portrait. "King Leith had two children. King Olav of Arendelle and his older sister, Queen Ingrid of Corona." He paused. "Queen Ingrid had two children. The King of Corona and an elder daughter, whose name was so obscure here in Arendelle, you wouldn't even find it in many books unless you know where to look. A Coronan history book for example." Olaf had a small sad smile on his face.

"Who is Olaf?" Anna wanted to know.

"Princess Iduna of Corona." Olaf said with so much adoration. "She and her brother were the true blooded Aren through the female line."

"What?"

"Would you like to see her?" Olaf didn't wait for Anna's answer and walked towards the opposite side of the room before standing on the portrait of a woman who wore a purple traditional dress of Arendelle, her hair was in an immaculate bun and she was wearing a glittering fringe tiara with three purple tear drop shaped diamonds. She was sitting on a high backed chair and the purple scarf made an appearance again on the armrest of the chair.

She was stunned by her beauty. Her glacial eyes and dark hair were a perfect combination. She was so beautiful. Her serene smile was captivating, whoever her husband was must've fought for her hand furiously.

Wait.

Iduna was King Olav's niece, that would mean her husband was King Olav's nephew. Agnarr the Fourth Duke of Vinter.

No. There must be some mistake. If Iduna was the last female Aren then her child or children would also be an Aren mixed with Vinter blood. Anna's eyes widened at the realization. The three children of Princess Iduna and Duke Agnarr were the legitimate heirs of the Arendellian throne, twice over. The Vinter blood granted them a place in the royal succession but then a law was passed to let the female members of the family inherit if they have no competing brothers for the title. King Frederic of Corona was the heir of the Aren line unless he renounced it and gave it to his sister. Then if that was the case, Princess Iduna was the heiress of House Aren while her husband, Agnarr, was the true heir for the crown. Their children then had an undisputed claim to the throne, it didn't matter if it was on their mother's or father's line because both were eligible for the crown. But the family perished two decades ago. Did that mean King Frederic of Corona was heir? But he seemed disinterested to claim the crown, just like what the Duke said. But why? That was his chance to expand his kingdom and yet he didn't but instead he gave the Arendelle crown to a woman with no importance other than being good at military.

"Tell me what you are thinking, M'lady." Olaf asked with a smile. A smile that gave her a chill on her spine.

Elsa's words from earlier rung inside her head.

Well, we will never know who has true Arendellian blood between us. But perhaps the child you are carrying would have the purest Arendellian blood. A unified House of Aren and Eldr.

"Impossible. The three children of the fourth Duke of Vinter perished in a tragedy. Even their parents in fact." Anna's lips trembled as she uttered the words.

Olaf stared at the portrait once more. "Did they? Hmm. Then why do you shake like a leaf in a midst of strong wind if that was the case?" he has this smile Anna couldn't figure out.

"Olaf don't play with me."

"I am not playing M'lady. Well I wouldn't dare to since many lives were lost. A lot of innocent children died just because a certain man didn't do his job properly and they managed to slip from his hands."

"What are you talking about?"

"Twenty years ago, I was only about eight when we received grave news of how the children of Arendelle aged from eight to fourteen were butchered. Girls and boys, most of them had blonde hair, some even had dark hair." Olaf shook his head at the ridiculousness. "They were all killed just because of the missing bodies of the siblings from the noble House of Vinter."

Anna stayed silent and listened.

"There were three of them but two managed to escape, well barely. Who and how they helped them was not known. But just think of it, the murders of innocent children were not made by any ruffian because he gained nothing, but there was someone who would benefit from their deaths. Someone on top of the ladder. Can you think of someone who might that be?"

As if out of instinct her grandfather's face flashed through her mind. She shook the thought of her head.

"Ah it seems you already know."

"You're lying!" Anna took a step back.

"You may or may not believe me. It's your choice." Olaf said.

Anna turned and ran from the library.

No! Her grandfather was a good man! He wouldn't kill innocent children just to have the throne. No! She refused to believe it.

In her haste she bumped into the Queen herself.

THANK YOU!