Frozen: The Blackest of Tidings

Chapter 6: Seat of Vipers

DIM LIGHT seeped through the curtain as his eyes narrowed on the streets outside. Huffing in relief, he sat back on his creaking chair, turning to Balder, Kristoff and Ben who sat around the table. Clearing his throat, he leaned forward, distracting his mind from the irritation of the unwanted visit and focussed on the situation at hand.

"So, what's the plan now?" Bjarke frowned, raising his hands before him in a balled fist.

"I know that someone in the council works for the Order and we need to find out who it is." Balder sat back.

"That makes no sense," Bjarke chuckled. "You think they'd have someone in their ranks who's not even allowed to attend the Table?"

"You know that Princess Anna was accused of killing the former monarchs of the Table, right?" Balder turned to him.

"Yeah, I'm not buying that she'd up and do that." Bjarke sat back, "She may've been a pathetic queen, but she was too nice to be a murderer."

"Exactly and I found that someone spiked her drink with Silver Leaf the night before their bodies were found." Balder leaned on the table.

"Well, did you find out who put it in her drink?" Bjarke cocked his neck.

"Unfortunately, I did not." Balder sat back. "What makes this more confusing is that I had my men keep watch on Anna day and night and she was not approached by anyone suspicious."

"Doesn't Silver Leaf leave someone susceptible to hypnotic suggestion? If that's the case, then we should rule it out entirely." Ben lifted up a piece of parchment, dipping a quill in a bowl of ink.

"What're you doing? We agreed that we would not write anything down." Balder turned to him.

"Oh, sorry." Ben ripped the paper in half and breathed in. "I forgot."

"I don't think we should rule out Silver Leaf just yet." Kristoff turned to Balder.

"Why?" Bjarke frowned.

"I dunno, it's just that I think it's still an important clue." Kristoff folded his arms. "The Order's definitely behind it, I mean, it was the murder of the monarchs that allowed them to kick Elsa and Anna off the Table."

"They could've easily kicked them off before the accident that took the lives of the monarchs." Ben turned to him.

"You don't believe the monarchs were killed?" Bjarke raised his brow.

"You and I both disbelieve Anna was responsible and I don't think they were murdered either," Ben shut his eyes and sat back, "It's the only reasonable explanation. I mean, even if they were murdered, who could've done it? We've already ruled out Anna, so who would've done it?"

"Finding out who put the Silver Leaf in Anna's drink is the key to solving this mystery and exposing the Order. If the Order is guilty, then we can get Arendelle back and if they aren't, we can clear Elsa and Anna's names and Elsa can rule the kingdom again." Balder smiled slightly.

"Well, I guess it's back to the councilmen again." Kristoff sat back, "You've got any idea who might've done it?"

"Excluding the three of us, there is Bard, Diethelm and Adalstan, so it has to be one of them." Balder stroked his chin.

"Yeah, but we don't have the time to investigate the three of 'em. Even if we sent each of our men, it would take more than a day and we do not know how long the Order will be out of Arendelle." Bjarke folded his arms.

"We need a much faster method of doing this." Ben turned to Balder. "We can't just walk up and ask 'em straight up; we'd get ourselves killed."

"Are the monarchs of the Table still present in Arendelle?" Balder turned to him.