Anna had experienced several unpleasant Council meetings, but none had ever been nearly as painful as the one she was currently enduring.

Everyone was on edge. Two of their number had been murdered without warning and funerals had to be arranged. Elsa did her best to remain a focal point of calm, but even Anna's untrained eye could see the stress breaking through the Queen's facade.

Elsa and Anna were not alone in their grief. Not everyone on the Council was fond of one another, but several friendships had formed among the eclectic group over the years. Lord Vance and Lady Montinique had been well liked by many, and much of the Council was mourning the loss of at least one friend.

The only consolation was that their anger did not appear to be directed at either the Queen or herself. Some of the Council's members disapproved of the relationship shared by the two women. But to their credit, they were all fiercely loyal to Arendelle and its monarch. They didn't care why forty nobles had rebelled; no matter what their excuse, each and every one of them were traitors in the eyes of the entire Council.

That didn't mean Anna wasn't still the recipient of some anger, of course. In a battle where many of them had been forced to fight, the Knight herself had been absent. Even though they were made aware that she had been incapacitated by memories of her time withstanding torture, it was still hard for them to ignore the fact that she had spent the night crying in her chambers.

Anna was more than just a Knight. She was widely acknowledged as the most powerful warrior in the kingdom, second only to Elsa in terms of combat ability. In times such as these, people expected her to come to their defense...no matter what the circumstances.

No one said anything to her directly, but Anna received plenty of questioning looks. The Knight wouldn't have been surprised to learn that Kale had made it his personal mission to glower at her for the entire session.

Fortunately, there was some good news. Evangeline's agents- those not sent after the remaining perpetrators- were reporting that the vast majority of the public's sympathies lied with the Queen. Elsa, despite her peculiarities, was a well-liked ruler by the masses, Anna knew. Her intelligence, compassion, and unwavering dedication- all of the qualities that made her a monarch Anna was proud to serve- had won her the support of her people.

Most of them, anyway.

They'd been sitting, or in Anna's case, standing, in this room for over two hours. Thanks the gods, there was only one last matter to discuss.

A heavy sigh was heard at the head of the table. "I don't relish the task, but this Council is traditionally composed of twelve members. We now have nine," Elsa noted. "For the sake of Arendelle's stability, and to demonstrate that we still have everything under control, we have to induct at least one replacement."

There were slight nods around the table. "I think we are all in agreement, Your Majesty," Lady Catherine remarked. "The problem is, neither the Vance or Montinique families have a suitable candidate at the moment."

"If I may offer a suggestion..." Evangeline prompted. Elsa nodded her consent.

"Both families have potential candidates. Vance's daughter is sixteen and perfectly capable, and the same goes for Montonque's fifteen year old son. You could proclaim that both will be admitted to the Council on their twentieth birthdays. That would placate both Houses."

Kale frowned. "That's fine," he began, "But that doesn't solve our immediate problem. We need a tenth member as soon as possible, and there are no obvious contenders."

Evangeline smiled ever so slightly. "I disagree. There is an obvious candidate. She's in this very room, in fact."

Anna's brain was one of the last to connect the dots. By the time she realized the implication of Evangeline's words, everyone in the room was staring at her. Even Elsa was unable to conceal a brief start of surprise.

"Wait, what? Me?" Anna sputtered. "But...I can't, I mean I have no experience! I'm just a commoner," she managed.

"Not any more," Evangeline shook her head. "As a Knight, you outrank much of the nobility within the kingdom. In fact, you have a much higher position than I did when I joined this Council."

Kale looked as if he was going to pop a blood vessel. "You can't be serious," he scoffed. "She said it herself, she has no experience. What could she bring to the table? It's not just a matter of rank; it's a matter of ability."

The Queen frowned thoughtfully. "That's true enough, to a point," she agreed. "I can't say Anna would have been my first choice, simply because of her lack of education when it comes to matters of the state." As she spoke, Elsa sent a sideways reassuring glance into Anna's eyes. She meant no offense, the Knight knew. It was just a statement of fact.

"I think this Council already has enough experience," Lord Arald spoke up. His words were soft, but they were filled with conviction nonetheless. "Perhaps we need something new. Everyone on this Council was born from nothing less than landed gentry. I think it's time someone from a lesser background had a voice."

Anna had always liked Lord Arald. He was a close friend of Drell's, and among all of the Council, he was the member least prone to criticizing Elsa's unorthodox decisions.

There was a lot of unsure glancing around the room. Arald's sentiment was not universally shared, but it was a difficult one to argue against on a basis of logic. Particularly with a progressive Queen sitting at the head of the table.

"I think I agree," replied Evangeline. "More importantly, Anna's appointment would send a powerful statement to the rest of the country. It would let them know that you are not going to be cowed even after this revolt."

Elsa nodded. "True enough. It does seem to be our best option at the moment. Are there any objections?" she turned to the rest of the Council. "I have my own reservations, but I am inclined to approve her appointment. Are there any concerns that you think have been neglected?"

No one spoke. But that didn't mean they approved. Several of the room's occupants were doing their best to hide various looks of disapproval- a certain General meeting with the least success. Yet Anna could see their resignation in their eyes.

They knew they wouldn't win this argument, not unless they had a legitimate compelling reason to object to her appointment. Simply pointing out her low birth or claiming that she couldn't be trusted would never sway Elsa. All of them had learned that a long time ago.

All of this, however, ignored if Anna herself wanted the position. And truth be told, the Knight was unsure. She would go along with whatever Elsa thought was best, of course; Anna would never undermine her Queen in such a manner. But she wasn't certain whether to be happy with this turn of events.

She did lack experience. With most of the Council's discussions, Anna would be hard pressed to contribute anything that had a semblance of being useful. The military, trade agreements, taxes...she was completely out of her depth. And no matter how many hours Anna spent trying to learn, the Knight had a feeling she always would be.

Then again, it wasn't as if they were expecting her to be useful. The primary purpose of this appointment was to send a signal to the populace that things in the capital were still running smoothly. They already had enough capable members to advise the Queen, she would just be there for show.

But there was one factor above all that influenced Anna's final opinion. She was an incredibly lucky woman. Elsa's generosity had completely changed her life. Maybe, with this appointment, Anna could help others get the same opportunities she had been given. Well, maybe not the same opportunities, but better ones than they had now.

Elsa and her parents had done a lot for the poor. Without them, Anna wouldn't have had an orphanage to grow up in. But despite their good intentions, their efforts were hobbled by the fact that they didn't fully understand the lower classes and their needs. They had an idea of what could help them, sure, and instituting the programs that they had was far better than doing nothing.

Still, maybe if she had someone advising her who really knew what poverty was like, Elsa's attempts to aid the poor would be more effective.

So when the Queen turned to face her and pronounced Anna as an official member of the Council, the Knight gave her a small smile in response.

/

Walking beside Anna as they headed for their chambers, the Queen's mouth showed the slightest hint of a smirk. Despite the dark times they now found themselves in, it was hard not to feel some satisfaction when a plan was completed flawlessly.

It was all too easy. Anna's ascension to the Castle had all been her idea, of course. Given the fact that several members still disapproved of Anna, the monarch had surmised that the proposal might go over easier if it seemingly originated from another source.

Evangeline had agreed to bring up the matter on her behalf. The spymaster had always been one of her most loyal followers, and she would never spurn her liege's request.

Additionally, Evangeline wholeheartedly supported her Queen's relationship with Anna. You wouldn't notice that just by looking at the surface, of course. The exterior the spymaster projected was that of a stern, dependable woman interested only in the stability of the realm.

But there was far more to Evangeline than an emotionless, dutiful servant...if you looked hard enough.

She knew what it was like to be in an untraditional romantic relationship. Vlora and Evangeline had never come out, but if they had, there was no doubt as to what the result would have been. The two of them had had to deal with the pressure of keeping their relationship a secret from the entire world, and they'd done it successfully for years.

There was no point in telling Anna the truth behind her appointment. It wouldn't be the end of the world if she found out, of course. But if Anna believed that she had enough support among the members of the Council for her appointment to be suggested without Elsa's prompting, perhaps it would increase her confidence when dealing with them.

And Anna had to be on the Council. For the sake of future arrangements, it was almost essential that the Knight receive a post of political authority, even if the appointment was mostly symbolic. Evangeline, to her credit, had understood that instantly.

/

The Queen was riding in her carriage, enjoying the sensation of the cold air on her skin as it blew through the open windows. Her visit to Corona had been enjoyable, but it always felt nice to return to her own country.

Particularly in the winter.

With a small thump, the carriage came to a stop. Seconds later, the door opened. Gracefully, the Queen accepted the hand of the guard below and stepped down into the snow. She looked up at the sky with a smile. It was nice to be out in the open. The night was nearly pitch black; only the crescent moon and scattered stars still gave off light.

They were currently traveling through the small city of Norgate; a two days ride still separated her from the capital. Tonight, the city's baron would host them; he possessed a sizable estate on the edge of town. He, unsurprisingly, had been eager to give the monarch and her men shelter for the night. Soon, they would be warm, well fed, and resting on soft silken sheets.

She could have flown back in a matter of hours, of course, but the monarch did not want to make a habit of leaving behind her guards.

It was tempting, sometimes. At twenty-seven years of age, the Queen had ruled Arendelle for nine years. During that entire time, never once had she been attacked or threatened. The country had been prosperous and peaceful for over a decade, and that- coupled with fear of her powers- had been enough to keep conspiracies from materializing.

Escorted by a ring of Royal Guards, Elsa walked gracefully through the grounds of Baron Scully's estate. Despite her love for the cold, she couldn't help but look forward to the satisfying sensation of a large bed, warm tea, and an engaging read.

"Mind the smell lads. Soon as you dump 'er in the water, there's an extra ration of grog for you," a man was saying.

Almost to the door of the manor, the startled Queen looked to her right. Twenty feet away, several of the baron's workers were surrounding an old wooden cart. It lacked a lid, but from this distance the monarch could not make out its contents.

A strong breeze blew through the air, carrying a strong sent towards Elsa's nose. The revolting smell that filled her nostrils was unfamiliar, but instinctively the Queen knew what it was. It was the stench of death.

"What's going on here?" Elsa asked loudly. Brushing aside her surprised guards, the Queen approached the five men surrounding the cart.

The oldest among them, an aging man with graying-brown hair, eyed her curiously. Obviously a figure of some authority in the baron's estate, he was probably not accustomed to such blatant questioning.

It took him about three seconds for his mind to register the tiara, platinum blonde hair, and ice gown. His eyes widened as he put the pieces together.

"Your Majesty!" he bowed hurriedly. "We...we've been expecting you. Welcome! Please, don't wait out in the cold on our account. The baron is eager to greet you; he's waiting in the entrance hall."

Elsa's eyes narrowed. Fighting against her curiosity, the Queen risked the urge to examine the body. She'd been hoping for a rest without nightmares.

"What is this?" she nodded to the wooden cart. "I hope Baron Scully doesn't make a tradition of disposing of the dead by dropping them into the sea. Soldier, servant, or normal citizen, everyone deserves a proper burial."

The man nodded. "O' course, Your Majesty. All o' the baron's loyal subjects are placed in the cemetery. But this woman wasn't one o' them. She was found runnin' through the upper floors, a handful of coins in 'er palm. Stolen from the baron's office. The girl was just about to make it to an open window when a guard shot 'er in the back. Happened less than an hour ago."

"She was killed?" the monarch demanded. "For a handful of coins?!" Unable to contain her curiosity now, Elsa found her eyes drawn to the open cart.

Its cargo was indeed a dead body. A young woman, clearly not even yet thirty, was strewn atop the wooden boards. The signs of a difficult life were all too apparent. More than half of the thief's fingers and toes were red and swollen...remnants of poorly healed frostbite. Her cheeks were so hallow that Elsa could easily see the bones protruding from her jaw. Worst of all was the girl's stomach...she was so thin that the Queen could actually perceive the locations of the thief's ribs from under her cloak.

Drying blood matted the girl's clothes, but it was clear that it would be only one of many stains on her thin, ripped garments. Elsa had seen prisoners with far superior clothes.

Perhaps most striking of all was the hair. It had probably been flaming red once, but the effects of malnourishment had drained it of much of its color. It was dull, dry, and fitted in nothing but two uneven pigtails.

/

"Anna!" the Queen shouted as she bolted up in her bed. Instantly, there was a flurry of movement to her right as the Knight threw off the covers and scrambled for her sword. Realizing that it was on the other side of the room, Anna settled for grabbing a pillow and holding it in front of her threateningly. With her strength, the impact would still cause significant pain.

Elsa sighed. "Calm down, Anna," she managed. "I just had a nightmare...we're fine."

It took five seconds for her Queen's words to sink in. That, in conjunction with the fact that their room was clearly free of intruders, was enough for the Knight to lower her weapon back onto the bed.

No sooner had she done so before Elsa's fingers were snatching Anna's arm, bringing the Knight's hand in front of her face. She examined the fingers tenderly, though Anna had no idea what the Queen was looking for.

"Elsa...although I don't mind you holding my hand- what's going on?" Anna questioned uncertainly.

The Queen shook her head. "Nothing, Anna. Just- let me take a look at your feet."

She laughed nervously. "My feet?" Anna questioned incredulously. "Why-"

"Please, Anna."

Unable to deny her lover, the Knight extracted her feet from beneath the bedsheets and placed them in Elsa's lap. The monarch scrutinized the smooth skin thoroughly before her lips settled into a line of satisfaction.

"Elsa..."

"Give me a moment," the Queen asked. She rose from the bed hurriedly, making her way to the bedroom's reading table. Last night, Elsa had been doing some work in the comfort of her chambers, which had required to her bring a book that contained an extensive list of the kingdom's records.

"Norgate...Norgate..." Elsa murmured as she shuffled through the pages furiously. "Here it is..." the Queen broke off as her eyes widened in shock.

Anna had had enough. "Elsa, what the hell is going on?" she demanded, rising from the bed as she spoke.

"I couldn't have known...it's not possible, I've never been there..."

"Elsa!"

That seemed to do the trick. Finally, the Queen's head turned to face Anna. "I...my dream last night," she began. "I think it was what would have happened if there was no conspiracy."

"I'm sure it was nice," Anna said wistfully. "I love living here and all, of course, but it'd been even better if I didn't have to worry about our lives constantly being under attack." Facing the possibility of death was nothing new to Anna, cold and starvation had been her constant companions for several years. But the stress of worrying about someone she loved was a new experience entirely.

Elsa's eyes fell to the floor. "It wasn't," she managed. "Not for you."

"Why wouldn't it...oh." It made sense now. If the Queen had never been attacked, then the two of them would probably have never had a second meeting. That first night would have been the only time when their paths ever crossed. Elsa, safe and unbetrayed, would have returned to the Castle, while Anna's life continued essentially unchanged.

"What did you see?" the Knight asked quietly.

Elsa shuddered noticeably. "I remember it all clearly. It was three years from now. I was visiting the city of Norgate; I was going to spend the night in the baron's estate while returning from a trip to Corona. When I got there...you had attempted to rob his offices an hour ago. I saw...they shot you in the back. By the time I arrived, you were long dead."

Anna suppressed a shiver of discomfort. This scenario seemed terrifyingly plausible, but (with great effort) she suppressed her questions and allowed her Queen to continue.

"You were wearing that same thin cloak from when we first met; it was little better than a stained rag. You were so thin...it looked as if you hadn't eaten in months. Most of your fingers and toes were scarred by frostbite."

Memories of sleepless winter nights spent in alleyways flashed into Anna's mind. Oh, how she remembered. Sometimes her hands and feet had been so cold that she could have sworn that they had turned into ice. The thief had been lucky and careful enough to narrowly avoid frostbite during her time on the streets, but it was very likely that she would have suffered from the condition before long.

Wordlessly, Anna moved over to Elsa. Gently, she stepped behind the Queen's back and soothingly rubbed her shoulders. "I guess that's why you were looking at them earlier," she noted with a short laugh. "But it was just a dream. I'm warm, safe, and have food in my belly. Though I wouldn't say no to a little breakfast," she tried to lighten the mood.

The Queen sighed. "I don't think so, Anna."

"Why?" the Knight asked curiously. "The kitchens will be up and running by now. Some ham would be nice."

Elsa turned around, taking Anna's hands into her own. "Not that, Anna. I don't think...it might not have been a dream. It was...something else."

The Knight stared at her incredulously. "Why-"

"I remember it with perfect clarity. I've never had a dream that's felt so real. But the most important thing...the baron's name, Anna," Elsa began.

"What about it?"

The Queen grimaced. "I've never been to Norgate. It's a small city that, frankly, hasn't warranted my personal attention. I'm aware of it, of course, and I keep an eye on its affairs like I do with the rest of the country. But I've never been there. And more importantly, I've never had reason to learn the name of its baron. I didn't know it until right now."

Anna's eyes widened. "You mean-" she gestured towards the record book.

"Yes," Elsa said empathically. "The name of the baron in my dream- Scully -is the same as the one in real life. How could I have known that?"

"Maybe you just saw it somewhere but never really thought about it," Anna offered.

The Queen shook her head slightly. "Perhaps, but I don't think so. I have an excellent memory, Anna. I think I would remember if I'd seen his name before. He's not important enough to be invited to most Castle functions, and even if he was on a guest list- it only lists names, not their titles. Of course, I would believe that I had seen his name somewhere, if I didn't live in a world where I can shoot ice from my hands."

"I suppose it's possible..." Anna admitted. In a world where she and her two closest friends could wield magic on a whim, maybe having visions wasn't out of the question. Sometimes, the Knight wondered if she didn't have the same ability.

Elsa sighed. "I'm going to make sure. I know for a fact that I've never been to Norgate. Tomorrow night, I'm going to fly over there and take a look around. It's not far; I'll be back before first light. If what I see matches perfectly with my dream..."

"Okay," Anna agreed. Pabbie's magic protected her from locator spells, and no one but herself would have the slightest idea that she was out of the Castle. "But then the question is, what did you see? A vision, maybe, but of what?"

"Not the future," Elsa said firmly. "It couldn't have been, because-"

"There's no way I'll ever starve, get frostbite, and go back to thieving. Unless you kick me out," she added lightly.

The Queen sent her a dark glare. Don't make jokes like that, it said.

"Well," Anna began with a sudden, grateful smile. "If it was a vision of what would have happened without a conspiracy, it just shows that I was right. You did save my life." Grabbing the silent monarch gently by the arms, she guided Elsa back into their bed and snuggled into her arms.

Unconsciously, she wiggled her toes, smiling as she enjoyed the sensation of her smooth, unmarred flesh rubbing against the soft sheets. Anna had seen the results of frostbite, and she was glad she would never experience it personally.

"You didn't even know me," Elsa said softly, her arms now wrapped around Anna. "I'd given you three coins- nothing to me. And you risked your life to save me...you didn't even think you'd succeed. You were willing to face death just for the smallest chance of saving me."

Anna frowned. "True," she agreed. "And you saved me, remember? That vision would have been my fate if you hadn't invited me in."

"I didn't save you. Not at first. I let you go back out into the world with no money, no family, no skills...you were doomed." Anna opened her mouth to interrupt, but the Queen continued forcefully. "If I hadn't been attacked the next day, we never would have met again. You would have died. I could have saved you that first night. I should have. Why didn't I give you the entire bag of coins? Gods…I should have moved you into the Castle then and there! Monarchs taking wards isn't unheard of."

Anna could feel the guilt radiating from the Queen. "But without you, I'd have-"

"I know," Elsa replied. "I did save you, eventually. But I should have done it immediately. Anna, you're so amazing and you don't even realize it. You were willing to give up everything to rescue a virtual stranger. Compared to me...I turned my back on you when it would have cost me nothing to help you. It was only after I owed you everything that I deigned to give you a hand!"

"You let me go...you could have executed me," Anna pointed out. "You even gave me some money. That's a lot more than nearly anyone else would have done."

Elsa dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Probably. But that doesn't mean I did the right thing. Don't you understand, Anna? In the back of my mind, I knew I could have done more for you. But I was worried that doing so would be awkward...open me up to criticism. If not for the slimmest of chances, that fear would have killed you, Anna."

The Knight stared at her. Here was a woman who she exalted above all others. A Queen whose compassion, wisdom, and grace served as the pinnacle of perfection in Anna's mind. Now, Elsa was comparing the two of them, and describing herself as by far the lesser of the two.

And Anna couldn't find the words to rebut her. Elsa did have a point, she realized, even though the Queen was being far harder on herself than was fair. She could have saved Anna that first night. But given the mercy Elsa had shown her and all that had passed between them since, the Knight found it impossible to hold any resentment for her lover.

She hugged Elsa tighter, bringing the Queen into her chest. "No one's perfect, Elsa. None of that matters now. We've saved each other more than once, and I know you'd do anything for me."

Elsa didn't respond. For over an hour, the two women simply laid there, both at a loss for words.

Responses:

Arekanderu: Most people would accept it, given their undeniable high treason. And no one would want to associate themselves with such blatant traitors, even if they are privately sympathetic to them.

RenaNeimand: I'm not so sure about that.

3Gs: He is certainly annoying.

Strab: Here's your update!

Superjoshe: Doing my best to keep up the updates!

Jascmaster: It might not come in the way you'd expect.

Syrathia: It wouldn't look good for Elsa to kill them personally, satisfying though it would be.

Winterwonderland4343: Some people just can't get over their prejudices. No matter what. Truth in television, unfortunately.

ClaireCooper: Of course not! It will have happened way before then!

Awesomeness-unleashed: Me too…

ObsessiveImaginings: Of course! It was a traumatic event.

Guest 1: They'd probably deserve it.

Malekoydaerb: They both have that problem, don't they?

Scott g: Maybe you should write your own story.

JPElles: That would be nice…

Mickhe11: First Elsa had to save the rest of the Castle from premature death. Then moral support.

Sedryn: It's a complex moral issue, for sure…

Mpsantiago: Anna will be in action soon enough. Maybe Evangeline as well.

PascalDragon: Everything will come to a head eventually…

Tithi: I understand your point of view. I think I'm kinda like Anna in this situation. I can understand the reasoning but would never be able to do it myself.

Krupp: it's both, of course. She had a crush on Elsa almost instantly and loves the Queen's personality. But initial attraction is often helped along by acts of kindness and compassion. Part of the reason she fell for Elsa was that the Queen was nice to her after Anna had endured a lifetime of bitterness.

WinterWolfDragon: I'll do my best!

Darthvaderisnotme: Love your reviews! You read the intended emotions perfectly.

But oh, the irony…