The Queen's Admiral

Chapter 43: Touched by Magic

"Aunt Elsa, you didn't..." my voice shook as I uttered her name for I could not even bear to think that she would have consented to send an innocent young man to his death, even if that young man was to be an instrument to cause more suffering to the people of Weselton.

My aunt held my hand firmly and she stopped me from releasing the ice I was holding back. "Not here, Fredrik," she warned. "Let's go back to our apartments, I will explain everything. But walk slowly, keep calm and say nothing."

She gave orders to the rest of the members of our contingent to return to our wing. She didn't release my hand as we walked together back to our apartments with our Coronan guards. The journey back to the Arendelle wing was agony for ugly thoughts raged in my head. Admiral Westergard most likely with the aid of Prince Eugene had taken this Andreas and they used the Carpet to do it. Was Andreas dead? But what else could Admiral Westergard do? He made a deal with Queen Constanza and the only way to secure her son's claim was to get rid of the other potential heir in the most effective way possible.

My aunt let go of my hand only when we reached her chambers. And the moment she did, she immediately locked the door with ice.

"You let him take that young man from the Gormund ship, didn't you?" I asked her.

"Yes Fredrik. And I'm sorry I didn't have time to tell you. Hans and I conceived the plan in a rush this morning. We saw an opportunity and we took it. I only had time to inform Rapunzel and Eugene about it before Hans and Eugene had to go on the Carpet."

I felt a slight breeze. We both turned our attention to her bedroom window where Admiral Westergard flew in with the Carpet. My aunt gave a relieved sigh. "I'm glad you're back. Is everything alright? Did anyone see you?"

"Everything went well," he replied with a tired smile. He looked like he hadn't had a wink of sleep at all. "I dropped Eugene off on the roof of one of the towers. He said it was safer that way so he wouldn't be seen. He insisted he's used to climbing all over the rooftops of his own castle," he added with a slight snigger.

I was put off how Admiral Westergard could even find the nerve to make light of the situation after he and Prince Eugene must have murdered an innocent boy. "Is he dead?" I accused. "Did you kill him?"

My aunt and Admiral gave me both puzzled looks and the Carpet shook itself as if to say "No".

"Fredrik, you didn't think we..." my aunt began. "Oh, I'm so sorry Fredrik, you must think the worst of us. No, it's not like that at all."

"Then where is this boy, Andreas?" I demanded.

"Well when I left him he was having a good laugh over tea with Chip and Belle at the Rose Pub," Admiral Westergard replied. "I think he'll like staying in Arendelle. I'm hoping he'll stay for good."

"Wait-what? He's in Arendelle?" I asked.

"Took him there with Eugene using the Carpet after we got him off that boat," Admiral Westergard explained. "Carpet can get really fast when he wants to even when he's got three people onboard. Give it here Pal, job well done," he added cheerfully as he and the Carpet gave each other high fives. The Carpet then drooped down sullenly. "Go on take a rest. You deserved it."

The Carpet rolled on itself and remained still on the floor as if it was sleeping. I had a sudden urge to put a blanket over it until I realized how ridiculous that looked-a carpet being kept warm by a piece of fabric.

Admiral Westergard made me and Aunt Elsa sit on the couches before he continued. "You see, Fredrik, I know Andreas. He's one of my students when I took a teaching job in Gormund when I settled there for a time before I came to Arendelle. He was raised in the little boarding school where I was teaching. He didn't know who his parents were and all his life he knew nothing but that boarding school. No one seemed to know or care where he came from but someone anonymous always settled his monthly bills, sent him a modest allowance for his personal needs and made sure he was educated. It didn't take a genius to know he was the illegitimate child of some noble man or woman who wanted to keep him away to avoid a scandal. When I met him, he was this shy, awkward boy. He wasn't the very brightest one and was always the odd one out. The other boys didn't like him because they were either jealous of his regular upkeep or think less of him because he was a bastard. But he took to my fencing lessons rather well and I know him to have a good nature. I think I saw my younger self in him-something of a misfit with no place in the world and we bonded over that. I think I was one of the few people he considered as a friend."