Second Best

Chapter Three

Elsa used her fist on the hard wooden table to get everyone's attention, as they'd gotten rather off-topic and she'd only just noticed.

"I don't care how attractive the heir to the Southern Isles' cousin is, can we please get down to business?" she stood up, banging her hands on the table to emphasise her point.

Chortles accompanied her outburst. They clearly thought she was still an icy delinquent who didn't know what she was talking about, and certainly hadn't earned her place among them. Maybe they were right, maybe she wasn't fit for this, but this was not the place for self-doubt. She'd show them! She was their bloody Queen!

"Enough!" she screamed. "I called this meeting for a reason, and you will all listen to me or I'll have you thrown out!" She held out a finger threateningly, pointing at the corner of the room, where everyone present knew at any moment, should she so desire, she could create a living ice creature to do her dirty work for her. Perhaps it was unethical, hut right now she didn't care. Her bloody advisors were being unforgiveably rude!

They all cowered in fear and she tried to ignore how wonderful that made her feel, knowing precisely what happened to people that let their power go to their heads.

"That's better," she said more softly. "I want for this nonsense with suitors being shipped in and out at my whim to stop! It's ridiculous! If I do marry, I want it to be for love! Can't I just get someone to help me out until I know what I'm doing? Then get married for the right reason, because I want to?" she was a little out of breath from her impassioned speech, but she had meant every word she'd spoken. She hoped they'd take her seriously now.

"Queen Elsa. That's what we're here for. To help poor unfortunate souls, like yourself," one of her advisors foolishly opened his mouth in an attempt to placate her. It didn't work, if anything it made her even more irate.

"Who're you calling unfortunate, Mister?" and she conjured the beastly snow creature she'd been picturing in her mind, who proceeded to pick up that foolish advisor and throw him out of the meeting room.

"Is that all?" she asked the remaining men in the room. Whatever happened to female advisors? Oh yeah, backstabbing. How could she possibly forget that?

"Was that really necessary?" Another foolish man questioning her methods of ruling. This was clearly not her lucky day.

She pointed threateningly at him, but unlike the others he did not cower back into his seat, merely sat and stared back at her like an unblinking frog. She admired his mettle, though she didn't exactly appreciate it.

"You're all dismissed," she had decided that meeting time was over, relaxing time would start now. Or perhaps 'controlling-her-powers' time. Maybe she'd even visit that nice old man in the library who she had searching for books about other people like her. She wanted to research how they controlled their powers, and how she could utilise those techniques. So far, there'd been nothing, but she'd been trying to curtail her disappointment.

The men all shuffled out of the cold chamber, gathering up papers as they went. She didn't know what half of them even did, or if it was anything important, so she'd been trying to do some research into that too. She didn't want any disrespect, or potential revolutions. She had her people to think of, to look after, and also her sister. She had to keep them safe from power-hungry people like Prince Hans. That was what being a good Queen was all about.

Who could ever ask for more? She couldn't, she didn't even deserve this. None of it. Who knew why other people even trusted her when she was so volatile.

She wrapped her arms around herself as it occurred to her that even now rumours of her lack of control could be circulating the palace, maybe even the kingdom!

"Is it just me, or is getting really cold in here?" asked a familiar voice from the doorway.

She didn't bother turning, didn't want to see Prince Eric's judgemental face. She was scared of what she'd see, terrified even.

Footsteps sounded on the tiled floor, hesitantly approaching her. A hand landed lightly on her shoulder, and she couldn't help but flinch. A sense of deja vu settled over her like a suffocating blanket.

"Don't you see? I can't!" she remembered telling Prince Hans when he'd captured her and chained her up. Luckily, she'd escaped soon after, but to no avail, as she still hadn't been able to control the effects of her powers. Still couldn't, apparently.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

She sighed, turning round to face him, her eyes on the floor. Why was trusting people so difficult? How was she supposed to know who was worthy and who wasn't?

"Nothing," she lied, hoping he wouldn't pull her up on it. Just let it go, she thought, beginning to hum that familiar haunting tune.

"Bull. Something's wrong, and we both know it, so don't lie to me," damn, why couldn't he just let her be?

"I only just met you, how am I supposed to know when to trust you?" her eyes were still on the floor, well, his boots technically. He has really big feet, she thought distractedly.

He lifted her chin gently, causing her heart to race.

"You can trust me, Your Highness. I promise, cross my hearts, that I am nothing like my brother and I will prove it to you," his eyes seemed to portray his sincerity, but Hans' eyes had seemed that way too. Were they both just extremely good actors?

When she didn't reply, he just sighed, his shoulders slumping as he turned and left the room.

Oh, yippee Elsa, you've gone and disappointed another person. What an achievement.