Anna came whirling and twirling into the dining room, humming a song, her pretty green dress swirling around her. The servant carrying Elsa's breakfast had to dodge her, but Anna didn't notice. Elsa and the servant shared a smile.
Anna finished her dance by swooping down to kiss Elsa on the cheek. "And how are you this lovely morning?" Anna asked.
Elsa couldn't help but feel a rush of love flow through her. "I'm wonderful, especially now. You're sure chipper."
"Sunbeams!" Anna exclaimed. "Everywhere I look, I see open windows with sunbeams!" She sat next to Elsa.
"Your usual, Miss Anna?" the servant asked, setting a plate in front of Elsa.
"With extra strawberries," Anna said. "It's an extra strawberry kind of day." She saw that Elsa had a quill, ink, and a blank piece of paper on a blotter. "Composing a letter while eating?"
"Today's going to be such a busy day, I thought I'd save time by composing my speech while I ate. But I can't think of what to say, or how to say it." She munched on her food for a moment. "I might just wing it."
Anna thought for a moment. "Have you ever given a speech before?"
"Not a real one."
Anna knew what she meant. She and Elsa had both received extensive training from their father and from various tutors, preparing them to run a kingdom one day. They had learned ballroom dancing, royal protocol, tact, public speaking, economics, and how to sit and move like a lady of the court, among many other things. Their father had also insisted they learn to use a sword; not many people knew this, as proper ladies were not meant to engage in such brutal and violent activities, but he had insisted that his daughters know how to protect themselves, especially with no brothers around.
And, of course, the sisters had been taught all these things separately.
Anna thought back to her speech lessons. She had had to pretend she was ruling a kingdom which had just suffered a natural disaster. Her tutor had instructed her to imagine she was speaking to a large crowd of hungry people who might very well begin to riot for food within the next few days. "Speak to them with calm, sure strength and confidence," he had said. "Speak with easy authority. You know that everything will be all right, but the people standing in front of you don't know that. They're afraid. Convince them that their families will not starve. Make them understand what you understand." She was only thirteen, and hadn't done very well. Riots had probably ensued.
"Anything I can do to help?" Anna asked.
"Not that I can think of."
Anna made sure no one else was around, then asked softly, "And your dreams?"
Elsa smiled. "I had no nightmares."
"Yes!" Anna exclaimed.
"But I did experience a terrible, feverish jumble of extremes. Too many traumatic things happened yesterday, there was too much cataclysmic upheaval, so I don't think it was possible for me to sleep with complete peace. One moment I was a hunted monster who had killed my own sister, the next I was the luckiest person in the world with the best and most loving sister anyone could ever have. So, I felt your love in my dreams, and it protected me. But my night was not peaceful."
"I will claim that as a victory! And I will never give up until you know nothing but peace."
"I don't doubt it."
The servant returned with Anna's breakfast. "Thank you," Anna said.
"And what makes today an extra strawberry kind of day?" Elsa asked.
Anna stabbed a strawberry slice with her fork and held it up to Elsa, who daintily took it with her teeth. They smiled at each other.
"Because we're alive!"
Elsa swept into the luncheon with a smile on her face, dazzling in a sun yellow dress. Before anyone could say a word, blue energy swirled briefly in the center of the room, leaving in its wake an ice sculpture of an eagle, wings spread, landing on a cliff top, surrounded by pine trees.
Everyone gasped.
"Good day," she said.
Her dramatic appearance had the intended effect. The dignitaries laughed with delight and bowed graciously.
After standing around, drinking champagne and chatting for a few moments, they sat at a rectangular table, with Elsa at one end and Anna at the other. The servants brought out plates of delicious pot roast, with onions, carrots and potatoes, followed by pudding for dessert. The conversation was as relaxed and cheerful as the ocean breeze and the summer sun lazing through the open windows.
When Elsa asked about the state of their ships, she received an enormous boon which took her breath away. Only two ships had been destroyed, and by fate or by the purest of luck, they belonged to Weselton and to the Southern Isles, the two nations to which Arendelle owed no recompense whatsoever. Elsa almost wept with relief. Not only had she committed no great harm to any ally, she had also been spared the sizeable drain on the treasury, which she had been dreading deeply. All other damage was minor, and with Arendelle's shipwrights working around the clock, all repairs would be complete within three days.
The dignitary from France offered to take Hans back to the Southern Isles. Although no one said it aloud, everyone understood that Elsa and Anna wanted neither the embarrassment of a trial nor the dirtiness of an execution – that it would be easiest, politically, if Hans just went away. "I know and admire King Brogan," the Frenchman said. "I find it very difficult to believe that he would ever condone his son's behavior. In fact, once King Brogan learns what his youngest son has done, I fully expect him to react with such shame and outrage that Hans will wish he'd remained here to be executed."
The dignitary from Spain offered to take the Duke of Weselton and his men away from Arendelle, as well, and drop them off at their home. Elsa graciously accepted his offer. Unlike Hans, the duke would receive no punishment from a superior, for he ruled Weselton. However, he would have to endure the outrage and shame of his own people. They were going to be deeply unhappy with their ruler once they learned what he had done, and once they learned what kind of economic hardship they would all suffer because of him.
Elsa had a feeling the duke would receive swift and just punishment, without her having to lift a finger. She thought of how her father would have approved. "Now that's the way to rule!" he would have said with pride. "Achieve results indirectly, with subtlety, and with minimal effort and cost. That's my girl!" Thinking about her father brought a tear to her eye. She quickly wiped it away.
After the luncheon, Elsa amazed and entertained her guests by creating large snowflakes, each one unique, and floating them about the room. She finished with a gentle and brief snowfall.
When Elsa and Anna finally took their leave, their guests were well satisfied and very cheerful.
The sisters retired to Elsa's study.
"Are you sure we should allow the duke to leave unpunished?" Anna asked when they were alone. "I mean...I sort of understand about Hans. Personally, I want Hans as far away as possible, as soon as possible. He's just a prince, and his own people will deal with him. But the duke is going to get away with nothing but his dignity hurt!"
Elsa smiled, and explained her expectation of the duke's immediate future. She reminded Anna of the advice their father had given them, to rule a kingdom with subtlety and political deftness.
"But what if you've misread the situation?" Anna asked. "What if the people of Weselton support their duke out of loyalty? Communities, and clans, often do that – they defend and support one another, regardless of who's right and who's wrong."
"Loyalty to the royalty," Elsa said. "It could happen. But it's a chance I'm willing to take, and we hold the upper hand.
"If we execute the duke, we risk war, which would ruin thousands of lives for generations. The fact that we would be within our rights to execute him would be no consolation to the many who suffer. Neither of us would ever want that, and neither of us values her own life so dearly. Even if there was no overt war, Weselton would still become deeply unfriendly, and would remain so for many years. Weselton is only 30 leagues away, and I dread an enemy forever on our doorstep.
"On the other hand, if we send the duke back with his tail between his legs, we are the rulers who showed mercy, while he is the ruler who lost his ship, his senses, and his dignity. If his people support him, anyway, then I admit I lose that gamble, but when compared to the unmeasurable cost of the alternative, that's a gamble I'll take every time.
"But I don't think I'll lose that gamble. Even if his people support him at first, they'll feel the pain of the cessation of trade, which will hurt Weselton more than it will hurt us. Weselton retraded many of our goods to others further south, and we can bypass Weselton and trade with the lands further south, ourselves, quite easily. Remember the old saying: every kingdom is three meals away from a revolution. Nothing provokes ill will more than empty coffers and empty stomachs.
"Also, I have faith in the people of Weselton. By and large, they're good, honest folk. They will not be pleased with the duke. And if I have to, I'll send operatives to their taverns disguised as common travelers, and these operatives will spread dissent against the duke through casual conversation."
"Elsa!" Anna exclaimed. "You would do that?"
"If I had to. But I doubt it will come to that. I'll share my prediction with you, though you are not to share it with anyone else. I predict that within one month, Weselton will send an envoy to tell us that the duke has retired, his nephew is the new ruler, and they would like to apologize for the duke's actions and to re-open trade."
Anna shook her head in wonder. "I sure hope you're right."
"No action is without risk. That's what makes life so difficult. But if I am right, then the duke will receive his comeuppance, we will be rid of him, and we will retain Weselton as an ally and trading partner, all with hardly any effort."
Anna smiled. "I'm glad you were born first."
Elsa laughed.
The people of Arendelle packed the courtyard. Near the front of the crowd stood the visiting dignitaries and high-ranking members of Arendelle's army and navy. Just behind them, by Elsa's instruction, was the castle staff and Arendelle's shipwrights. Kristoff and Olaf stood near the front, as well. Anticipation was high.
At 4:00, Kai opened the castle's main door and stepped out. "Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna of Arendelle."
Everyone bowed. Elsa stood before them, and held no paper in her hands. Anna stood behind her and slightly to one side.
Elsa spoke clearly, trying with all her might to project her voice with her tiny frame.
"To my distinguished guests, to my generals and admirals, to those who serve the royal family directly, and to all the people of Arendelle, good afternoon, and I hope you are enjoying your summer."
There was a tiny ripple of mirth through the crowd.
"Twenty-one years and five days ago, I came into this world, a seemingly ordinary baby like any other," Elsa continued. "But it didn't take long for my parents to discover that I was not ordinary. For reasons I do not understand, and may never understand, I was born with a magical power, which has been a curse much more than it has been a blessing. As you have seen all too well, I have the Power of Winter. I can make the world grow cold. I can create ice and snow. Lots of it. I even have the ability to create living creatures made of snow. Some of you have no doubt met Olaf, the living snowman, who lives with us in the castle now.
"For years, I could not control my magical power. I caused endless property damage, for the power erupted out of me at the slightest touch. The power also erupted out of me whenever I was angry or afraid, and my fear was self-reinforcing. I was afraid, so my magical power wreaked havoc out of my control, which in turn made me more afraid, which in turn made the power even more chaotic and dangerous, in a never-ending and vicious downward spiral.
"When I was six years old, my parents made the decision to limit my contact with other people, and to keep my magical power a secret, out of fear that any manner of harm might come to me, or to someone else. This is why we closed the castle gates all those years ago, and why I have made as few public appearances as possible. My own sister, Princess Anna, was not even allowed to know my secret. Our parents chose to raise us separately, even though we shared the same home, to protect Anna from me. For when we were very small-"
Elsa faltered for an instant. She closed her eyes, took a quick breath, and continued.
"For when we were very small children, there was in incident in which I almost accidentally killed Anna. This is why I believe that my power is no gift from any divine providence, for no beneficial deity would ever place such devastating power in the hands of a child who cannot even yet ride a horse.
"After my parents died, I continued unswervingly the practice of hiding from the world. I lived in dread that anyone who knew my secret would turn against me, and view me as a monster, as a freak of nature. This constant dread translated into an even greater lack of control over my power, which in turn, intensified the terror that I would never be seen and accepted as a human being in my own right, which in turn led to even greater lack of control over my power, in yet another never-ending and vicious downward spiral.
"There are not enough words to tell you how powerful these feelings were, how intense my need to keep my power a secret, how terrified I was of the rest of humanity.
"On the night of my coronation, my greatest fear came to pass. I lost control in front of others. The Power of Winter erupted out of me, and I came face to face with a world that called me a monster and looked at me as if I was horrible creature. This was a fear, and a shame, too great to bear, so I ran, and my fear and shame were so powerful that I plunged our entire kingdom into a harsh and sudden winter."
Else paused and took a deep breath. The crowd hung on her every word.
"I am sorry."
She let those words float out over the crowd for a moment.
"I hurt all of you. I let you down. I embarrassed myself, and by extension, I embarrassed all of Arendelle. My intention had been simply to leave, and to live my life in total isolation, so that I could hurt no one, and no one could hurt me, and to leave the throne to Princess Anna, and to leave all of you in peace. And it was Princess Anna who pursued me, and reminded me that I cannot run from trouble, that the world's problems are never solved that way.
"And it was Princess Anna who saved me, and saved you. Prin-"
Elsa fought for a moment to hold back tears. Her body quivering, she continued.
"Princess Anna loves me unconditionally. And if you have ever known unconditional love, then you know what a gift that is, beyond measure and beyond description. It was Princess Anna who pleaded with me to return to Arendelle, and refused to give up on me, and refused to abandon me. It was Princess Anna who threw herself in harm's way to save my life, even after all I had done. And she saved me in so many, many ways. It was Princess Anna's supreme and infinite love for me which broke the vicious cycle of fear which has dominated my life. For the first time in my life, like a drowning person who finally breathes a precious lungful of air, I experienced an emotion that wasn't fear, and in that moment, the downward spiral that had defined my life was finally broken."
Tears ran down Anna's face. Several people in the crowd were weeping, as well.
"It was in that moment that I finally achieved command over my own magical power. All the years I lived in fear, it was actually love that was the solution.
"I love Princess Anna." Elsa could no longer hold back the tears, and wept openly. Anna strode forward to take her hand. "She is more than my sister. She is the rock on which I stand, the sunlight which illuminates my soul, the solace for my pain, and the calm for my fears. If this wretched magical power has been a curse, then Anna is the blessing which saves me."
Elsa paused a moment. She and Anna wept unashamedly before their people. The citizens of Arendelle stood enraptured, many crying openly.
Suddenly Elsa shouted, "All hail the Princess Anna!"
The crowd erupted. Anna burst into a fresh set of tears and bowed her head in embarrassment.
"Hail Princess Anna!" everyone shouted, again and again.
Elsa grinned, and squeezed Anna's hand. She did not motion for the crowd to be silent again, she simply let the adulation run its natural course. Anna curtsied demurely, acknowledging their praise. The cheers lasted about a minute. Only when the crowd finally became relatively quiet again did Elsa raise a hand to signify that she had more to say. Silence returned, but everyone was grinning from ear to ear. Anna's face still burned bright red, but she didn't let go of Elsa's hand.
"I realize that the winter I created has caused problems," Elsa said. "Boats were damaged, gardens were ruined, livestock was killed. Some of our food stock has been destroyed. Luckily, freezing food doesn't always ruin it. I commend those of you who quickly rushed grain, vegetables and livestock into proper storage and protection. In the coming weeks, I will take stock of what we lack, and purchase whatever food we need for the winter. Fortunately for Arendelle, we are not an agrarian nation. If we were, the winter I created would have been devastating. But since our main commodities are wool, fish and lumber, I have high hopes that we, as a kingdom, will not fare too badly.
"Speaking of the coming winter, allow me to clarify one very important thing. I have the power to create ice and snow. I have the power to manipulate the ice and snow which I create. But I do not have any power whatsoever over natural ice and snow. In six months' time, when you feel the harsh bite of a snowstorm, please do not grumble to yourselves that your queen is responsible either for creating it or for failing to shield you from it, because I will be neither. I have no more power over a natural winter than you do, and a natural winter will force those of us in the castle to huddle beside our fires just as much as it will you. I cannot thaw rivers which freeze naturally, and the icebergs of the Atlantic will continue to do as they will.
"For those of you who suffered material loss due to the winter I created, please come to me, or come to Princess Anna, with your grievance, and we will make restitution as best as we are able.
"Also, I commend the shipwrights of Arendelle, some of the finest in the world, if I may be so bold. I realize you are working extra hard and long hours to repair the ships of our honored guests, and you have my undying gratitude, and will be handsomely rewarded for your dedication. Thank you.
"Within a few days, I will tour the kingdom, and I will meet with as many of our people as I can. I will begin by touring the town of Arendelle, and visiting with many of you.
"From this day forth, the castle gates will remain open as a matter of course, for I hide no longer. It is my hope and desire that they never need be closed again.
"And finally, I wish to speak to those who serve the royal family here in the castle. I realize that magical power is frightening, and although I have finally been given the gift of control over my power, it would be unfair of me to pretend that I have absolute control every second. For example, if something were to startle me, such as a mouse or an unexpected loud noise, my magical power might accidentally shoot out of my hand and hurt someone, possibly severely. I will continue to wear gloves. By far, gloves have always been the best method of protection from my magic. But no matter how many precautions I take, there will always be the chance that I will accidentally hurt someone around me. I believe this chance is small, but it does exist, and it only ever has to happen once for tragedy to ensue. Therefore, if any member of the castle staff wishes to receive a modest amount of money as a gift of severance and be dismissed from service, I will grant your desire, and wish you blessings and peace. It will not offend me or bother me in any way, and I will have nothing but the utmost respect for you and for your decision.
"If any of you have any questions for me, please ask, and I will answer as best as I am able."
Elsa and Anna looked out at the sea of smiling faces, but no one raised a hand. A few seconds passed. Realizing no one was going to ask anything, Elsa opened her mouth to say her farewells, but just then, a little boy, near the front of the crowd but off to one side, piped up. "Will you make it snow?"
Elsa looked at him in surprise, then smiled. "Are you sure, after what you just endured?"
"My nana says you can make snowflakes," the boy said, and Elsa realized he was a grandson of one of the servants who had served that day's luncheon.
While taking off her right glove, Elsa announced to the crowd, "Please do not be alarmed, but I have received a request." She threw a ball of light into the air. It exploded with a small pop, and sparkling snowflakes drifted down over the crowd.
The crowd was startled at first, gasping at the exploding light. This was followed by nervous laughter as the snow tickled their skins. The ordeal of suffering an unexpected three-day winter was still a little raw, and this magical snowfall made them somewhat uneasy, so Elsa decided to demonstrate still more control.
Blue energy danced in the air above their heads, leaving in its wake a snowflake 30 feet across. The crowd gasped in wonder, and watched with their jaws hanging open.
The snowflake hovered, spinning slowly. It was paper thin, and it was obvious to everyone that it was exceedingly delicate, that even the tiniest touch would cause it to unravel. Such a snowflake would have been impossible to maintain in the winds coming off the ocean, but within the courtyard, the walls blocked most of the wind, so Elsa was free to let it float undisturbed.
As the crowd watched, the snowflake's fractal design grew, shrank and shifted like a kaleidoscope. It rose about ten feet into the air, drifted down again, rose again, then finally split into millions of tiny snowflakes which again drifted down onto the crowd.
Everyone applauded wildly. Elsa and Anna smiled.
"That was wonderful!" the boy shouted. "Thank you! May we go ice skating?"
"You wish to go ice skating in summer?" Elsa asked.
The boy nodded eagerly. "If you please, Your Majesty."
"Well, how can I deny a request from such a polite young man?" Elsa turned to the crowd and announced, "Tomorrow at 10:00 in the morning, anyone who wishes to ice skate, please join us here in the castle courtyard."
Everyone cheered and laughed.
"Peace be unto all of you," Elsa shouted. "Thank you!"
"Hail Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" the people shouted, and bowed to her and applauded. Elsa and Anna let go of one another's hands just long enough to curtsy to all of them in return. Then they joined hands and waved, then disappeared back inside the castle.