Indi knelt with Gwendolyn, examining her face as she sat on a chair. Gwendolyn's face was battered and bruised, as well as other visible parts of her body. Her lip was split, and the area around her eye was swollen. Weldon's blade had drawn a single drop of blood from her throat. Luckily, it had clotted up and posed no threat. Her dress, simple though it was, was torn in several places. Indi could not discern what the mob had done and what was from a fall. She had been thrashed around for a while.
He reached up and touched the woman's face as gently as he could.
She flinched away. Indi gave her a pleading look, and Gwendolyn relented, allowing Indi to touch her.
The pair were outside of Elsa's throne room, where the queen's voice drifted out from. Elsa's court had reconvened inside her throne room, where she was currently in the process of verbally assaulting Weldon and several other men who had been identified as the organizers of the attack.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. The corner of Gwendolyn's mouth twitched upwards.
"It's not your fault, Indi," she said softly.
"Even so," he said. "I still feel responsible. I brought you all here thinking you would be safe."
"Mom!" a voice said. Indi and Gwendolyn looked over to see Violet running towards them. The girl collapsed at her mother's feet, burying her face in the woman's lap.
"I'm so sorry, Mom," Violet sobbed out. "I'm so sorry."
Indi rubbed the girl's back. "We'll fix this."
"I'm, alright, Violet," Gwendolyn said as she rubbed her daughter's head. "I'll survive."
Anna slowly exited the throne room and looked over at the three. She knelt near them. Her gaze was gentle, but Indi knew her well enough to tell that behind that mask was boiling rage.
"My sister would like you to come inside," Anna said. "If you want to, that is."
Gwendolyn looked up at Indi. He saw the fear return to her eyes slightly.
"I will be with you," he said. "As long as I'm there, no harm will come to you."
The woman turned to the princess and nodded. Indi put an arm around Gwendolyn's shoulders and gently took her hand. He helped her stand up, leading her to the doors.
"Violet," Indi said. "You stay here. We'll call you if we need you."
The girl nodded, and Anna led Indi and Gwendolyn into the throne room. Indi glanced around, taking note of the people in the room. The call of another court session so late was unusual, so everyone who could attend did so. He caught the eyes of the dragon riders, who, through their rage, gave him encouraging looks. Many of the people in attendance gasped audibly at Gwendolyn's injuries, some of them covering their mouths.
Copal and Emerald sat on either side of Elsa's throne, staring at the men intensively. The overall appearance of the Snow Queen flanked by white dragons would have been an intimidating sight to anyone who was not accustomed to it.
Indi and Anna led Gwendolyn to the front of the room, Indi placing himself between the woman and the group of men that already stood before the queen.
"Come," Elsa said, motioning for Gwendolyn to approach her. After a supporting nod, Indi released her, and the woman slowly approached the queen. Elsa rose from her throne, and gently placed her hands on Gwendolyn's cheeks.
"I'm sorry," Elsa said, softening her gaze, before turning the woman so that the crowd assembled in the room could see her wounds. "This woman, along with several others and their children, were rescued from horrible abuse. They were brought here to live out a life of relative normalcy, something they were denied.
"This attack, unwarranted, has placed a stain on me and my kingdom's reputation as a haven for these people."
"My queen," Weldon said. "Our property was destroyed, and these... creatures, they are dangerous. They should not be in your kingdom."
Elsa's eyes locked onto the man. She gently guided Gwendolyn back to Indi. The door to the throne room opened, and Violet dashed in. Though she had disobeyed Indi, he let her embrace her mother.
"Too dangerous, you say?" Elsa said. "Am I too dangerous to be in Arendelle? Some would say so, and some have. You say that the dinomorphs are too dangerous being here, and yet, one of those beings saved Arendelle itself."
She motioned to Indi. "Sir Indi here has put his life on the line again and again, not only for this kingdom but also for others. Miss Tyrannus has patrolled and monitored the capital, helping to keep order."
"What of those that cannot put on a human guise?" Weldon asked, trying to find a weakness in the queen's argument.
"As long as the dinosaurs stay in their enclosures," Indi said, glaring at the man. "They pose little risk."
The main doors to the throne room opened. Everyone looked over to see Captain Jones walk in, his head held high. He strode to the front of the room, giving Indi a curt nod before addressing Elsa.
"My queen," he said with a bow.
"Captain," Elsa said. "What have you to report?"
"The fire has been extinguished, Your Majesty," Jones said, standing tall. "The... dracomorphs, as you call them, they were a great help in carrying water for us."
Indi smiled. Though the dracomorphs were reclusive, he could always count on their help.
"Very good, captain," Elsa said. "Have any other structures been damaged?"
"No, my queen," Jones said. "Just the one house. We can probably start clearing the debris in the morning, and then we will begin rebuilding it, with your permission of course."
"Permission granted," Elsa said with a dismissive wave. "Take whatever men you need. Sir Indi?"
Indi looked up at the queen. "Yes, Queen Elsa?"
"I trust we can count on the dracomorphs for additional assistance?" she asked. "I'm sure they would help expedite the process."
"I'm sure they would be happy to," Indi said. "But I will speak with them in the morning."
Elsa nodded. The faster the house was rebuilt, the sooner that the families could get back to some semblance of normalcy.
"My queen," Weldon said again. "You don't mean to keep these creatures in Arendelle, do you?"
"I do," Elsa said. She was not in the mood to play these games with this man.
"But, this one," Weldon said, pointing at Violet. "Has killed numerous cattle. Surely it is too dangerous. How much longer until it turns on your own subjects?"
"She is a child," Elsa said firmly. "And she is one of my subjects. She is dealing with things that are in her very nature. She is learning. For most of these people's lives, they were not afforded the luxury of learning how to live among normal humans. It is up to us to have patience. Now, the cattle that were killed have been compensated for. And Miss Violet here will pay it off. She has already learned her lesson, but we will teach her accordingly."
"There's only one thing a creature like that knows," one of the men said. "An arrow between the ribs."
Elsa's temper flared. Indi felt the temperature in the room drop.
"Speak that way about these children again," Elsa said slowly. "and I'll have your tongue."
"My apologies, Queen Elsa," the daring man said as he cowered back. "I was speaking out of turn."
"Clearly," Elsa said as she sank back into her throne. "Captain?"
"Yes, my queen?" Jones said, stepping forward.
"Take these men to some cells," Elsa said, almost spitting the words out. "Get them out of my sight. I do not tolerate senseless attacks on refugees, arson, or the beating of a defenseless woman in my kingdom."
Captain Jones nodded. "This way, slime!"
He led the men through a small door, escorted by several guards, and they disappeared from view.
Elsa looked over at Indi. The young knight was still fuming, but he still looked at Gwendolyn and her daughter with a certain tenderness. Underneath that look, she could tell that he was tired. She was as well.
"Gwendolyn," Elsa said. "Do you feel comfortable returning home?"
"I-I think so, Your Majesty," Gwendolyn said.
Brynn stepped forward from her post along the wall. "I will stand watch over the dinomorphs' district until the morning to prevent any further issues."
Elsa smiled. "Very well. I'll send some people to relieve you at breakfast."
Brynn began to guide the mother and her daughter from the room when Indi stopped them.
"Go find my mother, first," he said. "She will help with your injuries."
Gwendolyn nodded, and Brynn led them out of the throne room. Indi looked back at Elsa and saw the dark circles beginning to form under the queen's eyes.
"We're finished here," Elsa said with a sigh, rising. "Let us all retire for the night."
The people present in the room murmured in agreement, and slowly dispersed. Indi made his way over to the dragon riders.
"Thank you all for your help," Indi said.
"Not a problem," Heather said.
"We're happy to help," Hiccup said. "You've done so much for us."
"That," Snotlout said, his mood still firm. "And no one attacks refugees. That's not even something we do on Berk."
Indi gave a tired smile.
"Prince Hiccup," Elsa said as she walked over, being followed by Copal and Emerald. She was still unsure of what the proper title was to call the boy. "Please come to my office tomorrow after lunch. We can work out the efforts of the trade agreement."
Hiccup nodded, giving a small bow. "That should work. Thank you, Queen Elsa."
"No, Prince Hiccup," Elsa said. "Thank you. Thank you all. You helped protect the most innocent of my people once more. I am glad to call you friends of Arendelle."
The group dispersed to their respective rooms, except for Indi. He chose to wander the darkened halls, followed by Copal and Emerald.
It had been quite the day. From arriving back in Arendelle to dealing with foreign dignitaries to dealing with an attack on his people, the whole collection of events sucked the energy from him. Yet, despite this, he could not find the urge to go to his room to sleep.
The halls were dark, and many of the candles were extinguished.
Perhaps Weldon had a point, twisted though it was. Dinomorphs and dracomorphs were dangerous. Indi was a testament to that, as was Brynn. They could kill people with their bare hands, and their altered forms could kill many more, and few weapons could oppose them. Even with his reduced abilities, he had gone toe to toe with Ryker Grimborn, a man who hunted dragons for a living.
From the far end of the hall, the glow of a flame appeared, illuminating the hallway and drawing Indi from his thoughts. He watched as the floating ball of fire approached, and he gave a small smile as the source revealed itself.
"Indi," Mary said. Her face was illuminated by the fire that floated just above the skin of her right hand, the details and scars on her face accentuated by the flickering light. "You should be sleeping."
"Hey, mom," Indi said. "I'm not tired."
"Yes, you are," Mary said with a small smile. "I can see it in your eyes. We may have been separated for five or six years, but a mother knows her son."
Indi sighed. "How's Gwendolyn?"
"She'll be alright," Mary said as she fell into step next to Indi. "I healed the worst of her injuries."
"Did they…" Indi cleared his throat. "Did they do… anything to her?"
Mary shook her head, understanding what her son meant. "What you saw seems to be what was the worst of it, thankfully. I focused on a few of her ribs that were bruised and the area around her eye."
Indi nodded. "I'll try to go visit her in the morning or the day after."
"Good," Mary said. The pair walked in silence for a few moments, followed by the pair of white dragons. The only sounds in the hall were their footsteps and the strange hissing crackle of Mary's flame. "You've come so far, Indi. You've made this place a home for us. You've managed to get the Queen to fall in love with you."
"That wasn't my intention," Indi confessed. "All of this… it just kinda happened."
Mary smiled. "You should get some rest. You have a busy day tomorrow."
"I know," he said. "It feels like all of my days are busy."
"And who are these little ones?" Mary said, looking down at the Indominus Furies.
"These are Copal and Emerald," Indi said. "I rescued them from a dragon hunter camp. I'm sure von Schwicke made them. Somehow, he got access to Night Fury blood." At his mother's confused look, he explained. "Like Toothless, Hiccup's dragon. He combined it with that of Indominus rex."
"That's… concerning," Mary said.
"I know," Indi said. "I'd like to look into it at some point."
"That would be wise," Mary said. "I just don't know how you could do that safely."
"My whole life hasn't been safe," Indi said. "You know that."
Mary nodded solemnly. "It's not the life a mother wants for her son, but you've made the best of it."
"I've tried," Indi said. "Even now, it's not quite the life I want."
A moment of silence passed between them.
"What do you mean?" Mary asked.
Indi sighed. "I don't like living in the castle with all of these rules and procedures. It does have its benefits, to be fair, but I hate the conduct I have to follow. I hate having to put on a nice face, even to people who deserve a good slap with a set of talons."
Mary chuckled. "Oh, if you had been with me when I arrived at Caldara Cay, Mala would have loved you from the start."
Indi smiled for a moment, but then his face fell once more. "I've also seen how the other dinomorphs are living. It makes me somewhat guilty, living here with all of this luxury, while they... don't."
"Don't feel bad, Indi," Mary said, taking her son's hand. "You have an important job here. You look after them. You have authority and help defend and protect them. If that involves you living here in the castle, then so be it."
"I know," Indi said as he gave his mother a strained smile. "I don't know if I want to be king though."
"But, aren't you and Queen Elsa engaged?"
"Yes," Indi said, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'm doing it because I love her. If that means me being king, then I will."
"You're a good boy, Indi," Mary said, patting her son's shoulder. "Many people would be happy to marry into a position with that kind of power, but not you."
She was silent for a moment. "Indi, do you know what von Schwicke put inside of you that took away your powers?"
He shook his head. "I don't. Whatever it was, though, it burned like fire inside of me. Elsa will be able to tell you more. I can tell you, that when my abilities were gone, I felt... empty like there was a hole in my chest that I never had before and couldn't fill."
"I might go speak with her tomorrow," Mary said. "I'd like to learn more about this."
Indi nodded.
"In any case, go to bed," Mary said. "I have a feeling that we will have a busy day in the morning."
Indi obeyed his mother, leaving the woman, his dragons following him to his room. He slid his feet from his shoes and collapsed onto the bed, burying his face into a pillow. Copal and Emerald climbed onto the bed, curling up on either side of him.
Elsa woke to the first rays of sun peeking through her window. She rose with a groan, sitting up him her bed. She gave a hearty yawn that was very unbecoming of a queen as she stretched her arms over her head. She fixed her nightgown that had slipped off slightly and rang for her servants to come to assist her. She went to an adjoining room, where her handmaidens helped her strip down and bathe.
Once she was dressed in a pretty blue gown, her hair styled, and a light coat of makeup applied to her face, she went down to breakfast. Anna was waiting for her.
"Elsa!" Anna said, cheery as ever. "Good morning."
"Good morning, Anna," Elsa said as she sat down. A servant approached her, offering a dark beverage. She nodded and was served a cup of coffee. "Is Kristoff not here?"
"He took Sven to go on an ice-collecting run this morning," Anna said. "He'll be back in a couple of days, he said."
Elsa nodded. With the weather getting colder, Kristoff would begin to stock up on ice. The ice harvester had commented more than once that the queen could single-handedly put him out of business if she wanted to. An absurd notion, but a humorous one, nonetheless.
"Elsa," Anna said.
"Hm?" the queen said, looking over at her sister.
"Where did you get that ring?" the princess asked. "I don't think I've seen it before."
Elsa looked down at the small gold ring on one of her fingers. "Oh, this one? Indi gave it to me last night."
Anna squealed. "It's beautiful. Do you know how he got it?"
"No," Elsa said. "And don't you go asking him."
"Excuse me!" Anna said haughtily. "I would never!"
Elsa could only roll her eyes at her sister's antics when a servant announced someone. "Presenting Lady Mary Miller."
Elsa looked up to see Mary walk into the room. She wore a simple yet elegant dress made of deep blue fabric.
"I hope I'm not intruding, Your Majesty," Mary said with a small curtsey.
"Not at all," Elsa said with a smile, motioning to the chair next to her. "Please, take a seat and join us."
Mary smiled gratefully and sat in the seat next to Elsa and across from Anna.
"Have you seen Indi?" Elsa asked. "He joins us regularly for breakfast."
"I have not," Mary said. "Perhaps he is having breakfast with the dragon riders."
"Fair enough," Elsa said. She knew how much Indi liked those people.
"So you're Indi's mother, right?" Anna said.
"Indeed, I am," Mary said with a smile.
"Well, it's lovely to finally meet you," Anna said. Elsa smiled at her sister's apparent decorum.
"You must be Princess Anna," Mary said. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Anna smiled and Elsa motioned to the servants, who began to bring out platters of food.
"What was Indi like when he was younger?" Anna asked as she sipped on her tea.
"Oh, roughly the same, I believe," Mary said. "A good bit less refined in his fighting, but he was a very bright boy. And kind, or at least, as kind as he was allowed to be. And he loved his pack, though I see that his pack has grown.
"I trust all of the dinosaurs are here?"
"I believe so," Elsa said. "It was kind of a mad dash when we broke everyone out, but I think we got most of them."
"And I thank you for that," Mary said, tipping her head at the royal sisters.
"May I ask you something?" Elsa said. "I've seen you use magic."
"What?!" Anna exclaimed.
"It's true, Princess," Mary said as she held up her hand, allowing a small flame to ignite in her palm. She let it burn for a moment, before slowly clenching her fist, making the fire disappear.
"How did you come to possess these abilities?" Elsa said.
"I formed communions with the gods," Mary said. "Pacts, oaths, and experimentation with nature itself."
"Interesting." Elsa pursed her lips. Mary practiced a form of witchcraft.
"If I may, what about you?" Mary asked.
"I was born with my abilities," Elsa said. "I've had them as long as I can remember."
"You must be very skilled with them then," Mary said, nodding in approval.
"I've only become proficient with them fairly recently," Elsa confessed. She did not know why, but she felt she could be extremely open with this woman. Perhaps it was the fact that she was a fellow magic user, though their powers had very different sources.
"All abilities take practice, and a lifetime to master," Mary said with a smile. "There is no shame in learning at a different rate."
Elsa nodded. "You are very wise."
"Just another thing I've learned," Mary said.
"This is awesome!" Snotlout said from Hookfang's saddle as the dragons raced over Arendelle. The townspeople looked up at them from the streets, and several of them waved at the passing group. "They love us!"
"We're supposed to be patrolling," Astrid said from her spot on Stormfly's back.
"Who cares?" Tuffnut said.
"We can multitask," Ruffnut said in agreement.
"Guys, this isn't a vacation," Heather said from atop Windshear. "Indi needs us to keep an eye out for trouble. That attack yesterday really made a lot of people worried."
"Where is he?" Hiccup asked, adjusting the mechanisms that controlled Toothless's tailfin. "He was at breakfast, but he dismissed himself just before we finished."
"He said he'd meet us in the air," Astrid said.
"Maybe he had business with Queen Elsa," Fishlegs asked.
"We all know what that means!" Ruffnut said, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Yeah!" Tuffnut said in enthusiastic agreement before his brow furrowed in confusion. "Wait… what does it mean?"
Astrid rolled her eyes, groaning.
"It means he had something to take care of," Hiccup said. "He's got a lot on his plate right now. Patrolling is the least we can do to help him out, considering how much he has helped us."
After a few minutes, a shadow passed over them and a loud, familiar roar sounded out from above.
"Indi!" Astrid said as the knight and his trio of dragons flew up next to them. "There you are."
"Hey, guys," Indi said. "Sorry about that. Needed to make sure someone relieved Brynn from her guard post, and then I had to go speak with Hannah and the other dracomorphs to see if they could help the soldiers clear away the burnt rubble from the fire last night. They said yes, they'd help, so that's that taken care of. Then I had to do a quick walk through the main halls of the castle to check up on the staff."
"Busy morning," Hiccup commented.
"Yeah," Indi said. "Don't forget, you have that meeting with the queen, and I have to see her at some point as well."
"You didn't see her yet today?" Heather asked.
Indi shook his head. "No, I haven't."
The dragons glided over the forests, following one of the roads that led along the coast.
"How long were you guys planning on sticking around?" he asked.
"Perhaps another day," Hiccup said.
Indi nodded. "Could I ask a favor of you?"
"Sure."
"When you leave, would you be able to take the royal family of Corona back to their kingdom?" Indi asked. "They've been away for a long time helping out here, but they need to get back to look after their own people. They'll let you rest up before you go back to the archipelago."
"I think we could do that," Astrid said.
"Thank you," Indi said.
Indi and the rest of the dragon riders flew along, gliding over the forest.
"Indi," Astrid said. "I didn't meet to put my nose where it doesn't belong-"
"Yes, you do," Ruffnut said pointedly.
Astrid rolled her eyes. "You don't seem like the kind of person who wants to be king."
"A fair assessment," Indi said.
"My point is, why?"
"Why would you want to marry into a position like that if you don't want it?" Hiccup asked. "I mean, I will be chief, someday, but I have zero aspirations to rush that process. You're jumping headfirst into it, not being a chief, but a king."
"I'm doing it because I love Elsa," Indi said. "Is it one of my better ideas? No, far from it. But I'm doing it for her. And, if I don't, she could end up marrying someone else for political alliances that would be after her kingdom and her abilities."
"Meaning?" Snotlout asked.
"Well, think about it," Indi said. "If, for example, Hiccup or some prince from another kingdom were to marry Queen Elsa, they would not only become king but also have a powerful magic-wielding queen protecting this kingdom and their home country."
"We've already seen how that can be an advantage," Fishlegs said. "She can disable dragon hunter ships with a flick of her wrist."
"You don't even know the half of it," Indi said. "She's far more powerful than you've seen, and she understands that power and how dangerous it is."
"Alright, I'll bite," Astrid said. "Give us an example."
"For example," Indi began. "Though she won't admit it, Queen Elsa is a terrifying political figure. I find it hard to see her doing this, and she probably wouldn't ever, because she has a kind heart and much more restraint than I ever could, but let's say Arendelle ended up at war with another country. She wouldn't have to send a single soldier. All she would have to do is freeze your ports and wait you out. You can't get supplies in, your people starve, and eventually, you cave in and surrender. On top of that, she could send a blizzard in to freeze you out. That'd make you go through whatever resources you do have stockpiled faster, making her victory quicker."
The group flew on their dragons quietly for a moment, letting Indi's words sink in. Hiccup broke the silence. "The ultimate siege tactic."
"Exactly," Indi said. "That's why, as far as I know, we have good relations with most other nations. Failing that, things are generally cordial if occasionally strained. Few people dare to get on her bad side."
"Except her own subjects, it seems," Heather said.
"That's a different matter," Indi admitted. "As I said, the queen has restraint, and she can't go around freezing anybody who crosses her. You saw how angry she was last night. She has to go about that properly, and I will admit that that is something I am going to have to learn as well."
"Do you ever upset her?" Hiccup asked.
"Oh, absolutely," Indi said. "Though it's never intentional. Mainly due to my own stubbornness."
Astrid laughed. "Indi, you are a Viking at heart!"
He smirked before continuing. "Despite that, there are only two people in this whole kingdom who truly can do just about anything without worry of her getting so mad as to freeze us. One is me-"
"Lucky," Tuffnut said. "There goes my plans for the weekend."
"-and the other is Princess Anna. Honestly, everyone else is careful, mainly just because she is a queen. But nobody is super worried about her using her powers on us, and frankly, Princess Anna and I don't like to upset her too much anyway. She has so much on her plate, so I try to help where I can."
Elsa sat in her office, reading over letters. After breakfast, she had gotten straight to work, trying to catch up on things from her absence. Primrose and Anna had done well, but things like treaties and trade deals needed her official signature. She worked efficiently, only taking breaks for a moment or two to take a sip of her coffee.
A soft knock sounded out on the door and one of the guards posted outside of her office spoke. "Presenting Lady Mary Miller, Your Majesty."
The door opened and Indi's mother stepped in. She gave a polite curtsy.
"Your Majesty," Mary said.
"Lady Miller," Elsa said as she tapped her pen lightly on the side of the inkwell, before setting her supplies aside for a moment. She sat back in her chair, gesturing to a seat across her desk. "What can I do for you?"
"I've come to speak with you about Indi," Mary said as she sat down.
Elsa pursed her lips, suppressing a chuckle. "I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific."
"About how he lost his abilities," Mary said. Elsa's heart dropped.
"Ah," she said. "I suppose that would be of some concern. I can tell you what I know."
Mary nodded. "Please tell me everything."
Elsa breathed in deeply before telling Mary everything. She told her about how Indi was shot and taken captive. She talked about how she and the dragon riders scoured everywhere they could, and interrogated who they could. She told about how they found the place where Indi had been held, how they had found him being injected with some sort of substance, and how it had incapacitated him for days.
"He was slipping in and out of consciousness, and he had a terrible fever," Elsa said, the harsh memories coming back to her. "I feared he wouldn't live. Slowly, before we left for the Southern Isles, his abilities had returned, at least to what you've seen. He cannot transform as he used to, but his strength and speed have. Do you know of this substance?"
"I do not," Mary said, shaking her head. "But, there might be… if I had a sample of what was put into him, that would be more useful, but failing that… I might be able to change him back. Reverse the effects, if you will."
Elsa's eyes widened. "Are you sure? You can do that?"
Mary shook her head. "I do not know. Possibly. It might be a shot in the dark, and it more than likely won't work."
"Do what you need to," Elsa said. If there was a chance, they should at least investigate. Mary nodded.
"Oh," the Queen said. "One more thing. I do advise you to keep your rituals and practices under the table, as it were. The people here are hesitant about my own abilities, and I was born with them. For your safety, Indi's, and that of others, I'd recommend not displaying them unless necessary."
"Of course," Mary said. "I don't want to make trouble for you. Also, I do ask that you don't tell Indi about this. I'd like to figure out if it's even possible."
Elsa nodded. It was best not to get anybody's hopes up.
"I'm sure you have much more work to do," Mary said. "I won't take up more of your time."
"It is not a bother," Elsa said. Mary curtsied once more and left the room.
Elsa sat in her chair, lost in thought. Could Mary really do what she says? It was certainly a tall order, but Elsa saw firsthand how Indi's mother could heal injuries. Her mind wandered through the various possibilities when another knock sounded out on her door.
"Presenting Prince Hiccup of Berk," a guard said.
The door opened and the aforementioned Viking stepped into the room. The pair talked about possible trades. Apparently, Berk had very little in terms of produced goods that would be appealing, but the raw materials were of interest to Elsa. She and Hiccup agreed on a small trade deal of wool and stone in exchange for some produced items and smaller luxuries. It was not anything to go to war over, but Hiccup assured her that this was fair. Elsa had no desire to take advantage of the people of Berk, and talked Hiccup through each of the steps and what the standard exchange rates were for various goods, to maintain transparency.
They both wrote down a copy of the form and signed both.
"Thank you for your time, Queen Elsa," Hiccup said as they finished their business.
"It was a pleasure," Elsa said with a smile. "I hope these terms please your father as much as they do us."
Hiccup gave a wry smile. "Oh, he'll just be happy I'm doing chiefly things for once."
Elsa chuckled. "Don't rush your ascension to the helm. Enjoy life. Once you're in charge of a group of people that all depend on you for guidance and prosperity, you have little time to focus on other things that are equally important to you."
"You're right. Thank you again, for your time." Hiccup nodded and bowed, before turning to leave with a copy of the trade agreement.
Elsa sighed as the young Viking left her office. She liked Hiccup and was sure he would make a fine chief one day.
Her stomach rumbled, and she realized she had forgotten to eat before Hiccup arrived. She had her meal brought to her office so she could continue to get caught up on her work. She slogged away through the paperwork for several more hours until a knock brought her out of her work.
"Presenting Sir Indi Rex, Your Majesty," one of the guards outside of her office door said.
The door opened, and Indi entered, carrying a small tray that had a pitcher and two cups. Immediately, a heavenly aroma floated into her nose.
"Hey," he said softly as he set the tray down on a small table near the wall. "I haven't seen you all day."
"I've been busy," Elsa said, sighing out.
"I'm sure. I have been as well," Indi said as he poured a steaming brown liquid from the pitcher into the two cups on the tray. "That's why I brought you something."
"Is that...?" Elsa began as Indi approached her with the cups.
"Hot chocolate," he said with a nod as he handed her a drink. "Your favorite."
Elsa gently accepted the offering with both hands, the cup warm against her skin. She sipped the liquid, the sweet and savory drink making her immediately feel warm inside.
"Thank you so much," Elsa said.
"No problem," Indi said as he sat in a chair opposite Elsa's desk. "The kitchen staff knew exactly who it was for when I requested it made."
Elsa laughed; her staff knew her too well.
"So, how are things?" she asked, taking another sip of her drink.
"All things considered, it could be worse," Indi said. "The dracomorphs are helping with the cleanup efforts from the fire. I went on patrol with Hiccup and the other riders, and all seemed quiet. I checked up on things with Gwendolyn and Violet, and the others, and they're alright. Everyone seems rattled-"
"Understandable," Elsa said.
"Yeah," Indi said, before taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "But otherwise, things are fine. Walked through the castle a few times."
"Good," Elsa said with a nod.
"There is something I'd like to talk to you about," Indi said. "If you have time."
"Of course," the queen said.
"What was that whole thing last night with that guy from Pianist or something?"
"Panist," Elsa corrected. "I've wanted to talk to you about that as well."
"I couldn't believe that guy," Indi said. "Asking for a dragon. The only reason we have them is because they were rescued, and we'd never give them away for fabric or spices or whatever they were going to try to trade for them."
Elsa nodded, letting Indi vent his frustrations. The only reason they had dragons was due to their relationship with the Vikings of Berk and Indi's own adventures, and the Southern Isles got lucky in that the dragon hunters had unwillingly given them a Deadly Nadder.
"The Barbaric Archipelago isn't well known to outsiders aside from us, and probably von Schwicke," Elsa said. "As far as I know, or anyone else really, we are the only place politically connected to the rest of the world that has dragons, even if they don't live here naturally, aside from the Southern Isles, and they aren't in talks with the Vikings."
She opened a drawer and produced a piece of paper. "I also received this. They want a one-time trade: a lot of goods, more than I expected, for a single dinomorph."
"No," Indi spat. "We are not slaves to be bought and sold."
"I am going to refuse this offer, of course," Elsa said quickly before continuing. "But this brings up a point that I wanted to discuss with you. The dinosaurs, dinomorphs, your dragons, and the dracomorphs make us a target, both militarily and politically. Our allies are obviously happy to keep our relations beneficial to us both, but those that are neutral presently or… let's say they have 'unsavory motives', they feel they have reason to acquire the new additions to Arendelle for themselves. They don't like that we have them, and they fear that we might use our might against them."
"If they think they can catch a Velociraptor," Indi said, his mood clearly soured. "I'll let them into the pen myself and they can try."
"My point is, Indi," Elsa said. "We need to be careful. You know I invited the King of Panist to visit so he can see the dragons. I did it purely for political reasons. If he thought we were keeping them and hiding something, then he could rally other countries that don't view Arendelle as favorably against us. When he comes, don't overshare any information."
"I wasn't going to," Indi said. "He can see them from the ground one time while we fly overhead."
Elsa smiled. "I might need you around a bit more than that."
"Eh, Sleuther wouldn't come down for him anyway," Indi said. "On the other hand, Copal and Emerald might, but I doubt they would let him touch them."
Elsa reached over and touched Indi's hand. "They do make for an intimidating display when they're around my throne."
Indi snorted lightly, bemused. "They do. But, back to your point, what should I do about the dinosaurs, dragons, and shifters? I want to keep them safe, and I don't want to put Arendelle at risk by making ourselves a target."
Elsa sat quiet, letting her fiancé work through his thoughts.
"I hate saying this, but… should we leave?"
Elsa's eyes widened. This was not the direction she thought Indi would take.
"No, no!" she said. "I don't want you or anyone to leave."
"Elsa, I thought about this last night," Indi said with a sigh. "Like it or not, we are dangerous, and there are always going to be people who don't want to live near dangerous beings like us. The attack last night showed that."
"Indi, that was one incident, regrettable though it was," Elsa said. "You don't really mean you think you all should leave, do you?"
"I don't know," Indi said. His eyes were downcast. He set his cup down and he buried his face in his hands. "I just want them to be safe. I have to keep them safe."
"We'll figure it out like we always do," Elsa said. She set her cup down and rose from her seat. She took Indi's hands and gently pulled him to his feet, before drawing him into a hug.
"You're not going anywhere if I have anything to say about it," she said softly. "Not yet, anyway. That's what Weldon and his men wanted. Don't give them the satisfaction of leaving. That means they would win."
Indi smiled. "And I'm too stubborn for that to happen."
"Much to your own detriment, it seems," Elsa said, releasing the young man.
"You know me well," Indi said. "Have you seen Anna?"
Elsa shook her head. "I haven't since breakfast. Why?"
"She's been cooped up here for a while," Indi said. "And ever since the... incident... with the Marquess of Ceopic, she's been more withdrawn. Understandably, I should add."
Elsa's gaze fell. It was something that needed addressing at some point, but due to the nature of the subject, she had no way of knowing the best course of action.
"Kristoff came to me," Elsa said. "He said that there are some people who have been discussing her honor for some time. I should address it with a public statement."
"That's... kinda personal," Indi said.
"We're royals, Indi," Elsa said, slightly firm with her tone. "We are not afforded the luxury of privacy in such matters. Of course, I should talk to her about it before I do anything."
"Why not me?" Indi said.
"You?" Elsa was shocked. The scandal alone was enough to deter most men from even thinking about talking with a lady about such matters, but Indi was not most men. "Why?"
He sighed. "It's no secret that I have a particular soft spot for Anna. I was the first one to find her when... well, I suppose Lapsus was, actually. And this is something that needs to be discussed, the sooner the better."
Elsa sighed, walking over to look out of the window. Indi was right. Even before, she had no plans of arranging a marriage between her sister and a foreigner for a political alliance, as was customary, since Anna and Kristoff seemed to be going strong and everyone had been waiting for Kristoff to propose. But political gains were off the table, even more so now than ever before. Most princes or young kings would not wed her, which made her mostly useless in that sense.
Not to mention how utterly broken her sister had felt. Elsa still had yet to talk with her sister about any of it, and the queen hated herself for that. But, like Indi said, it would probably be unwise to let things fester.
"What would you suggest?" Elsa said.
"Firstly, I want to talk to her," Indi said, walking over to stand next to the queen. He gently put an arm around her. "Somewhere with complete isolation, so that she doesn't have to worry about being overheard. I'll let you know how it goes, of course."
Elsa nodded, a sad smile playing on her lips. She could always have ordered a room to be vacated and set aside, the guards and castle staff forbidden to go near it for a certain amount of time, but Indi's ways were faster and more secure.
"You're a good man, Sir Indi Rex," she said.
"I try, at least," Indi said. "There's no court scheduled tonight, is there?"
"No," Elsa said, shaking her head. "Not tonight."
Indi smiled. "Good. If I had to deal with another person asking for a dragon, I'd let Sleuther eat them."
"There may be more," Elsa said, which earned a groan from Indi as he released her.
"Oh, I should probably let you know that the dragon riders said they could give Queen Primrose and her family a lift back to Corona when they leave the day after tomorrow."
Elsa nodded. "Good. I'll see you at dinner then?"
"Yes," Indi said. "I'll be there. Could we have the dragon riders join us?"
"Of course," Elsa said with a small smile.
Indi walked through the halls, his feet clicking on the floor, making his way to Anna's room, where he knocked on the door.
"Come in," the princess's voice said.
Indi opened the door and entered the room, where he saw Anna sitting at her desk. The young woman set a book aside; she must have been reading.
"Hey," he ventured. He would have to tread carefully.
"Hi."
"Are you busy doing anything?"
"Reading," Anna said, motioning to the book next to her. "So, not really. Is everything alright?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to join me for a ride on Sleuther," Indi said. "Elsa's busy, and I thought you could use some company."
"I'd love to," Anna said as she smiled softly. "Thank you for thinking of me."
The princess rose from her chair and led Indi from her room. The pair walked through the halls, the servants taking notice of the passage of one of their royals and bowing accordingly.
They collected the appropriate saddle and went to the courtyard, where Sleuther was lounging with the other dragons.
"Sleuther!" Indi called. "Come here, boy!"
The Triple Stryke rose and walked over, his fiery eyes bright. Indi fixed the saddle to the dragon's back and climbed on. He looked down from his elevated seat and reached his hand towards the princess.
Anna took Indi's hand, though he noticed her hesitate slightly. He helped her up to sit behind him. Anna gently placed her hands on Indi's shoulders.
"Let's go, Sleuther," Indi said. The dragon snorted, and extended his wings upwards, before flapping them downwards. He lifted into the air, carrying his passengers with him. They soared higher and higher, well over the height of the tallest tower of the castle, before gliding peacefully over the ocean. Both the ocean and the sky had been set alight with oranges and pinks as the sun lowered towards the horizon.
"I'll never get tired of this view," Anna said, looking out at the expanse as the wind blew her hair back.
"Me neither," Indi said. "I go flying every day, or just about, and I don't think I'll ever get sick of it."
The pair sat in peaceful silence as Sleuther glided back over the town. They looked down and people waved to them.
They glided away, going north, over the forest.
"Anna, can I ask you something?" Indi ventured.
"Yes," she said.
"Have you… talked to anyone about what happened? To you, I mean."
The princess's gaze fell. Indi knew he was opening a wound that had not healed, but he hoped he was doing the right thing.
"I haven't," Anna said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Are you open to talking about it?"
The princess shook her head. "I don't know. Not right now."
"I think you should," Indi said, looking behind him. "If not with me, then at least with Elsa. Maybe Kristoff."
"I don't know," Anna said.
"Will you think about it?" Indi asked. "If not for yourself, at least for me."
He was attempting to appeal to Anna's selfless nature. They sat in silence for a while. Indi figured she wanted to drop the conversation and he would not push further.
"For you, I'll think about it," Anna sighed. "Why do you sound so much like Elsa?"
"I've been spending too much time with your sister, it seems," Indi said, chuckling. "If it's any consolation, she's starting to sound a little more like me."
"God help us all," Anna said shaking her head.
Noticing that it was getting dark, Indi said "Let's go back, Sleuther."
The dragon grunted and gently banked into a turn, before flying back to the castle. They landed in the courtyard, where a few of the castle visitors were milling about; most of them were looking at the visiting dragons, but the return of Sleuther caught everyone's attention.
Indi dismounted and offered his hand to the princess. Anna took his hand, with noticeably less hesitation. Indi took notice of the people watching them and adjusted his mannerisms accordingly.
"Thank you for joining me, Princess Anna," he said with a bow.
Anna tipped her head. "Thank you for inviting me."
The pair separated. Anna went inside the castle and Indi removed Sleuther's saddle. He gave the dragon's head a rub before going inside the castle. He hung up the saddle and went to the kitchen where he was pleased to be notified that food was being prepared for supper. Then, he was off to find Elsa.
Based on the guards still posted outside of her office, she was still working. Indi sighed and walked up to the door, giving the guards a nod. They returned the gesture. One knocked on the door and announced Indi's arrival.
They opened the door for him, and Indi entered. The door shut behind him.
Elsa was still busting herself with paperwork. On her desk sat a small vessel of red wax overtop a candle.
"One moment, Indi," she said, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration. She scribbled something on the bottom of the page and then blew on the fresh ink. She nodded and rolled up the paper, before taking the small vessel and pouring a drop of thick wax on it. She picked up a stamp and pressed it into the wax, sealing it.
Indi recognized the stamp as the royal family's crest. Elsa returned the vessel to its spot over the candle and set the page aside.
"Now, what can I do for you?" she asked folding her hands.
"Have you left this office at all today?" Indi said, a tired smile on his face as he stepped over to the queen.
Elsa shook her head. "No, not really."
"Alright, you're done," Indi said as he stepped around the desk.
"I have much more to do," Elsa said as she reached for another paper. Indi gently took it from her and set it back onto the pile.
"And it can wait until tomorrow," he said gently, rubbing Elsa's back.
Elsa looked up at him with tired eyes, before looking over at the clock.
"Come on," Indi said, before taking on a strange and slightly mocking accent. "The supper is being prepared and it is a queen's duty to maintain diplomatic relations with visitors from other nations."
Elsa laughed tiredly. "Very well. Let's go eat."
She blew out the candle and the pair left the office, making their way down to the dining hall.
After they were announced, she was greeted by the dragon riders. They all had a pleasant meal, full of stories and laughter. The riders told a wonderful tale of how their dragons were sent away due to suspicions of them destroying parts of the village, including the armory until a band of marauders called the Outcasts invaded their island in search of a man that they called the "Dragon Conqueror". Once Hiccup had managed to get the Outcasts to take him to a place called Dragon Island, the riders were able to repel the attack with their dragons.
After the meal, everyone retired for the evening. Indi went to Elsa's room and knocked on the door.
"Enter," she said from inside. Indi opened the door, where he saw Elsa sitting in a chair, her handmaidens removing pins from her hair.
"My queen," he said, bowing. "I'd like to speak with you. In private, if I may."
Elsa nodded and dismissed her handmaidens. The women nodded and curtsied, before leaving the room, shutting the door as they left. Indi waited a moment, listening to their footsteps fade away, before speaking softly. "I spoke with Anna."
"Already?" Elsa said, her eyebrows raising slightly.
"What can I say?" Indi said. "I work quickly."
"And?" Elsa's concerned curiosity was killing her.
"I told her she should talk to someone," Indi said. "I suggested either you, Kristoff, or myself. She said she would think about it. I didn't want to push too hard this first time around."
Elsa nodded. That was probably best. But what if Anna never talked to someone? She voiced her concerns.
"Then I'll talk to her again," Indi said. "All we can do now is make her feel safe and comfortable." This made sense. At least Anna said she would think about talking to someone. It was the tiniest bit of progress, but still progress, nonetheless.
"I won't require her at functions," Elsa said. "And if she does attend, she is free to leave if she feels she needs to."
"It's a start," Indi said, sighing. "Well, I'm off to bed."
"Goodnight, Indi," Elsa said as she rose from her chair. She stepped over to him and kissed the young man on the cheek.
Indi smiled. "Goodnight, Elsa."
He exited the queen's quarters, leaving her with much to think about.
A chapter light on action, but heavy on characters. Hope you all enjoyed it.