A/N: If anyone is interested in learning more about this story, Vesfarhloc was kind enough to interview me about it. The result is now available on reddit here: r/Elsanna/comments/4n6w2d/interview_the_queens_mercy_by_jyn044/.

Also, the TVTropes page has been updated (thanks to CoolNickNack.) There's also a long foreshadowing section (written by me) which explains all of the foreshadowing that's occurred so far. Some of you might have missed some of it, so I recommend checking that out here: /Fanfic/TheQueensMercy

"More tea, Your Highness?"

Rapunzel nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Marie," she told the handmaiden appreciatively as the younger woman refilled the Princess's cup before placing the half-full kettle back on the table. Since her return to the Castle several years ago, Rapunzel had quickly grown fond of the beverage, and the Princess could admit to herself that she'd eventually developed an addiction to the warm liquid.

Right now, it was a welcome distraction from her current task. Thomas and Eugene would only need one tear to return Anna's memories, but there was no telling what would happen once they set off in their ship. Accordingly, she'd filled several small yet strong vials with a tear, each one mixed with a small amount of water. Unfortunately, the magic would only last slightly longer than a week. Once the tears evaporated, Thomas and Eugene would be on their own.

Not one to take chances, Rapunzel had stilled filled more than a dozen vials. Resting next to the tea kettle was an onion. Unpleasant as the sensation was, the Princess had learned long ago that the stinging sensation produced by being in close proximity with one of the vegetables was by far the easiest way to coax tears out of her eyes.

The thought of her magic caused the Princess's eyes to fall to her swollen belly. The length of her pregnancy had all but confirmed that her child would inherit its mother's magic. Overall, the knowledge pleased her. But magic never came without a price. At times, it was far more a burden than a gift. In conjunction with her conscience, it obligated the Princess to spend time each day raising an onion to her face. The tears she produced were shipped off to Corona's hospitals, and they often rescued the wounded from certain death.

Knowing all the good that her magic brought about was enough to comfort the Princess during the hours she spent in the company of her least favorite vegetable. Yet the burden of her magic went far beyond the menial labor it compelled her to undergo. Being royalty alone was enough to both make one a target in the eyes of some and be placed on a pedestal in the minds of the rest. Being a known wielder of valuable magic enhanced both phenomena to a startling degree.

Already, nearly two decades of her life had been spent in the clutches of a monster purely because of the magic she possessed. Even now, surrounded by dozens of Royal Guards, extra precautions had to be put into place wherever her safety was concerned. Many were desperate for her magic, and they would do anything to get it.

And then there was the other aspect. As a magical Princess, the entire population expected great things from her. Sometimes, it was as if they believed her to be the solution to every problem. Countless times she'd had to turn away those with minor to moderate injuries, even though she could have healed them easily, because to give into their requests would consume her entire life.

Rapunzel understood the reasoning behind that logic. But every time she declined a request for a healing tear, the disappointment in the eyes of the citizen she turned away stabbed at her heart.

It would be no different for her child. To be both a responsible Royal and a good mother, Rapunzel would instill a sense of duty and kindness into her son or daughter. Inevitably, they would end up facing the same dangers and burdens that the Princess herself now confronted.

Suddenly, she was tired of all this brooding. "Sit down, Marie," she said gently, gesturing to the chair beside hers as she spoke. "I don't think I'm going to be able to finish this tea on my own, and being pregnant hasn't made getting around the Castle any easier. Tell me what I've been missing."

There was only a slight hesitation in Marie's eyes before she complied with the request. Originally, the servants of the Castle had been scandalized by the overly familiar attitude of their returned Princess. Royals did not invite maids to sit at their tables. Even the Coronan Royal Family, thought to be fair and compassionate by most of their subjects, would not have partaken in such behavior.

But Rapunzel (and her lowborn husband) did. Having grown up virtually alone, she was eager for companionship and had little patience for the artificial divisions created by class. Her almost complete disregard of hierarchy had earned her more than one lecture from her mother, who herself was gentler with the servants than most Royals. The Princess had simply ignored her words, and eventually both of her parents had accepted the situation and allowed her to share her company with anyone she wished.

Having a daughter who was overly familiar with the servants was a small price to pay for having a daughter in the first place.

Marie slipped quickly into her seat. It hadn't been the first time she'd shared tea with the Princess. There were only a handful of servants trusted enough to be alone with the Royals without any guards in the room, and Marie was one of them. Given their somewhat similar ages, it was natural that she was frequently assigned to the Princess.

"Everyone is excited for the baby's birth, Your Highness. The announcement that it will possess your magic has only fueled their anticipation," Marie replied. Inwardly, the Princess winced slightly. Already, the expectations placed upon her child were enormous. They would only grow after its birth.

Rapunzel nodded, eager to change the subject. "It's been a long time coming," she agreed, absently running a hand along her rounded stomach. Pregnancies were never easy, and this extra-length affair had often stretched her emotions (and Eugene's patience) near the breaking point. "How are things down below? I assume the staff is getting on well?" Normally, the Princess was a frequent visitor of all areas of the Castle, but the extra weight on her stomach and the accompanying back pain had made moving about far more difficult.

Marie hesitated for just the slightest moment, but Rapunzel noticed it. "..Everyone is fine, Your Highness. There haven't been many foreign visitors this past month, so the workload has been pretty light.

"And how is Darren?"

The girl's face flinched clearly, and Rapunzel knew she was on the right track. It was an open secret that Marie and one of the younger guards in the Palace, Darren, were rather sweet on each other. The Princess knew that becoming invested in Palace gossip was not something her parents would approve of, but with her natural curiosity and desire for human interaction, Rapunzel had quickly become one of the most knowledgeable people when it came to the Castle's social scene.

"He...fell from his horse, Your Highness. Yesterday. I think he was trying to show off some foolish trick, and the horse wasn't having any of it. Darren managed to land on his feet, but he sprained his right leg pretty badly. I think...I think he was in a lot of pain. He'll be in the infirmary for at least a week."

Marie's eyes rose in a silent, reluctant plea. Rapunzel knew that the maid simply couldn't help but make the unspoken request. It was a natural reaction to turn to any potential aid for those one cared for, even if the kingdom's rules made it clear that the Princess's magic was only to be used in life-threatening circumstances. Rapunzel's eyes drifted to the small container on the other side of the room, where she had placed the dozen or so vials of tears that she would give to Eugene.

Refuse, and I fall asleep tonight knowing that a sixteen year old soldier is lying in pain on an infirmary bed when I could have prevented it. Help her, and I'm a hypocrite who obeys my kingdom's rules only when I feel like it...and I'll be a Princess who gives some subjects preferential treatment just because they happen to know me.

\

After Rapunzel reluctantly made her decision, the pregnant Princess had finally become stir-crazy enough to leave her room. Accompanied by Marie and two of her guards, Rapunzel began to walk towards the Royal Library, content to find a book and sit down to read until her husband returned to the Palace.

Unfortunately, that was not how her day was going to proceed.

They were only halfway to the library when heavy, frantic footsteps sounded in the hallway behind them. Rapunzel turned around to see another guard quickly approaching. His face was utterly pale.

"Your Highness," he began quickly, clearly almost out of breath. "Something's happened down below. A maid has been stabbed; we don't know who did it. She's lost a lot of blood. If she's not healed quickly-"

Her heart racing, Rapunzel hastily stepped towards the guard. "Show me," she demanded. "Now!" The Princess had left the vials of tears she'd prepared back in her bedroom, sealed inside a small chest. Judging by the desperate tone of the guard, this maid did not have long. If she wanted to heal her as quickly as possible, Rapunzel would have to go herself.

"O-of course, Your Highness. This way!"

She started after the man, still followed by Marie and her two Royal Guards. All had their reasons for accompanying her. With an attacker loose within the Castle, the Princess's two protectors would have to be especially vigilant in the coming hours; leaving their charge's side was out of the question. Marie, on the other hand, was certainly anxious about the fate of her fellow maid. It was very possible that one of her friends had been the one wounded.

Their path took them down several flights of stairs and into an out-of the way hallway. Situated in the center of the passageway was the wounded maid, lying face-up on the carpet. Next to her stood another guard prepared to act should the attacker return, as well as two other members of the staff who were addressing the wound as best they could.

"Back away. Make way for the Princess!"

The distraught looks in the maid's impromptu nurses quickly gave way to relief as they saw their magical Princess standing before them. Hurriedly, they rose to their feet and gave Rapunzel ample room to see to her patient.

"Celia!" A strangled cry erupted from Marie, the young servant having brought up the rear.

Rapunzel fell to her knees beside the wounded maid. She was quite young, certainly no older than fifteen. The Princess barely recognized her, which meant that she was not one of the servants regularly assigned to the Royal Family's apartments. Unsurprising, given her age. Her bright blond hair, probably once vibrant and pristine, was now mattered with scarlet red.

Even though she was prepared for it, the sight of the wound still sent a jolt of shock down Rapunzel's spine. Celia's shirt had been all but ripped open. A large gash marred the area just below her right shoulder, allowing blood to continuously sprout to the surface of her skin before flowing onto the carpet below.

Yet despite the gruesomeness of the scene, the sight allowed Rapunzel a measure of relief. Judging by its size and location (Rapunzel had become rather knowledgeable about such matters over the years), the wound was not a fatal one. Or, at least, it shouldn't have been. Celia's weak yet gasping breath were reminiscent of injuries far more threatening than this one.

Of course, Rapunzel did not know everything about this subject. Perhaps the attacker's dagger had struck a large artery. Either way, it was imperative that the Princess acted quickly.

Leaning over Celia, the Princess forced herself to focus on the pain the young maid was certainly experiencing. She allowed the natural grief and sorrow spawned by such thoughts to overcome her, knowing that her natural reaction would be...

A single tear coalesced in Rapunzel's eye before dropping gently to the wound below. The small drop of moisture was almost invisible to the eyes, but the effect was instantaneous. Immediately, a golden glow began to surround the shoulder wound. The light illuminated muscle fibers rapidly sticking back together, new blood cells replacing those that had been lost, and the creation of new skin tissue.

Five seconds later, it was over. The new flesh had covered the wound. Except for the drying blood on her body and the ripped shirt, Celia was fully recovered. The young maid was now breathing heavily underneath Rapunzel, taking in as much oxygen as possible.

"Who did this to you?" Rapunzel questioned gently yet firmly. Now that Celia was safe, their next priority was to find her attacker before he could strike again. What kind of monster entered a Castle only to strike down a random servant? There was nothing to gain from such a random act of cruelty.

Celia glanced up at her, a light of triumph in her eyes. "I did," she said quietly. "It was the only way to get close to you."

The maid's fingers were reaching into her pocket now. Rapunzel's mind took several seconds to process Celia's words, and that was all the time the younger girl needed. A flash of metal and a scream from one of her guards were the last things the Princess noticed before her world became a haze of red.

Having extracted the bloodied dagger from her pocket, Celia plunged the weapon into Rapunzel's chest.

\

Marie watched in silent horror as her Princess fell backwards and hit the ground, a small blade jutting out of her back. The nearest guard sprang forward, lashing out with his fist and sending Celia's head slamming back into the floor. Then one man was frantically removing the dagger before pressing his hands down on the Princess's wound, desperately trying to stop the inexorable flow of blood.

Another guard dropped to his knees beside the dying Princess, leaning close to Rapunzel's face and moving his fingers close to her eyes. Marie knew what the Royal Guard was looking for, and for a moment the young maid felt a brief flair of hope. But as the panic continued to grow on the man's face, Marie realized that another tear was not going to be found.

Celia had done her work well. She'd looked up into the Princess's eyes before she had struck, making sure that there was no leftover moisture from her own healing. The stabbing had been so sudden that Rapunzel had fallen into unconsciousness instantly. Shock had overpowered any sensation of pain, preventing any new tears from forming.

The guards were doing their best to tend to her wounds, but too much blood had already been transferred from the Princess to the carpet. Nothing they could do would be able to so much as delay her passing.

Marie only had seconds.

She dived forward, falling to her knees before the Princess's prone body. The closest guard turned his furious gaze upon her, clearly preparing to force her away from Rapunzel. In their minds, she could very well have been Celia's co-conspirator. Her mouth tried to form words protesting her innocence and imploring them to let her close to the Princess, but fear and shock made such a task impossible.

The guard's hand reached out towards her, and Marie did the only thing she could. Ordinarily, he would have been able to overpower her effortlessly, but the majority of his attention was still on the Princess, and anger and grief had dulled his reflexes. Marie, on the other hand, was fueled by adrenaline and a sense of purpose. Her elbow lashed out, hitting the guard in the jaw and forcing him back several inches.

She'd bought herself two seconds. In the time it took for him to recover and the other guards to react to her action, the young maid extracted something from her pocket: the one thing that might be able to save her Princess.

The vial she'd given Marie for Darren's injury.

Her fingers tightened around the bottle's cork before throwing it to the side as quickly as her arm could manage. She leaned over Rapunzel, bringing the opened vial over her wound before turning it around and allowing the liquid to flow over the fatal injury.

\

Halfway to the chambers he shared with his wife, Eugene had heard the sound of screams echoing from one of the side corridors. Part of him wanted to ignore the commotion and continue to his wife's bed, before he realized that Rapunzel was likely to have been drawn to the disturbance. Pregnant or not, Corona's Princess was not one to ignore situations in which her people were threatened.

What he found was a small but growing crowd of guards and staff members surrounding a scene on the floor. Eugene elbowed his way through the onlookers to see his wife lying on the carpet, surrounded by a pool of blood.

For a single moment, Eugene's world became a maelstrom of grief as he believed the worst. But then his mind took in the fact that Rapunzel was breathing, her eyes were open, and the voices of those around him were emitting sighs of relief rather than cries of despair.

Eugene wanted nothing more than to kneel down next to his wife, take her in his arms and comfort her. She'd been badly wounded- that he could tell. It was only the calm reactions of those around her that let him know that she was now completely healed, doubtlessly thanks to one of her tears.

But his relief was short lived as he remembered the fate of Corona's other Royal child.

With one hand, he pulled his stunned wife to her feet. With the other, he seized the shoulder of the nearest Royal Guard before rounding upon him. "Take the Princess to the Royal Harbor! Now!"

The man's voice came out in a shocked sputtering. "Y-Your Highness, there's been an a-attack! We must keep you all here until the situation is stabilized! W-Why would we take her through the city in this moment of-"

"Because your Prince is dying."

His voice was so certain and yet so furious that the claim was instantly believed. Rapunzel cried out in shock, turning upon him and demanding answers to a thousand questions that he didn't have time to answer.

"He's at the harbor. Next to Kristoff. Go!"

And then they were leaving. Rapunzel allowed the Royal Guards to all but haul her down the hall. Within minutes, they would be boarding a carriage and racing towards the Royal Harbor where the dying Prince was being watched over by a certain ice-harvester. Eugene ached to go with them, but for the moment, he knew that he would only slow her down.

His mind was already calculating what had to be done, and he knew that if he didn't take care of certain things now, their quest was already doomed.

\

"Thomas!"

Kristoff heard her before he saw her. His eyes had been fixed on Thomas's barely breathing form. The sickly yellow smoke had cleared to reveal the Prince prone on the ground, his body desperately gasping for air.

The ice-harvester had read about many kinds of curses, but few had been worse than this. The yellow smoke had literally burned Will's body from the inside out, entering his mouth before spreading incredible heat to everywhere it touched. His throat, lungs, and stomach had been incinerated completely.

Thomas had been slightly more fortunate. He'd been at the edge of the blast, and the Prince had almost reacted fast enough to close his lips before the smoke could enter. Almost. A small amount of putrid yellow gas had invaded his throat, burning his windpipe and probably scorching part of his lungs.

It was a horrifying sight. His throat and much of his chest were marred by blackening burn marks. If they had been external, they would have been excruciatingly painful, but not fatal. Yet on the inside of his body, the rapid swelling of his throat and the damage to his lungs had made breathing nearly an impossible task for the Prince.

He'd long since lost consciousness. Now his feeble breaths were barely pulling in air towards his burned lungs. Suffocation was imminent.

Kristoff looked up in relief as he saw the Princess approaching...and then received another dose of shock as he took in her bloodied and tattered appearance. If it weren't for the urgency in her steps and the magic he knew she possessed, he would have believed her to be seriously injured. Three Royal Guards were running behind her.

To her credit, she didn't ask questions. And neither did he. Kristoff simply stepped aside and allowed the Princess to kneel beside her brother. A tear formed in her eyes immediately. It wasn't long before Rapunzel was crying outright. Dozens of tears were falling from her eyes onto her brother's feebly stirring body. Into his throat, onto his chest. Any one of them should have been able to repair the damage.

Nothing.

There was no reaction from Thomas. No golden glow as the magic did his work. Kristoff watched the desperate, incredulous Princess process the fact that her magic was failing her.

All traces of the kind, dignified woman Kristoff had met were gone as the furious Princess beat at the ground in frustration. Behind her, the Royal Guards were staring at the scene in utter shock. Tear after tear continued to drop onto Thomas, yet the result was the same. The Prince continued his gradual journey towards death.

Then Kristoff understood.

"He's not injured," the ice-harvester managed.

Rapunzel rounded upon him, fury blazing in her eyes. "What do you mean he's not injured?! Look at him!" she demanded. "Stay the hell out of my way and let me save my brother's life!"

Kristoff shook his head. "You can't. Not in that way. I grew up learning about magic. He was attacked by a curse that the mage released. It's nothing like a normal injury. Your tears won't help!"

"Then what will?!"

"Legend says that the gods once worked to alter the laws of magic; they wanted anyone worthy to be able to counter malevolent spells. Ever heard of True Love's Kiss? Grand Pabbie even says he's seen it work once or twice. Lip contact between two people who love each other can break any curse."

Rapunzel stared at him, shocked at the incredulity of it all. "B-But Thomas and I aren't-"

"It doesn't have to be romantic love. Familial love works too. Hurry!" he ordered. It was the passion in his voice that stirred her to action. Trembling in fear, she seized the last hope that was presented to her and gently kissed the edge of her brother's lips.

A bright flash of light emanated from the point of contact.

For a few moments, his eyes were blinded. When they recovered, Kristoff could see that the burns Thomas had suffered were gone. The swelling in his throat had vanished as well, and the young Prince appeared to be breathing normally. Tears still flowed from Rapunzel's eyes, but now she was crying in relief.

Yet his eyes didn't open. Rapunzel glanced to Kristoff in confusion.

"He's been healed," Krisotff breathed, "But it looks like the curse sapped his body of energy. He was almost without air for ten minutes. And...curses aren't exactly an exact science. He'll wake up," probably, he couldn't help but think, "But his body will need time to recover. And I think it will have to be natural. I don't know if your tears will work."

They didn't. Several minutes were spent trying to rouse Thomas, both with magical tears and normal means, but to no avail.

"Your Highness," a guard finally interjected, "We really need to get both you and the Prince back to the safety of the Castle. This was a coordinated attack, and I doubt the maid was the mastermind.

Rapunzel's response was cut off by the sound of rushing footsteps. Out of breath, and with his emotions stretched to the breaking point by the day's horrifying events, Eugene bolted into the harbor. His eyes immediately lit up in relief as they took in his still breathing brother-in-law.

"He's fine for the moment," Rapunzel said as she embraced her husband. "But he won't wake up. It's probably going to take some time. What's...going on in the Castle? Is everyone-"

Eugene sighed. "No more attacks. I interrogated that maid briefly, but she didn't tell me anything...useful," he said, a slight hesitation apparent in his voice. "By now, your parents have certainly been informed, and that means-" He turned to the Royal Guards. "Take Thomas back to the Palace, put him in the medical wing. Don't wait for us."

"Your Highness, we cannot abandon you-"

"That was an order, Sergeant," Eugene hissed. Rapunzel nodded in confirmation with her husband's command. The guards stared at them. Kristoff wasn't sure if they were shocked more by the order or the fact that it had been delivered in such a curt, biting tone by the Prince, but they reluctantly began to obey.

Once they were out of earshot, Eugene continued. "If we stay here, Marcus will never let us leave. The Palace will become a virtual prison. By the time he's investigated the situation, Elsa will be long done with her ritual."

Rapunzel nodded. Kristoff didn't. "How?! This was a coordinated attempt to murder the heirs to the Coronan throne? There's no way your father could ignore something like this. He'd have to take action!"

The Princess shook her head. "Eugene is right, Kristoff. My father will take action, and that will be to increase our protection. He'll never believe that Elsa was behind this. He might send out spies and informants to investigate, but he would never consider invading without absolute proof. And we have none."

Kristoff had briefly dreamed of a massive invasion of Arendelle by Corona's troops and ships, but it was clear that such hopes were impossible.

Eugene turned to his wife. "Kristoff...was right. We were attacked by two mages. Their words confirmed it. Elsa is behind this. There's no way that they coordinated their message with Kristoff; they had no way of knowing we would even speak to him. And if he's telling the truth about that-"

"Then I'm telling the truth about the ritual," Krisotff finished.

"I found the vials in our room," Eugene said, pulling out a small chest that Kristoff could only guess was filled with some of Rapunzel's preserved tears. "I knew we'd have to leave right away."

"Will they even help?" Rapunzel asked, turning back to Kristoff. "They didn't work on Thomas-"

"Thomas was cursed," Kristoff answered. "Anna wasn't. She took on the memory spell voluntarily; curses are all inflicted against the victim's will. It's two different types of magic. I don't know that it will work, but it's still worth a try."

Eugene's eyes fell to the ground, and Kristoff had the distinct impression that he was on the verge of releasing tears of his own. "I have to go, Rapunzel. And I can't just give Anna a tear and bring her back. I'll have to stay and help fight Elsa, however I can. I might die. I'll probably miss the baby's birth...my own child, and I won't be there... But if we don't stop Elsa, there's no future for any of us..."

Rapunzel pulled him into a one-armed embrace, and suddenly Kristoff got the feeling that he was intruding on a very private moment. "I know...it's not your fault. I love you, Eugene. I know you want to be here for Thomas, for our child, for me…but Anna's going to need all the help she can get. Go fight for a world worth bringing our child into. Please, just...be careful. I can't lose you..."

Eugene faced his wife, his eyes distraught but determined. "I might not have a choice," he replied softly.

Responses:

WinterWolfDragon: Thank you! Somehow, you're always the first to review.

FrozenFairyTales: All feedback is more than welcome!

DimmensionalLover: Does this count as a break.

Guess 1: Yes?

TheChronicle: Some of the Faithful are certainly overconfident. The Goddess, however, won't make the same mistakes. The Goddess doesn't know whether or not the real Elsa is still around, but she does know that Anna had her powers for a while after the real Elsa disappeared, so she's not taking any chances.

FreelanceBum: She is evil because she was willing to sacrifice anyone and anything for her own goal. To want to live forever is not in of itself evil, but to kidnap a child and keep her imprisoned for decades, and then murder the man she loves when he tries to save her, makes her evil. Maybe not the worst villain ever, but still a villain.

Gwiley16199: Keep reading!

FrozenChris: You're exactly right about Anna's powers and the Goddess's fears. Remember also that preparing the ritual has somewhat weakened her powers, so while she probably could beat Anna again, there's always a chance Anna could get lucky.

CoolNickNack: In Elsa's defense, she had no idea how badly her minions would screw up.

Verytired: I'll do my best.

Arekanderu: Since you asked…

Spooths: More puns!

Andilite: They're trying!

ClaireCooper: Maybe this chapter offered some relief.

Jydr: Do I detect sarcasm?

Coincidencless: He's still alive!

Veoving: Sure.

ObsessiveImaginings: That's one good thing that came out of it.

Vesfarhloc: Thanks for the interview!

Shadowfax321: My fight scenes take a while to write, but I try to infuse them with a sense of urgency and adrenaline.

PascalDragon: Not tears…

CarmelDragon: Exactly what I was going for, thank you!

Tithi: Hold on.

BakuBabe: That wasn't meant to be a fun fight scene.