Elsa surveyed the scene in front of her with a revolting combination of rage and disgust.

Jocasta's body was still chained to the back of the cell wall, but the shackles had clearly lost their relevance. The Queen had suspected a trick, but there could be no mistake. Arendelle's most valuable prisoner had been fatally poisoned.

The woman's skin was nearly as cold as Elsa's ice. Her eyes, once filled with refined malice, were now blank. The Castle's physicians had identified the responsible toxin almost immediately. It was a rare substance known as aracoina, a poison powerful enough to kill its victims within thirty seconds of intake. Unfortunately, they had no idea who might have been responsible for adding it to the water.

Jocasta had been given a cup of water from the kitchens, which had been handed off to one of the guards before being given to the prisoner. There had been no excess caution in preparing it. Elsa had always had her meals tested before she ate. After the attempts on Anna's life, the same security had been provided to her attendant. But there was no such protocol in place for prisoners.

Per the Queen's instructions, the cup of water had been siting on a table in the kitchens for several minutes in order to make sure it was warm. It had been meant to keep Jocasta alive without comforting her in any way. Cool water could have a refreshing impact, and Elsa wanted her as weary as possible before they began her interrogation.

How could she have been so foolish? They'd taken extraordinary measures to make sure Jocasta couldn't walk out her cell door, but Elsa and her agents had forgotten about a far more potent means of escape.

Worse, they now had definitive proof that at least one person in the Castle was working for the conspirators. But the list of suspects was long. Anyone working in the dungeons or the kitchens could have been responsible, and so far the investigations had proved fruitless.

"Back to square one," she muttered.

A gentle pressure on her fingers made Elsa turn her head to the right. Anna, standing beside her, had just grasped her hand. Wordlessly, the two of them laced their fingers together. Now that the Knight had already seen Jocasta, Elsa had reasoned that seeing her voiceless body could do no further harm. Even the greatest of manipulators could not speak from beyond the grave, and maybe seeing the interrogator dead would help give Anna some closure.

/

In the end, finding the culprit took several hours too long. Analyzing the schedules of the kitchen and dungeon staff as well as interviewing witness had allowed Evangeline, her agents, and the heads of the Castle's staff to pinpoint the most likely suspect.

It was one of the cooks in the kitchen. Roughly thirty-five years of age, Asger Stanley had helped to prepare food in the Castle for over five years. His career had been utterly unremarkable, but not once had he shown any sign of disloyalty.

By the time his guilt had been raised as a possibility, there had been no sign of him. The guards on the outer walls reported that they had let a man of his description through in the early hours of the morning, shortly before the Palace had been put on lockdown. He never returned.

For the next three weeks, the search was fruitless. Elsa's men searched the country, but no sign of Asger was ever reported. Either he was extremely well hidden within Arendelle's borders or (more likely) he had fled on a ship to the Southern continent. Investigating his few living family members had turned out to be nothing but empty leads. Apparently, he had been out of contact with them for some time.

The revelation that her meals had been prepared for several years by a probable enemy of the kingdom made Elsa much more uncomfortable at the dinner table. Even though her food was always tasted by two (now three) testers several minutes before it reached the dining room table, her hands were noticeably more hesitant than before when it came to adding food to her plate.

Her one comfort was that Asger, wherever he had run to, was no longer in a position to harm her. But if one enemy had worked in her Castle, biding his time, that meant that there could well be more.

She found herself analyzing her trust of everyone. The maids. The guards. Even her Council. Arald, Evangeline, Catherine, Vance, Kale, and the others had (whatever their faults) composed themselves as loyal servants of Arendelle for decades. But Elsa's paranoia wouldn't allow her to trust them unconditionally. She wasn't naive enough to assume that Asger had been acting independently. His superior could well be hidden among her servants, biding their time.

At this point, there were only three people in Arendelle that Elsa had complete faith in.

/

"Here's another one," Anna noted as she stared down at the contents of the letter. "Ambrose Durron has confirmed that he'll be attending the Solstice celebrations."

Elsa's eyes narrowed in mild surprise. "Strange," she replied. "He's one of the most conservative aristocrats in the country. I felt for sure he'd boycott the Solstice."

The Knight shrugged. "Maybe he realized there's no point," she offered. "Or maybe he and his friends are planning on making a scene at the party." The two women were sitting in Elsa's study, Anna going through the Queen's mail while Elsa worked on some paperwork. Most of the letters consisted of confirmations for attending the Solstice celebrations, and so far the number of conservative nobles who had declared that they would not attend as long as Anna lived in the Castle was well below expectations.

"I doubt it. Even he wouldn't be so bold," Elsa replied, circling his name on the list of invited nobles.

The Knight frowned as she picked up the next letter. This one seemed…crude…compared to the usual mail that was addressed to the Queen. Squinting her eyes in curiosity, she ripped the letter open and stared down at the blocky writing.

She was smiling even before she finished. "This one's from Kristoff, Elsa! I don't know how he got this into the royal post, but who cares? He said he's using the money you gave him to open up his first ice-shipping business.

"Really?" Elsa raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. He already has an office in the Royal City. He used to work on his own, but now that he has all that knowledge and experience about ice, and that money, he's going to hire some harvesters and open a larger operation. He thinks that he can do it more efficiently than Arendelle's current ice industries. Then he's going to pay you back."

"Good for him," the Queen said approvingly. "But please, tell him to keep his profits. As long as the crown gets its fair share in taxes, I don't want an extra coin from him."

The Knight nodded. "I'll write a reply back on behalf of both of us," she agreed. "After the Solstice is over, I'll go pay him a visit. He says that's he's going to be setting up things in the capital for some time."

"After the Solstice," Elsa agreed.

Anna hummed quietly in response as she opened the next letter. "This one's a marriage proposal," she remarked. "Prince Leonard of Bellona is asking for your hand. His dowry includes...and I quote, 'Fifteen chests of gold, a handsome stake in the mines of his desert kingdom, and a herd of one hundred prized camels.'"

The Queen grimaced. "Put it with the others," she ordered. Nodding, Anna opened the drawer and deposited the letter atop the growing stack of marriage proposals, religious objections to Elsa's magic/sexual preferences, and requests to revoke Anna's Knighthood. In the winter, it would be used for kindling.

"He calls that a dowry?" Anna scoffed. "That's nothing compared to what I offer. The Anna-package comes complete with angry letters from aristocrats, unwelcome visits from fundamentalist religious organizations, and world class neck massages."

Despite the grim subject matter, Elsa couldn't help but smile slightly. "You're worth it, darling. Out of all my admirers, you're the only one not attracted to me just because I'm a Queen."

"No," Anna agreed. "For me, it's your magic that I find attractive. As long as you still have that, I'll stick around."

With a flick of her wrist, Elsa sent a snowball flying at her head. Anna reacted just in time; she snatched the projectile out of the air and threw it back at the Queen. Too surprised to duck, Elsa was struck in the cheek by the mostly intact snowball.

"You're getting faster," Elsa moved as she dispelled the moisture. "But it's still not in your best interest to challenge me to a snowball fight."

Anna shrugged. "Maybe," she agreed. "But that doesn't mean I won't try. Anyway, can we take a break now?" Can we kiss? I really want to kiss.

"Sure, let's go to lunch," the Queen replied. She rose from her desk, stuffing the papers she was writing on into her bottom drawer before backing away. Anna's eyes widened in curiosity.

"What was that you're working on?" she question.

Elsa shook her head. "Nothing important," she answered, walking towards the door as she spoke. "If you want to have time to cuddle with me after lunch, we'd best get a move on."

Quicker than the Queen could react, Anna darted around her and went for the drawer where Elsa had deposited the papers. "Stop!" the monarch began, but Anna was already pulling them free and starting to read them over.

Helpless to stop her, Elsa could do nothing but look on in concern as Anna read through the papers. Her reading speed had improved over the last month, but it still took the Knight several minutes to read the entire thing.

"Elsa...are you sure this is a good idea? We can't afford any more mishaps where the nobility is concerned."

The monarch nodded. "Yes. It can't make things much worse, and it just might begin to fix our problems. End of discussion," she said firmly. "Now let's go to the dining room. Or do you not want to have time to kiss me senseless before we get back to work?" Elsa's cheeks were burning red, but her words were filled with a surprising amount of confidence.

\

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Walking through the courtyard towards Kai's office, Anna couldn't help but turn her head towards the archery range upon the sound that split through the air. Three arrows, each launched by a different shooter, had all hit the center of their chosen target with ludicrous precision.

Each of the three archers, one woman and two men, wore the uniform of Arendelle's intelligence agents. Anna recognized the two men vaguely, but the woman was the only one she was truly familiar with.

As Anna watched, the three shooters reloaded within seconds before firing a second volley. And again, three out of three shots were bullseyes. Despite knowing that it would make her late, the Knight couldn't resist the urge to walk over. By the time she arrived, a third volley had already struck.

"Lady Evangeline," Anna greeted the lead shooter. "I didn't know you and your men were such skilled archers," she said honestly. The bow was a weapon that Anna respected, but her brief attempt to learn how to use the weapon had ended in failure. There was more to archery then simple speed and strength.

"Thank you, Lady Anna," the spymaster greeted politely as she lowered her bow. "The primary skills of our agents are stealth and infiltration. But there's always going to be a time when combat is unavoidable, and it's best to be prepared."

Anna nodded. "It looks like you're more than prepared," she complimented. "That's better shooting than I've seen from any of the Castle's archers."

The spymaster shrugged. "Decades of practice. And at times like this, it's a satisfying way to let out some frustration," Evangeline commented as she fired another bullseye.

"Let out some frustration? ...oh." After so long with no progress, the kingdom's lead spymaster was probably not happy that their most valuable prisoner had, in a way, escaped. Or that her killer had successfully eluded their grasp.

Evangeline continued firing. Much like the spymaster herself, the shooting was composed, focused, and deadly. Anna couldn't help but think that while Evangeline was someone she would be glad to have on her side during a fight, she would probably not enjoy sharing a dinner table with her.

I'll never forget the first time she talked to me. She wanted to hear about the initial attack on Elsa and see if I knew anything useful. Even though the Queen had ordered Evangeline to go easy on her, the memory still made Anna shudder slightly.

They didn't know if Jocasta had been aware that she was ingesting poison or not. Given the previous fanaticism displayed by the conspiracy's members, it was entirely possible that she had agreed to silence herself. When considering the interrogation she would have received at Evangeline's hands, Anna could understand Jocasta's decision to accept a quick death- if that was indeed the case. In the spymaster, Anna saw a woman almost as determined to protect the Queen as herself, but none of the mercy of compassion that would make her hesitate.

Nodding in farewell, Anna made her way through the courtyard. Within minutes, she found herself at the door to the butler's office.

"You seem to be running a bit late, Lady Anna," he noted as she opened the door. The Knight offered him an apologetic smile in response. "We'll have to go a few minutes later than usual," he said kindly but firmly.

Anna resisted the urge to groan. Even though he still felt guilty about allowing her to see Jocasta, the Knight knew that Kai wasn't going to allow her to miss a lesson that could tangibly, albeit indirectly, affect the well-being of his Queen.

"Fine," she agreed. "Can't have the nobles criticize my table manners during the Solstice celebrations."

True to his word, their session went a half hour over time. It only ended when Gerda finally sought out her husband's company for dinner. Even then, he was somewhat reluctant to let her go, but there were only two people in the world who could overcome Kai's stubbornness on a regular basis: his Queen and his wife.

/

As the days ticked down to the beginning of the festivities, Anna's stress level steadily increased. This would be the first time she had to face lords and ladies in large numbers since the...debacle…that was known as her Knighting ceremony. Elsa's plan might help improve matters, but it was going to be a difficult trial all the way.

The Queen was feeling the pressure herself. Anna had had a lot of time to become familiar with Elsa's moods, and although the monarch did her best to hide it, Anna could see the rising pressure take its toll. A giant celebration in the Castle was never an easy thing to plan for, and this year's gathering would be more difficult to manage than any before it.

With this in mind, Anna suggested that the two of them should take a few hours off the day before the guests were slated to arrive. To the Knight's pleasant surprise, Elsa had not only agreed but also decided that they would free up the entire afternoon.

Sure enough, the Queen completed the majority of the remaking preparations that morning. The two of them proceeded to slip out of the Castle together; Elsa created five snow golems to serve as guards.

They made their way to the lake in the forest behind the Castle. Upon arrival, Elsa promptly froze the water solid. And when the Knight requested a more appropriate atmosphere, the monarch complied by creating a light snowfall in the vicinity.

"I think I'm getting better at this," Anna declared as she skated across the ice. Her balance still wasn't perfect, but she no longer relied upon Elsa's support while moving across the smooth surface.

The Queen raised a sardonic eyebrow. "I can see that, dear. In a few years, you might be half as good as I was when I was five years old."

Anna smirked. "I think being a virtual Ice Goddess gives you an unfair advantage."

Elsa smiled, twirling through the air effortlessly before sliding up next to Anna. "Perhaps," she agreed, reaching forward and taking the Knight's hands into her own.

Thrown off by the welcome but unexpected gesture, Anna wobbled slightly until Elsa managed to steady her. Suddenly, a distant look appeared in the Queen's eyes.

"What is it?" Anna asked curiously.

"It's just..." Elsa smiled warmly. "This is where I first realized I had feelings for you. You fell, and I caught you with a blast of snow, remember? Then we started skating together and my mind compared it to a romantic dance."

The Knight's burrow furrowed in mock indignation. "Humph. It took you that long to develop feelings for me? I don't know whether to be relieved or insulted."

"It took me that long to realize I was attracted to you," Elsa clarified. "It started way before that. Maybe even during the first time we met. After I was sure that you didn't intend to slit my throat of course."

Anna nodded. "It feels like a lifetime ago," she commented as they began to move across the ice as one. "I can't believe it's been seven months already...oh my gods it's been seven months!" Seven months she'd moved into the Castle. Living in the Palace, while still not easy sometimes, no longer felt strange to her. Sometimes, being cold and hungry felt like a distant memory. She still appreciated having a home, of course, but it no longer seemed like a new concept.

She'd never forget living on the street, of course. For better or worse, that experience had helped shape her into the woman she was today. But begging, starving, and sleeping in alleyways no longer defined her.

"Are you sure about tomorrow?" Anna questioned. "Doing such a grand gesture on the first night...it's risky. Wouldn't it be better to wait until the last night of the celebrations?"

Elsa shook her head. "No. I need to make it clear, and doing it immediately will make a bold statement. I can't afford to show any signs of weakness. And besides, doing it on the first night will give them plenty of time to talk amongst themselves. The smarter ones will convince the others to back down." She paused, stroking Anna's cheek with an ungloved hand. "We'll be fine. No matter how much they hate you, none of them are foolish enough to directly oppose my will...especially not in my own Palace. They can't hurt you."

\

"It's a fine strategy," his host complimented. "We'll take them both out at the same time. As long as everyone is in place, Elsa will fall. And if everything goes to plan, her most prominent supporters will die with her."

He nodded. In truth, he didn't care about the others. The only one who needed to die was the Queen. But his pawns would not strike unless they believed that extinguishing Elsa's life would also bring her reign to an end...and allow one of them to rule in her place. To do so would require Elsa's allies to be removed from the equation.

"Then we're agreed." He leaned down, briefly filling his wineglass with alcohol delivered by his host's butler. The blood red liquid sloshed noticeably as he raised his glass high; some spilt to the floor.

"To Arendelle!"

"To Arendelle!" his ally echoed. Their glasses met with a smooth chink.

A/N: Mostly a set up chapter, sorry!

Also, we now have a page on TV Tropes! If anyone wants to update it, I'd be interested in what they posted. The page can be found here: /Fanfic/TheQueensMercy

Responses:

JPElles: I wouldn't count on the conspirators being wary.

WinterWolfDragon: Everyone's disappointed.

3Gs: You never know!

Shtoops: Not quite.

Guest 1: An inspiration? Wow, that's nice of you to say!

No.18: You'll find out soon enough.

Betagamma: Even if they argue, the two of them love each other a lot.

MasterBlackCrow: Wait until next chapter.

Leelan: I'm always impressed when someone gets those Itsotq references.

BlackMistBeast: Not exactly, Elsa and Anna are better protected, but it's still very worrying.

Raven: Thanks!

IronTailPikachu: Yup!

ObsessiveImaginings: That could have backfired. Now that Jocasta is dead and unable to manipulate Anna, however, Elsa thought it was reasonable to bring Anna to see the body.

ClaireCooper: No spoilers!

Yuiiub: I don't pretend to be an expert in physcology. Some of their arguments/discussions kind of write themselves. I don't think of them in advance, but they pop up in my mind when I'm typing the scene.

Mpsantiago: I can confirm that she IS dead. The one who poisoned her never intended Jocasta to survive the full first night. That's why Anna was the last person to speak with her. She was never going to see the morning, once the first thing of food/water was brought to her that was it. And Anna was never going to resist seeing her on the first night.

Elizabeth112L Unfortunately, Jocasta is dead.

Snowboardgurl: She's dead. But that's not a good thing.

Sedryn: Showdown incoming.

BreeBear98: At least Anna wasn't the one who killed her.

Tithi: This is nothing.

Guest 2: Thanks! I am definitely continuing!

Sanekittens: You finished it in one day? Wow.

DarthVaderisNotMe: Excellent analysis. I loved the 'dramatis personae' description!

Moonwatcher13: These conspirators aren't cartoon villains. Jocasta was very careful not to give Anna anything she could use to her advantage.

Superjoshe: Or they still have agents in the Castle.

IgnisAurumProbat: Hope you keep reading!

Wildsasquatch: Wow, this is getting long!