A/N: Whew, thanks for hanging in there everyone and sorry for the delay. I promised some plot proper and here you go (I hope)

I still don't exactly have any proofreader or any proper help, so be wary of any mistakes I might have missed. And please, do keep leaving your reviews. If you have anything more specific to say, that would be awesome.

Chapter 6: Do you believe in magic?

To the untrained eye, the home of the royal family of Arendelle had gone from a night time bliss to utter chaos in a matter of minutes. It was closer to the truth to say the it was organised chaos.

As soon as the fire had been noticed by one of the patrolling guards, the captain was roused and all available hands were called into action. The priority was clear: get all of the visiting delegates along with anyone else who happened to still be around to safety as quickly as possible. The last thing they needed at this point was a night of celebration to turn into tragedy, let alone a diplomatic incident. Secretly, the guard corps as a whole relished the chance to be put through their paces, especially with so many people sure to notice. This, however was dampened by a hint of fear, as the fire seemed to be centered around where the queen and princess slept. For the longest time, neither of them had been accounted for.

Through an unlikely glance into the garden, the queen's location and safety had been confirmed, spreading like the fire itself. With her at the helm, the fire never stood a chance.

The courtyard was now filled with a number of individuals who had been occupying the castle not minutes before; the majority were the staff who lived in the castle and any visitors who had been invited to spend the night following the festivities. A pair of guards stood at the entrance, while most of the rest continued to search the castle in case there were still any stragglers. Most of the people assembled were dressed in nightgowns and were none too pleased to be roused so suddenly, which was hardly surprising.

Mikael had been pacing not too far from the entrance of the castle. The flow of people from inside the castle had all but halted, and now people were starting to talk amongst themselves, most of them curious as to what exactly was going on. The chattering crept up in volume over time, which made it more difficult to focus. The fact neither the queen or the princess had emerged didn't help matters much, either. Then it struck him; the others would no doubt have that as their main concern. And the queen had ordered him to keep people calm. He headed towards the centre of the courtyard and got up onto the rim of the fountain.

"Everyone, please remain calm! There have been reports that a small fire has occurred inside the castle walls. The queen has gone to prevent it from spreading any further, and relayed orders to keep everyone safe. There is no reason to believe that she is in any danger." The I hope addendum was tactfully avoided. As people began to settle down, Mikael's other fear was somewhat allayed: that everyone would recognise from the earlier fiasco. Even with the full moon it was still dark enough to obscure his face, and it didn't sound like anyone had recognised his voice. That was, until someone shuffled through the crowd towards him.

"Blitzrein. What the devil is going on here?" It was Duke Everlow, who seemed to have been in the process of removing his suit before he was interrupted.

"I've already explained everything I know," Mikael said, stepping down. "If you ask me, it's probably someone who had a bit too much to drink having a little accident. I can't imagine anyone who wished ill against Arendelle would start a fire."

Everlow scowled a bit, but nodded. "Indeed. Not exactly the end of the night I had been hoping for, mind you."

Mikael sighed. "I understand. Although as emergencies go, this doesn't seem too bad." He saw someone coming out from the corner of his eye. It was Reynold, Arendelle's foreign minister, flanked by a pair of the guard.

"Oh good, I found you," he announced. "Guards, arrest this man!"

Mikael's face couldn't have scrunched further if he tried. "Oh, you are not stooping so low as to-"

Reynold held up a hand. "Not you. Him." He had meant Duke Everlow.

On further consideration, Mikael's face could scrunch further. "Hang on a second, you aren't seriously asserting that the Duke is responsible for Arson or something?"

"That is correct, master Blitzrein. Now if you'll excuse us, this man has a cell with his name on it."

He stepped forward towards Everlow, only for Mikael to interpose. "Do you have any actual basis for this claim? Any at all?"

Reynold tried to force Mikael aside, but he stood his ground. "You have absolutely no business in criminal affairs, master Blitzrein, but if I must help you to understand, there is no other person within the castle that had the motivation to attempt anything like this. After the outright halt in trade, there has been great political unrest within Weselton. Merchants and nobles alike knew exactly who to blame, and the last duke was all but forced out of power. And now this man, forced not only to take up the reins against financial turmoil, but also forced to take great expense to fix the trading relations. Clearly, this man wanted revenge for the difficulty and humiliation suffered at our hands."

Mikael rubbed his temple. "So let me see if I'm with you here. After paying an almost exorbitant amount of wealth as a gift, the man before us hatched a scheme to exact revenge on a woman who could have easily declared war for the crimes against her, with a fire. Against the same woman who could freeze the whole castle with her little finger." Mikael pushed himself uncomfortably close. "Do you have any actual evidence to back up your claims? The last time I checked, we don't make our decisions based on conjecture. And we certainly don't arrest people based on invented motives alone."

"Tell you what. Why don't you leave these kinds of processes in the hands of-" Reynold cut himself short as something caught his eye. Mikael didn't want to lose sight of him, but he checked behind him anyway.

Queen Elsa stood a few short paces away. Her hair had become slightly dishevelled and her makeup was running, but given the circumstances no one dared call her out on it. "That is quite enough, councilor. You are to drop all charges and release this man. Immediately."

"Your majesty, I-," Reynold soon realised who he was speaking to. "Of course. Right away." He backed away sheepishly, the guards following behind.

Elsa took a deep breath. "My apologies, Duke. You may return inside with everyone else when you are ready."

Everlow shook his head. "I think I would rather stay on my ship, thank you." he started to walk off, until Mikael grabbed his arm.

"My lord, please do not leave Arendelle just yet."

Everlow pulled his arm away. "To be honest, I had considered it for a moment. If I had actually ended up in a cell I probably would have gone for sure. But this deal is too important to let a bit of blind vigilantism put me off. I will arrive tomorrow not a minute behind schedule. See to it that no further incidents occur."

"Of course, my lord." Mikael bowed as Everlow walked away. People were starting to shuffle back into the castle, in an orderly fashion of course. Mikael faced the queen. "Your Majesty. What exactly happened? Is the princess safe? Is there anything I can-"

Elsa held up her hand, cutting him off. A scowl started to form on her face, then flipped into a weak smile. "You have done more than enough for now. Please return home and rest. There is a great deal of work to be done. I need everyone here on time tomorrow to discuss the incident."

Mikael returned the smile. "Of course. I will get these trade agreements going if it's the last thing I do. If you will excuse me." He bowed and returned home as quickly as he could.

If was around half an hour to walk from the castle to where he lived, and even with the exhaustion and the numerous thoughts buzzing through his head, Mikael could make his way back with his eyes closed. Which was useful, as the turn of events had made it rather difficult for him to admire the scenery.

The bakery upon which he lived was rather modest, but more than serviceable for all the years than Mikael had lived there. Which was as long as he could remember. He remembered the story all too well. His mother Helena, had a way with bread. She could make the most simple and humble of foods taste truly alive and invigorating. She watched the bread rise from the heat every time as though it was the very first, and had burned and flattened hundreds of loaves working out the way the had worked best. She had a love for the craft that was matched by nothing else in her life. That was, until the day she met Joseph Fitzgerald Blitzrein. By all accounts, the relationship didn't have much to start on. She was talented at creating, and him at destroying. They barely even understood each other's words due to the differences in tongue. But underneath it all, they spoke the exact same language: passion. He could look to all the world like he loved the dough as much as her, and she hung on his every word, as he regaled stories of bravado and daring assaults. Finally, he agreed to put the money forward to bake together, and they never looked back. They were as happy as could be.

Mikael sighed, as he looked through the sparse display of breads through the front window. That already felt like an eternity ago. He shook his head. It would never do to spend all night reminiscing. Arendelle was counting on him now more than ever. Eyes on the horizon. Principle number 1: Always fight like you mean it.

As he pushed the front door open and went up the stairs, he heard something stirring. It couldn't be his mother, she would surely be sound asleep to open the store the coming morning. That could only mean- yes, the smell of ale was rank in the air.

"Hello, brother," Mikael said flatly as he walked into the bedroom. "Working on your collection of empty bottles again, I see." The bedroom was reasonably spacious, but otherwise a fairly modest affair, consisting of wooden floors and walls, a pair of simple beds with a dresser and an old desk at one end.

"Awww, shuddup," Tomas muttered, slouching on his bed wearing nothing more than some ragged trousers. By all appearances, Tomas was a big brother through and through. His hair was the same black hue as Mikael's, only it was currently far more long and messy. He had firm, brown eyes. with a bulky build that stood almost a whole head taller than his younger brother. That was when he stood at all. With the state of his leg, that had not been a while. "Ye- you dunno wha iss like."

Mikael spluttered, heading towards his own bed. "Fine, I'll reiterate this again. No, I don't know what war or battles is like. Yes, that is because I was kicked out for insubordination. No, I can't join the military again just yet. Yes, I do have important things to take care of tomorrow, so I'm going to sleep."

Tomas just waved a hand. "Aw, wha- whatever."

"Goodnight, brother." Mikael blew out the nearby candle and crawled into bed.

A few hours of fitful sleep later, and Mikael left the bakery as ready as he was likely to feel for the day. There was no sign of James, which he found strange. He had even kept his usual morning loaf spare. More for me, I guess. With the current state of play, he would probably need all the strength he could get.

As it turned out, he was dead on. The emergency meeting regarding the previous night's fire needed all of the queen's authority to keep the discussion on topic. There were no prizes for guessing what the main point of contention was regarding the night before.

"This is surely a warning," Bishop Chelmey started. The man wore distinctive white robes and despite being on the far side of middle age, was a relatively recent addition to Arrendelle's council. "The gods are no longer tolerating the actions of the noble house of Arendelle."

Mikael rested his face on his hand, shaking his head. "Do I really have to say this again? Queen Elsa can make snow and ice with no known limits. If this is divine retribution like you claim, why in the world would it be a fire?"

Chelmey cleared his throat. "This is merely a warning. There will surely be far worse if we neglect to heed the clear meaning of all this."

"Fine, I'll put this another way. This isn't even what we came here to discuss. The purpose of this meeting was to discern whether there was any direct danger to Arendelle. As we've already said, this was little more than an accident. If you wish to offer any complaints or- hypotheses regarding the current situation, it would be best to do so later." Mikael took a deep breath. Knowing the council, even they wouldn't let that be that.

Elsa cleared her throat rather ostentatiously. "While I would not have expressed it as such, Blitzrein is correct. I assure you I will deal with any issues you have in due course. In the mean time, I have sent the princess to an as of now undisclosed location. Do not go looking for are dismissed."

The gathering of men slowly got up, quietly grumbling all the while. However, Mikael was still sitting there. "Oh, don't mind me. The duke is showing up here in around twenty minutes, and I was hoping to speak to him before the talks start."

As the last of the other councilors closed the door, Elsa did not get up. "Actually, there was another matter regarding the incident I do not wish for everyone to know about. You must swear not to speak of this to anyone."

Mikael held his left fist up to his chest. "On my honor, this will never leave this room." He gave a nod. "Though to be quite honest, I think I understand what the problem is. You just don't want anyone trying to harass the princess until people have had a chance to calm down about this whole marriage affair."

Elsa shook her head. "Technically, that is true. However, this matter goes deeper than that. Perhaps it would be best if I told you the whole story."

A few hours earlier~

Elsa fell to her knees, trying to keep her face firm as she folded her arms. How could this have happened so suddenly? This was the perfect night in almost every way.

Elsa….

She looked around at the forlorn remains of Anna's room. Underneath the layer of ice everything had either been blackened or reduced to ashes. If only she had been there at the time instead of stopping.

Elsa….

This was not just Anna's room. This had been their room, all those years ago before that one fateful night that had changed everything. Elsa had told, sworn to herself that she would never lose Anna again. For all the pain and heartbreak they had both suffered, could she not even do that?

"Elsa!" She turned around to the entry. She hadn't been imagining it after all. There was Anna along with Kristoff. He seemed to be wearing nothing besides his trousers while she only seemed to have a blanket to protect her modesty, but neither of them seemed any worse for wear otherwise.

"Anna!" Elsa sprung up and ran towards her, no longer able to hold back her tears. "You're okay. I- I'm so glad you're alright."

"I heard, you Elsa. I didn't mean to scare you like that. I'm so sorry." Anna was breathing heavily, and felt so warm Elsa had to let go.

Elsa looked around the room, and quickly recalled the layer of ice. The room was more or less ruined, and the whole thing would have to be replaced for sure. "Tell me Anna, who did this? When I find out who tried to-"

Anna held her hand gently against Elsa. "I- I don't know how to tell you this. It was… me."

Elsa sighed. "Anna, please don't be afraid. I'm just, so glad no one was trying to hurt you. And I'm not mad at you. If you had an accident, I understand, I promise."

Anna sighed. "No, Elsa, you don't understand! Okay, maybe I don't really understand either. You see, me and Kristoff, we were- well, we were enjoying each other's company when suddenly I was on fire. I mean, it looked like I was on fire but it sort of didn't feel like it, you know? And the next thing we knew, the bed caught fire and well, then the whole room as well."

Elsa closed her eyes, trying to avoid the elephant in the room. "So, you're saying the fire just came out of you? And it didn't even hurt you?" She turned to Kristoff. "Is this true?"

Kristoff closed his eyes, trying to visualise the series of events. "Well, it's difficult for me to say. It all happened so fast, you see. It was such a shock to both of us. However this may sound though, it's the only real possibility here. There's just no way we would have any other kind of fire lit with how hot it's been."

Elsa scowled. On the one hand, Kristoff was hardly one to jump to conclusions or make rash decisions. On the other hand, Anna made it sound like it was magic. There had to be some other explanation. She really did want to give her the benefit of the doubt. "Alright, alright. Unfortunately, there probably aren't any vacant rooms right now. Kristoff, do you think you can take Anna back to your family? Once everything has settled down."

"You mean- oh, I see. It's a bit late, but I'm sure Sven will be willing to take us. Do you want us to-?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes, of course. I'm not ready to believe anything for sure. But we must be prepared for anything, and for that we need to know the truth. And please, stay safe."

Anna perked up. "It's been a while since I went to see them. Are you ready, dear?"

Kristoff blushed a little. "Well, we should probably get some clothes first."

Anna scratched her head, then returned the blush "I knew that."

Mikael had listened intently. When he was sure the story had finished, he finally spoke up. "Well, I certainly understand why you didn't want to talk about that. There might be panic, not to mention more calls for your impeachment than there probably already are right now. But why tell me about all this?"

"Elsa sighed, looking down at the polished table. "This is a lot to take in, even for me. I need someone who can give an honest opinion about all of this without any ulterior motives."

"Well, I'm flattered you would come to me for this, but I'm not really sure what you want me to say here." Elsa looked him in the eye. "Your majesty, besides the fact that it definitely does exist, everything I know about magic I could write on my little finger with room to spare. And that first part was only because of you. I would say that your guess is as good as mine, but in this situation it's honestly a lot better." He took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry I can't be of more help. All I can really tell you is what my father once told me: hope for the best, prepare for the worst."

"That's what scares me so much about this, Mikael." Elsa sighed. "I cannot even be sure what the worst is at this point. If anyone tries to hurt Anna…"

Mikael placed his hand on Elsa's. "I don't know if this is for me to say, your majesty, but I don't think you're in any fit state to be worrying about these trade negotiations. If something is happening to the princess, it would be best for all of us if you got to the bottom of it fast."

"Are you sure you can handle things by yourself? I fear we may be starting at a disadvantage."

Mikael nodded. "Which is all the more reason for you to focus on what's really important. If we go into this with anything less than our all, we might only further offend the good duke. Or we might make crippling concessions without even realising it. Surely the delegates will understand the need to deal with a potential threat to your family."

Elsa slowly got up and nodded towards him. "Thank you, Mikael. I promise you, by tomorrow I will know the truth. Then, I will be able to assist you in earnest." She left the room as fast as she could.

Mikael silently contemplated what Elsa had just told him. She seemed awfully certain that she would be sure of what happened by the end of the day. But how could she possibly know if it really was magic or not? He quickly dispelled such thoughts. Every monarch had to have a few secrets, even from their inner circle. Why would Elsa be any different?

His contemplation was cut short when the door opened again, and not to the person he had been hoping for. "Oh, it's you," Bertrom said. "I'm surprised you have the nerve to show up at all today considering your not so small blunder."

Mikael snorted. "Yes, I can imagine you would find it hard to grasp someone looking beyond what benefits them directly." Bertrom was already started to go red in the face, which only made Mikael want to continue even more. "Besides, if I honestly cared about what people like you thought of me, I would have hanged myself long ago. I assure you have no intention of giving you the satisfaction."

"Of course someone as uncouth as youwould say something like that. No matter." He gave Mikael an unnervingly cheery smile. "At least you've given me what I always wanted since you showed up here. Finally everyone else sees you the way I do."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you." Just then, the rest of the attendants for the meeting arrived. Reynold was the next to appear, followed by Everlow, who now had no less than three others to accompany him this time. The first was a fairly short, stout gentleman carrying a stack of documents with him, and the other two were his personal guard, judging by the matching uniforms. One was in fact a woman, to the surprise of everyone who wasn't familiar, with brown hair that was neatly trimmed and a figure to match. The male guard was a few inches taller, with shiny blonde hair. Mikael decided he had more important things to worry about right now. For instance, who in the room was actually on his side.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Everlow said, taking a place opposite them men from Arendelle. If he was still angry about the events of the night before, he hid it well. "Allow me to introduce Callum, who will be assisting me with proceedings. Along with my personal guard, who I am hoping won't be required to assist me today." Both of them made an effort to look menacing. It was highly unlikely they still had their weapons with them, but no one was in any hurry to test their luck. "Now, where is Queen Elsa, so we may begin?"

Mikael swallowed. He had been so preoccupied by what was going on with the queen he hadn't thought at all about what he was supposed to tell the others. After the terse way the meeting earlier had concluded and his promise, there was no way that he could let on to the other councilors that there was more going on than they had established. At the same time, he couldn't make it look like the queen had simply decided she didn't want to participate in the meetings. Time for some quick thinking. "Unfortunately, we were recently informed that the princess was hurt in last night's incident. Queen Elsa humbly apologises, but she has decided that her sister's wellbeing cannot wait. We do not currently know where the princess is located, as the queen withheld that information in the interest of safety."

Everlow blinked. "I- see. Did she give any indication as to when she might return?"

Mikael nodded. "She assured me that she would be able to participate in tomorrow's talks by the latest. That is all she would say." Both Bertrom and Reynold gave Mikael a look. Mikael ignored them.

"Hmph. I suppose there's not much to be done but begin. He gestured over the the pile of documents Callum had brought. "I have taken the liberty of making copies of the former trading agreements before the queen ordered the embargo. I also have the most recent guide to commodity values here. I believe that is a good a place to begin as any."

Bertrom cleared his throat rather loudly. "If I might stop you there. While you may believe that we can simply pick up where we left off, there are still the crimes against the crown you have to answer for. I believe we should be compensated for the fallout from the incident, not to mention the crimes themself." Mikael let out a tiny groan. This was going to be a long session.

Everlow didn't lose his composure. "That's quite a bold assertion, if I may say so. However, I find your claims to lack relevance to the case at hand. I have already made great expense to show not only to show that Weselton bears no ill will against Arendelle, but also to help recover the lost earnings and by extension, tax revenue of your kingdom. If Arendelle is not placated by this, perhaps you're not the fair, honest traders I remember. At the very least, the queen should be the one to raise this issues."

Bertrom snorted. "I assure you, we are entrusted to speak in the queen's stead, especially given her… absence." he shot a quick glare at Mikael.

"Be that as it may, it was her whose life was threatened, not yours. Entrusted or not, I believe she has the true right to chose whether or not to further pursue the crimes in question." He pushed the pile of documents. "Why don't you feel free to take a look at these. I think you'll find them to be perfectly fair."

Mikael obliged, and took a look at the first document. It was an agreement on the trading of several grain types, including wheat. The numbers were solid. In fact, they almost made his original restricted trading plans almost look like child's play. Almost. This man was good, there was no question.

After a fairly long day, they had managed to make their way through around a third of the different product agreements. There was still a long way to go before they were done, but Mikael had somehow managed to hold out. It was fortunate for him that the duke was as good as keeping the other councilors in check as the queen ever was. Of course, there would also likely be some

He had also noticed that the royal chambers had been put off-limits for the time being, which was a relief. If either of Arendelle's councilor's ran into the queen, Mikael's hasty story would have fallen apart like wet paper. He scrawled down a message for her to try not to run into them, just in case, and started to head straight home. He made as far as the end of the bridge leading out when he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Mik. Mik!" James was running towards him, giving a wide wave. "I finally found you."

"And where else did you think you find me at this time?" Mikael growled. "Sorry, it's been a trying day. Where were you, anyway? I didn't see you this morning."

James was almost hopping. "You won't believe the news. I met this old man last night, and he asked me if I wanted to work for him. Can you believe it? I mean it's just doing a few odd bits of work here and there. But it's something. It's finally something."

"Yeah," Mikael said, rubbing his temple. "Yeah, that's great."

James tapped his foot. "Oh come on, Mik. You'd never shut up about this before, and now when I finally get something all it merits is a that's great?"

"I'm sorry, James. Congrats, really." He sighed. "I'm just frustrated after today. The negotiations started today and the other councilors won't stop making demands that are beyond absurd."

"Well, isn't that just them being them?" James asked.

"No, I think this goes deeper than that. They're trying to undermine me by sabotaging this deal. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so upfront with how I felt about them after all."

James blinked. "Really? Don't they need this new deal? Isn't it supposed to be good for everyone?"

"You don't know them the way I do. You see, they seem to take to the "better to rule in hell than serve in heaven" school of thinking." Mikael shook his head. "Idiots. I just hope me and the duke can keep them in check until everything is in place. I'm not sure we can right now."

"Wait, isn't it supposed to be the queen's job to keep all the idiots on the council in check?"

Mikael scrunched his face. "Oh, that's right, you probably don't know this. There was a fire in the castle last night. Apparently, Princess Anna was dangerously near, and that's set the queen on edge. We agreed it be best if she didn't worry herself with the talks, at least for the day. I know it's for the best, but believe me, I'm really starting to regret that decision."

Just then, Mikael heard someone else calling out to him, this time from was Callum, the duke's aide from the trade talks, running as fast as his portly body could carry him "Master Blitzrein, good, I thought I had lost you."

"That's mister Blitzrein, if you don't terribly mind. Deep down, he cursed himself. Maybe the other councilors were starting to rub off on him.

Callum only bowed. "my humblest apologies. Only, the duke has invited you to take dinner with him on his ship this evening. You should arrive at the entrance to the harbour at seven o'clock, sharp. Someone will be waiting for you there."

Mikael stared at him. "You seem awfully sure that I'm going to accept this. Okay, so I do accept this, but I still might have had other plans."

"Merely an assumption from the good duke. I had no intention of offending you. We hope to see you there." Callum bowed again and slowly walked off.

James nudged Mikael. "Well look at that, you're making friends with nobles all over."

"Not entirely my intention, mind you," Mikael admitted. "But I might as well humour him." He check his pocket watch. "Seems we have a while, yet. Why don't you tell me about this man you're working for?"

Anna and Kristoff tore through the mountains on the back of Sven. It wasn't that there was any particular hurry, they were making perfectly good time back to the Kristoff's home. It was just that for now, neither of them particularly wanted to speak. Kristoff was the first one to spot the obvious flaw in their current plan: if they continued at their current pace they would arrive several hours before sundown and they would be stuck there… waiting. He found a siding on the path they were taking and slowed Sven to a halt.

"Is everything alright, dear?" Anna asked, staying put behind him. Dear. That would take some getting used to.

"We've been going for a while. Sven here could use a break," Kristoff explained. "My poor legs have been run ragged!" He was thankful that Anna couldn't see Sven shaking his head and giving him a disapproving look. He gave a small shrug and turned to Anna. "How are you holding up?"

Anna dismounted and took in the view. There were tall, lush trees as far as the eye could see, dotting the slopes all over the place. Fortunately, the tall mountain provided shade from the sun, meaning they could take their time. Sadly, no matter how nice the view was, it could only make the troubles of the world disappear for so long. "I- I'm not sure, Kristoff. Did I really catch on fire? I was so sure at the time, but after you and Elsa kept prying."

Kristoff looked her in the eye. "If we're going to start a new life together, I want it to be built on trust. At first, I thought you might have just imagined what had happened, but there really aren't many other possibilities, not when it was too hot to even consider lighting any fires. I'm not skeptical because I don't trust you. I think it's more because I'm afraid of what it'll mean."

Anna gave a concerned look. "I know, Kristoff. Whenever I think about it, all I can remember is me and Elsa being separated all those years. I don't want to cause her that trouble. Or you."

Kristoff smiled back. "Princess Anna, you are more of a magnet for trouble than anyone else I've ever known. And I wouldn't have you any other way. Before I met you, I had probably never even used a fork before. If I can figure out what nine of them are for, I can help you through whatever comes our way."

Anna gave a small laugh. "Yeah, I never could figure out what the point of all of them was, either."

"Now that's the Anna I know." Kristoff walked back to Sven, quickly giving him a carrot. "Come on, we've still got a ways to go, yet. Once Pabbie has a look at you, we can learn the truth. And hopefully we can put all of this behind us."

"Yeah. Hopefully." Anna looked back for a second, before following along.

Kristoff got on first and extended a hand to Anna. "Oh, and try to keep the engagement thing on the down-low for now. I love my family, but you know what they're like."

"Oh, yeah." Anna pictured their first meeting. "He's a bit of a fixer-upper," she sang softly, before humming the rest.

Kristoff blushed. "Please, don't remind me."

Even as Mikael ascended the wooden rungs up the side of the duke's ship, he could tell that it was almost brand new, and little if any expense had been spared on it. While the latter could easily be discerned from the colorful glass adorning the back of the ship, presumably where the captain and owner of the ship resided, he became aware of the former when she smelled the fresh paint from up close. When he had gotten to the harbour, the man guarding the duke earlier escorted him to a small boat and rowed both of them to the rungs leading up the ship. As he made it to the top, his assumptions were all but confirmed. Most of the ropes, riggings and other equipment was polished to a shine and appeared to have no wear and tear. Mikael's observations were cut short as he was confronted by the other guard from earlier.

"I must check you," she said, apparently having little regard for personal space.

"Uhm, okay?" Mikael was too startled to try anything.

Just then, a nearby door to the ship's interior opened. "Ah, there you are." Everlow emerged, with a fresh suit almost as resplendent as the one he had worn to the celebrations. "It's quite alright, Sara. You can trust him."

Sara turned her attention to him, and almost glared at him. "Yes, sir."

Everlow smiled. "Thank you. Now, if you'd like to follow me." The two men went inside the ship, leaving behind the two guards and the rather awkward encounter behind them. "Let me apologise for them. They've been on edge since they heard of last night."

Mikael thought back to the meeting. So he wasn't imagining them trying to stare holes into councilor Reynold. "You can't be too cautious. They had no right to treat you like that."

"Yes, that we can agree on." Everlow shook his head. "And yet, the queen doesn't even show up to the first day of negotiations. I understand my father left no shortage of hard feelings, but I was hoping for a clean slate, if nothing else." Mikael started to get goosebumps, which the duke seemed to pick up on. "We can discuss this later. Tell me, what do you think of my ship, the Katarina?"

Mikael glanced around. The fresh paint still hung in the air, and the walls of the ship were adorned mainly with fancy looking candlestick holders or attractive paintings. "I see you're a man of wealth, if nothing else. If I didn't know better, I would swear that the ship is fresh off of its maiden voyage."

Everlow nodded. "Well observed. I decided that the new Duke of Weselton deserves a new ship, especially if I expect to be travelling around making deals. The celebration in Arendelle seemed like an ideal place to test out how sea-worthy she is. Were she a lesser vessel, we would most likely arrived a day later at the very least."

"So your ship is more than just bells and whistles." Mikael noted. "Did you pay for it yourself?"

Everlow stopped. "Of course I did. Even in Weselton, people don't exactly appreciate it when the nobles start skimming the coffers on personal luxuries when our trading scene is in chaos. If anything, the construction put more money into our economy than out." The two of them came to a white door with an intricate pattern of carving on the wood. The duke opened the door. "After you."

Mikael went through without complaint. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You certainly know your way around business deals." he turned around, and needed a second to take it all it. This was the duke's part of the ship for sure, and it definitely showed. The rest of the ship was quite exorbitant in its own right, but this blew everything else out of the water. There was a small table, a four-poster bed, a furnished desk, all having their own unique styles suggesting they were imported from the corners of the known world. There was even a hanging lantern keeping the place well lit. "I should really be more amazed, but all I can think is how does all of this stay put during rough seas?"

Everlow couldn't help but laugh. "Well, we haven't come to that yet. But I'm sure my crew is more than willing to pick up a few spills." He motioned to a cushioned chair on one side of the dining table, and the two took their seats. "The food should be ready shortly. Now tell me, how is it a young man with no status to speak of comes to be at the queen's right hand?"

Mikael's face furrowed a little. "I don't recall informing you of my standing," omitting the or lack, thereof. It was certainly possible one of the councilors had mentioned it to him.

"Ah, yes," Everlow said, nodding. "You see, I believe my aide Callum referred to you as master Blitzrein earlier. That was no accident."

It all clicked together. It was such a simple trick, using his pride against him. Gods, give this man a week and he would have the whole council eating out of his hand. If they didn't hate him, that was. "To answer your question, I won the position in a game of chess."

Everlow stared at him. "You what?"

"Okay, it's a bit more complicated than that. I came forward to the council with my plans for the restricted trading measures. There were as stubborn as ever, things started to get heated. And then Queen Elsa got involved, bless her soul. She gave me a chance. One chance. If I risked everything and I could win, we'd go through with my plan. If I lost I'd destroy it and never bring it up again. And I won. Barely. But it wasn't enough for her to keep her word. She went one better and invited me to help implement the plan properly. I think the fact we're here talking right now says everything you need to know about how it went."

The duke smiled. "Indeed. Truthfully, I had hoped to bring the queen here on my ship, were she not indisposed right now. But you intrigue me, especially after your little story. Still, it would be nice to know why exactly the queen did not attend the meeting at all. It seems slightly excessive for what seemed to be a relatively minor incident."

Mikael looked away. I'm not at liberty to say. I'm sorry."

"I see." Everlow locked his fingers. "Only I had hoped to talk to her about the events concerning my father last year. I don't expect her to forgive him for what he did, but maybe she can at least understand why he acted the way he did."

"Perhaps I can pass on a message," Mikael offered. "It's the least I can do. Really."

Everlow paused. "I suppose that is the best I can ask for." he cleared his throat. "You see, this all begins from the very concept of magic. Or sorcery, as so many of my people have come to call it. Tell me, have you ever heard of the blood sisters?"

"The blood sisters? That's just a bedtime story! Don't tell me you seriously believe-"

The duke waved his hand. "I know how it must sound to you, but you must believe me."

Mikael shook his head. "No, no, I understand. Why, just the other week our military officer was complaining that Arendelle might not be sufficiently prepared for bogeyman attacks."

At first, the duke scowled, but then he couldn't help but smile despite himself. "Okay, okay. Please, let me finish. Believe me, I understand why you would find this hard to believe. But it's different at my home. There, we were practically raised on stories of the blood sisters and their terror. Everyone has heard of the things they were supposedly capable. They say that they can tear a man to shreds in seconds. That they can hunt anyone down and find them no matter where or how far they run. That no weapon on this earth can ever hurt them. And worst of all, that they pursue the men that they believed have wronged them with almost sadistic fervour, until the very memory of them is no more."

"And what about you? Do you believe any of that?" Mikael coughed.

"To tell you the truth, for most of my life, I didn't. Everyone's stories were different, as though the blood sisters were what scared them the most. And no one knows anyone who knew anyone who could honestly claim to have seen them. It all didn't add up. For most of my life, there was no reason to believe in magic at all."

Mikael closed his eyes. "And then Queen Elsa comes into the picture."

"Exactly! Well, I was surprised, to say the least. But my father on the other hand… well, I imagine all of his inner fears coming from a legendary terror came rushing back the moment the queen's true abilities were outed. To him, the queen was all the worst things he had heard rolled into one."

Mikael nodded. "And then, he named himself judge, jury and executioner."

The duke quickly shook his head. "I'm not trying to justify anything he did or defend him. In truth, he's a bit of a pathetic man. He seemed to announce his vices with every other breath, and he had a far higher opinion of himself than he ever had any right to. It's just that-"

"He's still your father?" Mikael offered.

"Precisely." Everlow nodded gently. "I still owe a great deal to him."

"I understand. And I'll make sure that the queen hears the whole story. I very much doubt that it will change the way she sees the former duke, but she might come to see some things in a new light."

"Thank you. That's about all I can ask for." The conversation descended into an awkward silence, as the food still hadn't arrived. The duke pulled out a glass bottle. "Say, why don't we have a little toast while we're waiting?" He poured out a glass for each of them.

"Okay, what shall we toast?" Mikael lifted the glass.

"Here's to rebuilding our diplomatic relations!"

"And to hoping the idiots in charge stay out of the way long enough for it to go through." The clinked the glasses together and took a swing of their glasses. Mikael let the drink roll around in his tongue for a few seconds before letting it down. It seemed like ale, only with a more zesty flavour. Suddenly, he felt rather strange. What was this feeling he was having? "Woah. That, that- Now that put a fire in my belly!"

Everlow laughed. "Are you serious right now? That was my special Dragon Breath Ale. You're the first person besides myself that even managed to get it down. For most other people, it only starts a fire in their mouth."

Mikael glared at him. "And you just made me have a whole mouthful. That was for the bogeyman comment, wasn't it."

"Of course not!" Everlow insisted, waving his hands. "I make everyone I have dinner with try some. I must say, you hold your ale a lot better than you dance." he held up his glass. "Now that, my friend, was for the bogeyman comment."

Mikael sighed. "Snarking is such an underappreciated art."

"It seems I'm only now seeing the light," the duke agreed. "Oh, since you're the first one to actually enjoy my special drink, Why don't I let you have one of my bottles. How does that sound?"

"That sounds amazing. Thank you." Mikael couldn't help but smile. They had known each other less than two days, and it already felt like they were old friends. Hopefully, they could work together and push aside the interference with the negotiations. Ideally they could veto the involvement of Viscount Bertrom outright, but they were all making some sacrifices.