A King and Queen of Ice 17

A King and Queen of Ice: Chapter 17




"Why didn't you take his purse when you had the chance? There must have been hundreds in there!"
"What is a satchel of coin's value when the bag is cut open and all that spills out is found cold, hard, and worthless."
"And the bag?" His voice hesitant of the answer. 
"Empty."






She stood at the window in the Council Chambers and looked out at the square, watching the many citizens bustling about below in the midday sun. With hands clasped behind her back she listened to her Masters read off and argue the final listing of guests and preparations left to be had. She did not particularly pay close attention; her thoughts were far away on a mountain top. Where did she stand with her Lord of Snow? Where did he stand with her? She felt a headache come about as the chaotic noise in the room seemed to rival the noise in her skull. Suddenly the noise cut off with a great booming sound, making her jump slightly.

“Absolutely not!” The Master of Coin roared, pounding a fist on the hard table and standing. “This is out of the question! It can not happen. We do not have the funds for this!” He lumbered from the table towards her. “Forgive me my queen but-”

She held up a hand and his voice died. “What did you just say?” She asked, though she did not turn she saw him in the reflection of the glass.

He straightened and raised a fat hand. “We do not have the coin to pay for this...this gala! I will not allow this kingdom to go bankrupt because of you.”

“If you were wise you’d stop talking my friend.” Her Master of Trade cooed from the table, picking his nails with a knife.

“I most certainly will not! It hasn’t been a year and she’s already destroyed our industry and this mad scramble will not suffice. We are thousands of gold pieces in debt and this expense is only making it grow! What she has done has-”

“Silence!” The Master of Word threw the long paper onto the table and leaned over. “She is our queen, our ruler, and we must listen to her.”

“She’s a woman! What do women know of expenses?”

“And just what do you do with my treasury, Master of Coin?” The queen asked from the window, meeting his gaze in the glass.

He ceased his ravings, caught completely off guard by the question. Her voice held curiosity in it and a cold hint of annoyance that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. “It-it is my duty to provide funds to the various aspects of the kingdom, your grace.” He seemed confused by the question.

“I asked what you did with the coin, not what your job was.”

“I...don’t understand.” He confessed.

She smirked and made a sound of amusement, “Of course you don’t.” She turned to him, “I’m curious, do you have a family?”

“Aye, a wife and two sons, but-”

“Two sons...one is of age, I take it?”

“Yes, but I don’t-”

“And they look up to you? As any child should their elder.”

“I should hope so.” She saw her Master of Word snicker and share a look with the Master of Trade.

“Really?” Her eyes widened in surprised but quickly narrowed, “I would hope not.” She sneered at him and the room seemed to grow colder. “A man who is not only a liar, but a miser, a thief and a purveyor is not one fit for my kingdom.”

“This is absurd!” He sputtered. “Can you believe this...this girl? Use your common sense lads!”

“We will use the proof that is before us.” The Master of Word drew a small scroll from his sleeve and unfurled it. He cleared his throat and began. “In the span of five and a half months: six hundred copper pieces at the pleasure house – three times a month. Seven thousand silver pieces on various expenses including jewelry, fragrances, and exotic goods and an unaccounted amount of fourteen thousand three hundred gold pieces.” The Master of Word threw the paper at him and it landed on the carpet.

“That brings the total to over thirty thousand individual coins gone.” The Master of Trade smirked. “An estimated value of twenty one thousand gold pieces in totality.”

“And how much does this...gala cost?”

“No more than six thousand gold pieces, your grace.” The Master of Trade shrugged.

“And the total amount personally spent these past few months?”

“Two thousand gold pieces my queen.” Her Master of Word bowed his head.

She smirked, “So tell me again?” She asked, walking slowly towards him, lacing her powers into the wood. “What does a woman know of expenses?”

“I...well-”

“You know what? I don’t even care.” She turned and headed back to the window.

“You accuse me of this-” He snatched up the paper, “This lie! How dare you! I served your father before you and-”

“Do not speak to me of my father.” Her voice was low and the chill in the air grew as the room darkened and the wood groaned angrily.

“This is madness! You have no proof these funds were used by me! What of the other Masters? Have you looked at them?”

“Remember your family?” She smirked and looked at him over her shoulder. “Send him in.”

The door open and a young man entered, “Yes, my Queen?” He stood tall and straight, clad in the silvers and greens of Arendelle’s naval officers. At his waist was a sword and it was there his left hand rested. A thin dusting of a beard lingered on his square jaw, though he appeared a few years younger than Kristoff.

“Tell me, what do you know of this?” The queen politely gestured to the paper his father held. The young man took it and scanned over the information.

“I have seen my father at many of these locations, and our family always seemed short of coin, though the extravagant items never lessened.”

“You love your father?”

“I...do not.” The Master of Coin blinked in shock and the queen softly smiled. “He has neglected my brother and mother these past years. I took work as soon as I was able, in order to support them. My father returns late at night and leaves early in the morning, sometimes before dawn. Occasionally I would see him, leaving the pleasure house from my post at port.”

“Thank you,” She gave him a small smile, though it did not touch her eyes. “You may return to your commander.”

The young man bowed and with a turn of his heel, left the room and shut the door.

“It looks like your greed has done more than you know.” She said and returned to the window.

“You think you I would believe this?” The Master of Coin said on a laugh. “My son would never say such things willingly. You are the bigger fool!” The room seemed to warp and the queen grit her teeth from the restraint she commanded of the ice. She heard a mocking laugh. “You can’t scare me with your magic. You don’t have the guts of a man! You won’t-”

A shard of ice shot through the wood, nearly knocking him over. He scrambled backwards to the other Masters as ice continued to assail him. From over head and on either side the ice seemed unrelenting. As soon as he fumbled at the foot of the table, the room became a cave of clear teeth, each one looking for a bite. The Master of Trade roared with laughter, but quieted as the ice groaned louder. A dark shadow passed over the queen and they all felt a trace of fear.

“Get. Out.” She hissed; ice trailed from her teeth and upon the windows distorting into chaotic angry patterns. The Master of Coin scrambled to the door and as soon as he was through, broke into a run. A satisfying thump and a short scuffle was to be heard somewhere down the hallway. She smiled darkly out the window as she saw him carted out of the castle by three guards, one with a spear to his back.

Many parted as they passed but Elsa could see some with signs of resentful satisfaction at the sight. As soon as his plump frame disappeared she laughed once and straightened. She could almost hear his pleas of mercy as the heavy door to the dungeon shut and locked. The ice began to recede then. It seemed to slink back into the wood itself, like a trap being rewound, and once the creaking ended she turned back to the remaining council members just as the door opened once more.

A guard entered and she asked him to find the Master’s younger son, wife and the girl he frequented. He bowed after a courtesy reply and left the room. As soon as the door shut she turned back to the table and sat in one of the remaining chairs. She gave her Masters a measured, albeit somber look.

“Remind me never to get on your bad side,” The Master of Trade quipped.

She made a sound of amusement and her small smile quickly wilted into a frown. “Was the damage really so great?”

“I’m afraid so, your grace.” Her Master of Word said with a bowed head, looking at a stack of ledgers. “These numbers do not lie.”

She looked at the empty chair, the question burning on her tongue, “…Was he wrong?”

“Not entirely your majesty.” The Master of Trade sat up and turned to her. “True, your powers had cost the kingdom some, but not the extent his extortions did. In time it will rebuild, and I believe all that is happening has given the people something else to think about, a distraction if you will. Besides, the added traffic is making the ports and taverns full to bursting.”

She chuckled, That’s not what I meant but- “How many lay docked now?”

“Seven, not including our own fleet.”

“Can we pull this off?”

“Without a hitch.” He said with a wink and stood, moving to the balcony window.

“He will not be easily replaced.” Her Master of Word said, collecting papers and stacking them, placing some in his large sleeves. “He served council for your father in his early years and was a noble man.”

“Was,” Elsa drawled and looked towards the window in thought. “How much had he stolen from us beforehand? How much could my father have saved? Could I have saved?” She said softly, she felt a frown and a sense of defeat over her.

“I cannot say.” He said in a kind voice. “I do agree with the Master of Trade however, we will recover.”

“Your Majesty,” They looked up to a guard who leaned in through the door. “Another set of gifts have arrived; shall I put it with the others?”

“Yes, if you need another room find one.” The guard nodded and left.

“More tokens of appreciation?” The Master of Word mused with a laugh, and then his eyes narrowed. “Or tokens for favor?”

“I thought you couldn’t read minds?”

“Thoughts no, your face...” He smiled at her and the Master of Trade laughed.

She smiled in return, and waved them away. “We’re done for today. See that you both can salvage what remains of my treasury.” They equally bowed and left the room.

Once the door clicked shut she let out a tired sigh and leaned into the chair, her face in a hand while the other rested on the arm. She heard something placed next to her and she felt a smile tug at her lips.

“If there’s one thing I hate, it’s liars.”

“I’ll be sure to remember that.”

“Do you think what I did was right?”

“The evidence was undeniable, especially at the confirmation from his son. The ice was a nice touch though.” She smirked and saw a shrug. “He would have been caught eventually.”

“I only wish sooner.”

The Lord of Winter laid a hand on her shoulder. “You did what you could.”

“But it’s not enough.” She said sitting up. “I need that back. I need all of it back.”

“What did he say it was?” Jack stretched himself out on the table, hands clasped behind his head.

“Thirty thousand; in total, twenty one in expenses if weighed in gold.”

“Twenty one thousand gold all spent on trivial items.” He laughed. “How little they realize what’s really of value.”

“Men rarely do.” Her voice was bitter, as was the sneer.

“Am I not a man?” Her sneer softened to a smile at him, and his teasing faded. “I’m sorry for what he said about you.”

“It’s the truth, in part at least.” She looked away. “But thank you.”

He sat up and kissed the top of her hair. “Anytime.”

She laughed once and reached for his staff. It was heavier than she expected, and she felt the power within it sizzle beneath the surface. Curiously enough, it felt strongest as she got to its curved end. She felt it looked more like a Sheppard’s crook than a cane. She laughed, the idea of Jack being a Sheppard amusing, though she knew he had only come by the object in the woods shortly before his turning.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just the idea of you standing in a field surrounded by sheep.”

“You’re speaking of my father.”

“Your father?” She blinked at him; he never talked about his parents. In honest she began to think he never really had any.

“He was the Sheppard, I was the errand boy. Many of the townsfolk liked me; I was funny, useful, especially to one in particular. He was the one man who taught me everything there is to know about being a gentleman.” She heard an amused sound. “He was my master, of a sort. He taught me how to behave in the presence of someone higher ranking than I, which was almost always. What was expected of a man and of his wife, I thought the whole thing ridiculous but I humored him.

He taught some of my letters, how to read them and write them. I was never very good, always being dragged back out somewhere and not wanting to be stuck anywhere for too long. I began to visit his home less and less and soon, I stopped showing up all together. I think he forgot that I wasn’t his son. I was happy with him, but my true home was with my father and mother and sister.” His smile grew sad then. “Then time became curse, winter hatred and isolation friends.” He turned to her with that smile. “I’m sorry; I’m not making any sense.”

“Perhaps you make too much.” She stood with the staff and laid it back on the table. “I’m the one who should be sorry.”

“For what?” He sat up on his elbow.

“I brought it up; I didn’t mean to make you remember sad memories.”

“Would it be odd if I was actually glad you did?” She looked at him. “If I don’t think about it, I forget it. I almost did for a while there.” He smiled. “Besides, where do you think I got the idea for the piano?”

“Was that something your master taught you?” He nodded. “How did you know I played?”

“I didn’t, actually.” Jack sat up and swung his legs over the side, twiddling his thumbs with a sheepish smile. “I got pretty lucky. I figured you would have liked the gift, whether or not you knew how to play it.” He looked up at her as she laughed behind a hand, curiosity danced in his eyes. “Where did you learn? I only found the one book and there was no other piano down there.”

It was Elsa’s turn for a sad smile. “There was one, a long time ago. It takes a lot to get a piano here, if you haven’t noticed.” She gestured to the window and the vast open sea with a laugh. “It was my mother’s, a wedding present from my father; she taught me a few things, how to read music mainly and where the notes were on the board. Mostly I would sit and listen to her play. I haven’t touched a set of keys since I was six.”

“But see, that smile there, in the back of your eyes.” He took her face in his hands and she could see what he meant, for it was in his eyes as well. “Don’t you feel better remembering it? The feelings you had then, don’t they come back to you? The happiness, the love, the laughter; that’s something I don’t think anyone could live without, even if the memory is all they’re left with.”

“There are some things I won’t forget.” She admitted with a smile and laying a hand on his wrist.

His smile went bright and he pressed his lips to hers. Elsa blinked at the kiss but welcomed it with a smothered laugh. With his own laugh he kissed her again and dropped his hands back into his lap. He felt a weight off his shoulders at her words, and he looked as if he won a little victory. Jack’s lips twisted into a mischievous smile and Elsa felt her own do the same.

“So where did you learn that little stunt?”

“Lessons from you,” She said as she turned and stood before the window once more. “And a little flair of my own; theatricality was never my strong suit.”

“Oh it isn’t?” He laughed and stood from the table.

She laughed, “Well, not really, just...recently.”

Jack chuckled and laced his arms around her waist. She stiffened first, unsure of what he was doing but relaxed almost as quickly. Her hands laid over his and he rested his head on her shoulder. They watched the people below, and a feeling of content permeated the walls. It was fine with her. She’d felt a flood of relief at his kiss. It had been pricking at the back of her mind since that first morning, that decision to keep him close to her. Had she overstepped some hidden boundary? When he returned that night he was hesitant, a cautious and nervous air about him. He treated her like glass, and the slightest mistake would make her shatter.

Only now as his breathing tickled her ear did she realize that it was him. Jack didn’t want to ruin this and it wasn’t anything she had done. The queen smiled internally at the realization and she felt her eyes grow heavy. The easy comfort set in after a few minutes and she almost didn’t hear the knock on the door. What she did notice was the comforting pressure leave her shoulder as the door opened. She turned to the door to see not only Jack smiling, but Anna as well.

“Should I leave?” She teased.

Elsa shook her head and she felt Jack tighten his grip on her waist, her smile widened.

“What brings you here princess?” Jack asked.

In response Anna held up a small crumpled square and crossed to them. Elsa took it, and upon seeing the quick scrawl she held it up to Jack.  He took the letter and with an almost disappointed sigh, let go of her waist and crossed to the table. Anna saw something darken his eyes and she touched a hand to Elsa’s arm.

“I’ll wait for you outside,”

Elsa nodded and she turned worried eyes back to Jack, she had seen the same look. When the door closed she took a few steps towards him. He picked up his staff and turned disappointed to her.

“This sucks.” He said simply, and she laughed quietly.

“It’s not for long.”

“It still sucks, and it’s not fair.” He whined.

“Big baby.” He stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed. The immature expressions seemed too appropriate to argue.

She bade him goodbye and he turned towards another window. She heard the rush of the wind and an excited sound as he left the room. The door shut behind her and at the sight of her sister’s happy face she felt a smile of her own. Three days.