Two finals down, two to go. Celebrating just a little, and I’m bored. Takes place a month after the other drabble. Hastily written up before I forget.

The weasel tried to attack.

“Tried” being the operative word.

The duke sent ships–a whole armada–to dethrone the “witch” ruling over Arendelle’s fair kingdom, no doubt hoping to strike during the recovery in the wake of the Great Thaw…especially after learning of the sisters’ romantic relationship.

Arturia banished the wind concealing Excalibur from the world, allowing the holy blade to shine as it was always meant to be. She calmly stood on the docks, emerald gaze aimed at the waters and the multitude of ships approaching, flying his garish colors from their masts.

The Duke of Weselton had definitely seen her at Elsa’s coronation. No doubt, he had thought of her as nothing more than a loyal knight, and while that was true…

She was so much more.

“I want as few casualties as possible,” Elsa’s voice quietly sounded beside her.



Arturia turned to look at the queen, arching a golden brow as she frowned. “You doubt my abilities? The duke’s men will not reach shore and harm your citizens, I promise.”

“No, I…I mean–”

“He tried to kill you,” the Servant hissed, tearing her gaze away to look back at the ships again. “I stayed my hand the first time, but I will not allow him to escape unscathed. Especially after the slander he has spread of you and Princess Anna.” Her grip on Excalibur tightened at the memory. “I know you mean well…but foolish men declaring a foolish war all too often results in death. I suspect my blade will taste the blood of these blackhearts when he refuses to surrender.”

“If,” Elsa quietly corrected her, and judging by the tone of her voice, her arms must be wrapped around her middle again. “The duke is a cowardly man. If his life is directly threatened, he’ll back down.”



Arturia scowled. “If one of his men attempts to attack me during our exchange, his life is forfeit.”

“…Which one? His men, or–”



“Both.”



She ran across the water’s surface, bewildering the Weseltonian soldiers as the fjord refused to swallow her in its cold, dark depths. They tried to shoot their arrows, but their volleys either missed, or she batted the projectiles aside with a bored swipe of her glowing sword

The duke had expected an army.

What greeted him instead was a solitary knight.

She was on deck before he knew it, disarming his men left and right as they swarmed to attack. A persistent few lost their hands as a result. All too soon, her brilliant blade was pressed against his neck, emerald eyes piercing into his, churning with anger and hatred.

“Surrender.”

One word, dripping with righteous venom.



He opened his mouth to speak, and the blonde’s eyes narrowed. “The queen wishes to avoid death, and I’m certain most of your men do as well. This is her mercy. Do not waste it.”

The duke snapped his mouth shut, too afraid to swallow in case the sword nicked his Adam’s apple.

Its glow almost seemed to burn him.

He gave a wave, and the sound of his men dropping their weapons followed soon after. Apparently satisfied, the knight took a step back, her blade leaving his neck.

The sound of a an arrow being loosed reached his ears.

Anna held Elsa closer, lips pressing briefly to her forehead. The creases on that regal brow smoothed, and she tilted her head down to meet troubled blue eyes. She gave another brief kiss, but to the queen’s lips this time. The shoulders in her embrace relaxed a little more.

“Arturia does it so you don’t have to,” Anna murmured.



“She shouldn’t have to in the first place,” her sister whispered, pained. “I may not have held the sword myself, but I can still feel the weight of the deaths out there.” She buried her face into the crook of Anna’s neck.



“Why? Why couldn’t he have just surrendered? Why…Why did he have to be so stubborn and near-sighted to the end?”



At least he wasn’t a coward anymore. Anna pushed the thought to the back of her mind, choosing instead to hold the queen close. She had never been good with words, as far as she could tell, since none of them had been able to coax Elsa out from behind the door.

But Anna was very good at making her presence known. She was very good at being there. Whether her mouth was running or not.

So she could only continue to hold Elsa close, comfort her with her physical presence, because it had never been words that Elsa had wanted…but her.

Together. Without a door in the way.

And it was the best comfort she could offer to a young queen faced with the horrors of war for the first time.

Out in the hallway, Arturia sat down beside the door, and let her head fall back against the wall, eyes sliding shut.

I’m sorry.