Chapter 11:

I was having a good dream. I don't exactly remember what it was about, just that it was good and… Anna was in it, I think. So that's why, when someone gently touches my shoulder, I just pull the covers over my head, hoping they'll desist of waking me up and I can return to my beautiful dream. A dream that unfortunately is already disappearing like fog on a warm, sunny morning.

"Elsa." The voice comes again, together with the shaking of my shoulder, but I only curl further under the covers, not having the slightest intention of getting up. "Elsa, come on, Anna needs you, like, right now."

At the mention of the redhead, my fuzzy mind starts to clear up, and the first thing I notice is that the one waking me up isn't Gerda, but Rapunzel. Then, I realize she said Anna needed me, and I force myself to open one eye and peak at her to confirm I heard right.

"Anna?" I ask, my half-asleep mind struggling to process the information.

"Yes, Anna. You remember, the Queen? And it's very rude to keep a Queen waiting, so I'd get up this very second if I were you." The princess answers. "Actually, it's rude to keep a princess waiting too, so if you're not up and ready in ten seconds, I'm going to hit you with a frying pan." She says, raising a threatening finger in my direction.

"Why a frying pan?" I ask, scrunching my eyebrows as I try to make sense of what she just said.

"Just do it." She answers with a tone that leaves no room for argument before exiting my room. For a moment I contemplate the possibility of just falling asleep once more, given my body still seems to yearn for more rest. But that desire is quickly beaten down by the desire to see Anna. That, and if she indeed needs me urgently, I can't really deny her my presence.

With great difficulty, I manage to drag myself out of bed and put on the dress Rapunzel left on my bed, which I notice is one of the more elegant dresses I have been given; the one with a teal bodice and skirt, and long black sleeves, together with a pair of teal gloves and… a brown wig. Great. I'm honestly starting to hate that wig. I wonder why I'll need it today.

Just when I've finished putting on my clothes and I'm in the process of brushing the wig, the door opens and Rapunzel walks in, apparently having gotten tired of waiting outside. And, without even waiting for me to acknowledge her, she grabs my hand and starts dragging me out of my room.

"Come on, there's no time!" She says.

"But the wig…" I start protesting, with the brush firmly clasped in one hand. I normally braid the wig as I'd do with my real hair, but right now it's barely brushed enough to be presentable. At least I managed to pull back the bangs and freeze them in place, so they won't fall on my face.

"You look decent enough, now let's go." She says as she keeps dragging me through the hallways of the castle. I soon notice that Kristoff is following close behind us, and I take a moment to wave at him before Rapunzel keeps taking me to Anna. Wherever she is.

"Will you explain me what's going on?" I ask.

"The council found out about you being Anna's "counselor", and they aren't exactly happy about it." Rapunzel says, frowning in concern. Her words send shivers down my spine. I don't really want to meet the council, what if they realize I'm a Northerner? I don't want to cause Anna any problems.

"But that's not official yet, right?" I say unsure. After all, if it's not official, then the council shouldn't worry about it.

"No, but they are upset she didn't consider one of them for the position, especially since they've been pressing her on the matter since she took the throne." She explains hurriedly.

"Great." I sigh, knowing they probably hate me already. After all, in their eyes I'm just a peasant girl with no experience at all that won't look after their interests. Because of course they don't know that Anna never intended to have a counselor, and this whole thing is only a farce to keep me around a little while longer without anyone suspecting I'm a Northerner. I'm sure they'd be screaming for me to be executed if they ever found out that particular little secret.

"Now, no peasant can be appointed to the role of counselor." Rapunzel starts explaining. "So I agreed to lie and tell everyone you're a Coronan noble that's very close to my family and learned all about ruling a kingdom from my father. Hopefully that'll appease them."

"And exactly what title do I have?" I ask, weary of this whole farce. I hate lying.

"You're Baroness Elsa of the Hidden Valley. A very distant relative of mine."

"You think that will work?" I ask, wondering if there's actually a province in Corona called 'The Hidden Valley'.

"Yeah." She says, trying to appear optimistic, but I can see her smile is somewhat forced, a clear sign she isn't as sure as she'd like to be. However, before I have time to question her more about this plan, we come to a stop in front of a great double oak door.

Without even stopping to ask me if I'm ready, Rapunzel pushes the door open and we both walk into the room, only to find twelve pairs of eyes staring at us with surprise. There are ten old men dressed in elegant suits of different colors, most with funny looking beards or sideburns, who I assume must be the members of Arendelle's Council. Eugene is also present, wearing black clothes apparently made of fine silk, and has the most bored expression I've ever seen in my life. Anna is sitting on a tall golden chair with magenta cushions, and has her crown and cape on. Yet, she still looks rather small compared to the men in the room.

They are all seated around a circular oaken table, with Anna being at the opposite end of it from where I just entered, right in front of a triangular window. The sight of the light hitting her red locks and shining like a star through the blue gem on her tiara is a rather astounding one. I could spend the rest of the day contemplating it if I wasn't wondering if, by jumping out of the window, I could just avoid all this.

"Ah, Princess Rapunzel. You've finally arrived." A man with a long gray beard and a blue military uniform speaks. "Took you long enough to find her."

"My apologies, it wasn't easy to track her down with such short notice." Rapunzel says rather casually. "But anyways, here she is now: Baroness Elsa of the Hidden Valley."

I straighten up a bit, looking uncertainly at all their faces. I feel rather awkward as they stare at me intently, probably trying to find some kind of weakness or make me crumble under their pressure. But while internally I'm rather anxious, I'm determined not to give them the satisfaction. I'll show them I can be a better counselor for Anna than any of them, or anyone else, possibly could be.

"Uhm." I clear my throat to get rid of the awkwardness. "Good morning, gentlemen. I was informed you required my presence?" I speak in the most formal tone I can muster.

"Yes, please sit down, Elsa." Anna speaks, addressing me for the first time today, and signaling to the chair next to her. I do as she says, while Rapunzel quickly goes to sit down between her and Eugene. As soon as we take our places, the man who spoke before (apparently the most experienced in the council, or at least the one with the most power), addresses me.

"I presume Princess Rapunzel already informed you of the reason for our sudden meeting?" He asks, and I have to take a moment to calm down before responding, although under the table my legs feel like jelly.

"She has, actually." I answer with a composed and calm voice, completely the opposite of how I feel. But truth to be told, I only manage to do so because I fix my gaze on his bald head instead of his eyes. "And I understand your concerns. You probably think I have no more experience or knowledge of ruling a kingdom than Queen Anna has, and let me tell you something." I pause, carefully choosing my next words. "You're right; I don't."

Of course, after my statement, everyone looks at me in shock, mostly Anna, who's face is practically screaming: "What are you doing, Elsa?". However, I focus on keeping up my calm demeanor as I explain myself.

"No one, and I mean no one, is more capable of ruling this kingdom than the current Queen. She was raised by the previous monarchs and instructed in every field of study she needed to learn in order to, one day, take the throne of Arendelle." At my words, some of the councilmen shift uncomfortably, no doubt realizing I'm implying they don't think a little girl like Anna is capable of ruling the kingdom on her own. However, they quickly cover their discomfort. "That said, Queen Anna has chosen me to help her, and I'm not going to refuse her." I pause, trying to calm my racing heart. Giving such long speeches always makes me nervous.

"I'm aware you probably think she needs someone with more experience than me." I continue. "And in other circumstances I'd probably agree. However, I'm willing to bet she chose me for a reason; I'm an outsider, and therefore have no personal interests here in Arendelle. I'm neutral to most problems, and can think of possible solutions more objectively then most, without any of the biases that a citizen of Arendelle may or may not possess."

I look around, hoping I made a good impression with the council and that I appeared more confident than I really am. And judging by their faces… I'm not sure. I mean, some of them look impressed, obviously not having expected a 'little girl' like myself to speak like that and give some solid, reasonable arguments. Others, however, look rather unimpressed or are outright frowning at my words. I wonder how they'll answer what I practically threw in their faces.

"Yes." One of them, a brunet man in his mid-fifty's, says nodding in thought. "I understand that would be an important reason to choose a counselor, but I still think we should make sure you're competent enough before even letting you try and apply for the post."

"Okay?" I say, a little unsure because I don't know if he's actually opposed to me being Anna's counselor or not.

"So, in my opinion it'd be wise to ask you some questions about possible issues that may come up if you serve as Anna's counselor. Depending on your answers, we'll either agree to let you continue in your current role for the moment, or suggest Queen Anna chooses someone more qualified. Does that sound acceptable to you?" He asks, looking at both Anna and I.

I turn to the Queen, who is looking questioningly at me, silently asking for my opinion. Even though I really don't want to be interrogated, I give her a firm nod of approval, knowing this is crucial in gaining the trust of her council.

"Okay, Aaron. Go ahead, I think it's a good idea." Anna answers for the both of us, receiving an approving nod from the members of her council before the same man (Aaron, I guess?) that spoke before turns to look at me again and shoots the first question.

"Imagine that one year the crops don't grow due to a drought, and a large portion of our livestock is dying off because of some plague, leading to widespread famine throughout Arendelle. How would you respond to that?" They all look at me expectantly, but I still take a few seconds to reply; this isn't an easy question, but thankfully my adrenaline-infused brain works faster than usual.

"Uh…" I start a little unsure, but then clear my throat and regain my composure. "I think in that case the best course of action would be to try and restore the production of food back to the usual level as quickly as possible, perhaps by reassigning a portion of the Royal Navy as fishing vessels or increasing hunting of wild animals. At the same time, quarantine or kill any animal that shows even the faintest signs of plague, to help slow or stop the spread of the disease. Finally, explore alternative options for getting water to the crops, to prevent an issue like this from happening again."

"Yes, but don't you think that'd take some time? Remember that while all of that is being investigated and solved, people are dying from hunger." He questions further, and though I'd like to say he's just trying to make me look bad because of my answer, I have to admit he's right. Still, I don't let this discourage me.

"Well, then while all of the investigations are being taken care of, I'd negotiate with one of the other kingdoms that has surplus food production; offer them something Arendelle has an excess of in exchange for food." At this, he nods before continuing with another question, though I don't know if he approved of my answer or not.

"Now, let's say a kingdom declares war on Arendelle. What would you do?"

"Well, first I'd try negotiating with them to avoid going to war in the first place." I answer without hesitation. Wars are never a good thing.

"And if they won't negotiate?" He questions further.

Then I'd crush them with my powers. Wait, no I can't say that. Think Elsa, think.

"In that case I'd ask help from our allies and mobilize the army. The priority would be to prevent an invasion, but if they have already breached our borders then we would focus our efforts on protecting both the citizens and Queen Anna, so maybe the best defense would be through sea." I make a little pause, remembering what I read at the many books in the castle's library, before continuing based on that information. "After all, they can't get here though the southern border undetected because Corona is our ally, and the northern and eastern borders are surrounded by tall mountains that are quite difficult to navigate, so a surprise attack from that direction seems unlikely. Plus, Arendelle's fleet is one of the strongest in the world, so at the very least it would be able to slow the invaders and buy us time to come up with a more comprehensive plan."

"That's very true." He nods solemnly, and I have to consciously suppress a triumphant smile, but I see Anna doesn't even try to hide it. "I think your answers have been quite satisfactory for someone who's never led a kingdom before, but there's still a couple more questions I'd like to ask in order to be sure."

"Go ahead." I encourage him, now a little more confident in my abilities, even if I'm still quite nervous.

"You must know by now that the Northerners have been a big problem for our kingdom since about thirty years ago, and more recently the Ice Queen has become a mayor concern. What would you advise we do about that?"

I pause, clenching my hands under the table. This isn't a matter I can really stay neutral on, since I'm myself a Northerner and I've seen with my own eyes (even if only in two memories so far) how cruel the Arendellians can be to us. Plus, I don't know much about the Ice Queen, just that everyone thinks she's evil or something, but she still hasn't done anything to attack Arendelle. However, I still try to keep my cool and answer as evenly as possible.

"I'd say, as long as neither the Ice Queen, nor the Northerners attack Arendelle, we should leave them alone." I say with a firm voice.

"But don't you agree they're a potential threat?" He asks again. "Arendelle had them under control until a few years ago, and even then there were some escapes and attacks that we were only able to handle thanks to the constant supervision of Arendelle's army. Don't you think it's quite a risk to let them have their own Queen, their own rules, and control the Northern Lands' frontier with Arendelle?"

I feel my blood boil at the mention of Arendelle's army, and I see flashes of the memories I've recovered so far play inside my head, agitating my powers to the point I feel I'm about to lose control. However, I take a few deep breaths and count to ten in my head, hoping my emotions don't show on my face. Then, I answer.

"I understand your concerns." I start cautiously. "However I believe violence only leads to more violence. To try and control the Northerners using the army would surely give them the wrong impression; our actions could be perceived as a threat, thus prompting them to fiercely retaliate." I pause. "However, if we wait for them to make the first move, that is if they ever do the first move, we could then attempt to negotiate with them and eventually come to a peace agreement. If they remain hostile, then we should use the army to repel their attack. Otherwise we'd be endangering the lives of loyal soldiers and innocent citizens unnecessarily."

Silence reins for a few seconds as they process my words, probably because they haven't heard an opinion that wasn't along the lines of "Northerners are evil, let's kill them all" in quite some time. Anna looks mostly impressed, since this is something she'd obviously been thinking about but had never had the courage to express with her council. Unfortunately, many of the members have scowls on their faces, probably because they fear or hate ice-wielders, and would prefer to keep them under strict control, just like the former King Agdar had done. Others just have expressions of mild curiosity; no doubt thinking my different approach on the matter must be because I'm from Corona and have none of the usual Arendellian prejudices. The rest have neutral faces, and I can't read them very well, so I don't know what they might be thinking. I just hope my answer was good enough; the anxiety is already making the ice in my veins agitate dangerously.

"A rather neutral answer, as I expected." The one who questioned me says, but he's one of the unreadable ones, so I can't tell if he means it as if it's a good or a bad thing. "Now, for my next and last question… I don't know if Queen Anna informed you about the escaped Northerner she's letting stay in the palace?" He shoots me a questioning look and I rush to answer, but it comes out nervously because for a moment I fear they might have discovered me.

"Uhm… well… she's mentioned something about it a couple of times."

"So what's your opinion on the matter? Do you think she should allow this to continue? Even if it goes against the law imposed by her father?" He now says the last question, and I force myself to answer as vaguely and neutrally as possible, so it's not obvious how much I'm actually involved in the matter.

"I think we should trust Queen Anna's judgement." I start, knowing they can't actively contradict that statement without offending the Queen. "She says this Northerner isn't a threat and, until proven wrong, I'll chose to believe her. Besides, this could be a good opportunity to learn more about them." I pause, preparing myself for what I'm about to say. "However, I'd advise to keep a strict watch on this ice-wielder so we can be prepared if they ever step out of line." I'm left with a bad taste in my mouth after I say this, since I'm speaking about myself, but I know it's crucial I appear to be as weary of the ice-wielders as any average person would be.

"Well, I'd say that's an unpopular opinion, but seeing that we can't really convince Queen Anna to just get rid of this Northerner, to whom she gave shelter against our will…" He shoots Anna an accusatory glance, and she shrinks a little in her chair. I make a mental note to remind her she has more power than all of the men in this room combined; she shouldn't act as a scolded child every time they disagree with her. "I think it'd be good to have someone who doesn't completely hate the idea, but is more cautious about it than our Queen."

I sigh in relief, glad that my answer was somewhat correct, and hope this will all be over soon.

As I expected, some other councilman starts talking immediately, expressing additional concerns about my appointment, but this time Rapunzel answers and I can relax. I wonder how long it'll take until we can get out of here. I hope it's soon, because I could really use another pair of gloves; the ones I have right now are now completely covered in frost on the inside.

As soon as we're able to retire, after almost another hour of answering the council's endless questions and trying to convince them I'm good enough to be Anna's counselor, they finally decide to let me formally apply for the position. I was given a period of probation before they give Anna their final opinion on the matter, which I guess is the best answer we could have gotten out of them. Then we finally leave, all of us sighing in relief at being released. I would love nothing more than to go to my room and relax for the rest of the day, however, Rapunzel halted my plan by stopping me and talking as soon as the councilmen were out of earshot.

"Wait, Elsa. I wanted to talk to you." She says, almost urgently, and for a moment I wonder if I did something wrong.

"Is something the matter?" I ask unsurely.

"Not really, just… there's something I think we need to discuss. All of us." She says, looking at me, then at Anna and Eugene. "You should come to my room so we can have a modicum of privacy."

"Uh… can I come too?" Kristoff asks. "I mean, I am Elsa's guard after all."

"Sure, but only if you promise not to tell anyone about what we're going to say." The princess answers.

"Promised." He says without hesitation, to which Rapunzel smiles before starting to walk down the hall.

"Okay then, follow me." She calls, and I look at Anna with a questioning expression, but she just shrugs and starts walking behind her cousin, so I decide to do the same, the two men following behind us.

It's not long until we get to Rapunzel's room, and when we enter I realize it's not that different from my own, just a tad bigger and with the walls painted with intricate patterns. The triangular window is also bigger, and next to it there's a rounded table with four chairs. A maid promptly enters the room and asks Rapunzel if she needs something, to which she responds by asking for tea, and when the maid leaves, she invites us to sit at the table. She waits for the girl to return with the tea before ushering her away and locking the door, grabbing another chair as she walks towards the table.

Finally, after all that mysterious attitude, she comes to join us at the table, but then starts sipping her tea without saying anything. It's rather weird and awkward, and the mystery is killing me, but I decide to wait until she wants to talk so I don't seem impatient.

"Ah, I really love this tea." Is what Rapunzel says when she finally speaks.

"You didn't bring us here to talk about tea, did you?" Eugene asks raising an eyebrow.

"No." She giggles. "Sorry about that. I just thought you would be hungry after that meeting with the council. Want a cookie?" She says, pointing to the chocolate chip cookies sitting on a plate at the center of the table.

"I do." Kristoff says as he eagerly reaches out for one. I don't say anything, but take one too; after all, I didn't have any breakfast. Anna and Eugene also help themselves, and the princess waits until we're finished eating before speaking once again.

"I understand my sudden urge to talk to you is quite, well… sudden. However, I think it's important for us to address the issue of Elsa's true identity." She starts and I raise an eyebrow. She wants to talk about who I am? But not even I know that yet.

"But we still don't have any clue of who she was before she came here, except that she's a Northerner." Anna protests.

"Oh, please Anna, I think you're smart enough to have noticed the same possibility as I did." Rapunzel answers rolling her eyes, but Anna just pouts and waits for her to say it out loud. I think I have an idea of what the princess is implying, but I honestly prefer to wait for her to say it as well.

"Elsa is the Ice Queen" Eugene voices what we all were thinking, but he said it so casually it actually angers me a little; nothing is certain after all!

"Well… I wouldn't bet my life on it, but I believe it's a very real possibility." Rapunzel says more diplomatically. "After all, she obviously has some experience in making big decisions of state and dealing with complex affairs. It could also be that she was the Ice Queen's daughter, or her assistant or even a member of her council if she has one."

"Or maybe she just has a talent with words and has been reading in the library a little too much lately." Anna contradicts her stubbornly.

"But remember that her powers are also stronger than those of average ice-wielders." Kristoff interferes. "She did break a pair of ice-proof shackles when she was kidnapped."

We all stay silent after that. I don't dare saying a thing because I find it weird that they are talking about me as if I wasn't here. But I am glad that they trust me enough to include me in this discussion.

"What do you think, Elsa?" Eugene breaks the silence, looking at me with a thoughtful expression.

"Uh…" I pause, not really knowing what to say, after all I've had my suspicions too, but I don't want them to take it like confirmation. "I don't really know much about this Ice Queen, so it's difficult to have a clear opinion."

"Oh! That's right. We haven't talked about her at all, have we?" Anna exclaims before face palming herself. "I'm stupid. This is such an important matter! We should have discussed it sooner."

"Hey, calm down." I say. "You are not stupid, and it's not as if I had been curious enough to ask you about it either."

"You should tell her the whole story." Rapunzel interferes. "Including the rumors, so she has a better idea of what we're talking about."

"Yes, you're right." Anna agrees before humming as she puts a finger on her chin, thinking. "Let me see… well, the first major thing that happened, that some say had something to do with the Ice Queen, was The Northern Lands' liberation from Arendelle's control about six years ago."

"Liberation?" I raise an eyebrow, finding it hard to believe based on what I saw in my dreams. However, Anna nods.

"Yes, you see, one day the ice-wielders rebelled against the Arendellian soldiers. No one really knows why or how that happened, but most agree it was something they'd been planning for quite some time, and were only waiting for the perfect opportunity to act." She pauses, biting her lip before looking down at her tea in a sad manner. "Most of the soldiers stationed there died, but the few who were able to survive and make it back to Arendelle agree it was a woman with ice powers who started it all."

"I see…" I answer, now having too many questions on my head. "But why didn't they attack Arendelle?"

"No one knows for sure." She shrugs.

"And who was that woman?" I ask another question.

"Some say it was the Ice Queen, because the Ice Palace was built soon after. But no one is sure, since many people were seen entering that palace, ice-wielders or otherwise, and due to its strategic location it could serve as a fortress in case we decided to attack, more than as home for some self-appointed monarch; it's too far from the main villages."

"Okay…" I answer unsure, remembering that time when I remembered making the ice palace. Just another proof I could be the Ice Queen. Maybe I liberated my people from Arendelle's oppression and then they named me Queen… and then I turned evil somehow and froze the entirety of the Northern Lands.

I feel a shiver run down my spine.

"Anyways, after all that happened, my father sent a large detachment of troops to try and take back control, but they never even made it past the border wall, now frozen and covered in dangerous ice spikes." Anna continues. "Then he kind of gave up, since he didn't want to sacrifice the lives of so many soldiers in vain, but he still kept some guards around the perimeter to prevent any escapes."

"Alright, but going by what you say, it looks like the Ice Queen appeared in that moment, and not only a year ago like you told me." I argue, confused by all of this.

"Well… yeah." Anna scrunches her eyebrows. "It's a little confusing to me too, actually. What happens is that back then no one talked about an 'Ice Queen' per se, just of the barbarian ice-wielders that killed so many soldiers. However, one year ago, the snowstorm you saw at the Northern Lands started, and the rumors about an evil Queen began to circulate." She sighs. "It didn't help either that this event coincided with my parents' death."

"So you think that whoever is the Ice Queen liberated the Northerners, then built an ice palace, caused a snowstorm that has lasted one year so far and somehow killed your parents." I summarize, feeling somewhat offended that they thought I could do all that, but still knowing it is a very real possibility.

"Yeah… pretty much." She grimaces, apparently thinking the same as me.

"It's not something I would think I'm capable of." I answer honestly. "Even in my memories the most predominant thing I experience is fear, not anger, hate or thirsting for destruction." I continue explaining before sighing, knowing I have to be open to all possibilities. "But if I were the Ice Queen… I'd probably ask for forgiveness over and over, if not for liberating the Northern Lands, at least for killing your parents, and I'd try to change for good."

"And I'd forgive you." Anna says with a little smile. "Because I know that apology would be sincere."

We stare at each other for a moment. Anna is looking at me with a happy, but at the same time sad gaze. I don't know how to explain it; it's too weird. It feels like she already forgave me even if we don't know yet if I'm the Ice Queen, but a part of her still resents her parents' death, though that resentment isn't exactly directed at me. Still, I shoot her a thankful look, because it is very touching she'd be willing to forgive me if I had killed her parents.

"But I guess we'll have to wait till Elsa regains her memories to know for sure if she's the Ice Queen or not." Eugene muses out loud. "In the meantime, we can only profit off of her skills."

"You could even make her a real counselor." Rapunzel suggests happily. "I mean, she certainly is qualified."

"She is." Anna agrees smiling at me before glancing at the clock hanging on one wall, her expression turning into a grimace. "Ugh. I'm sorry, I have a meeting with an ambassador from Weaselton right now."

"Weselton." Kristoff corrects her rolling his eyes.

"Whatever." Anna dismisses it as she gets up from her chair. "I'm sorry, I gotta go. Thanks for the tea, Punz." And with that she's gone.

I, of course, decide to stay a little longer with the pair of royals, but only to be nice. Truth to be told, I'd like to be alone right now. That conversation about the Ice Queen left a bad taste in my mouth.

A/N: Hi! I hope you liked this chapter, even if not much happened XP. But it was important for the plot so… please leave a review/favorite/follow if you're enjoying the story so far; it really motivates me to write more :)

Thank you for reading, and see you soon :D

Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.