Black Pawns

Private Politics

There was no worse feeling than returning emptyhanded.

His mind had been running tirelessly from the moment he had helped his son onto the water spirit's back before mounting the stallion himself, riding the Nokk across the Dark Sea as he felt the salty sea air blowing against his face, and the whole experience would have been somewhat thrilling for him -reminding him of his days at the sea as a Navy, if only his heart had not ached so much.

Elsa, his Elsa, had disregard his very words of warning, had acted out of her own hunch instead of coming to discuss it with him as husband and wife, had hidden whatever piece of information offered to her by the other woman that could lure her into leaving without telling even her loved ones where.

"Papa," Wilhelm's voice was quiet, almost unheard against the wind, but he had looked down to see the boy staring straight to where the beach was growing closer. "Mama will be alright, right?" his head tilted up, blue eyes bright and wide. "You will find her and get her home, right?"

The poor boy had merely wished for his mother's wellbeing, for her to return back home. "Don't worry, Wilhelm, I will try my hardest to get Mama." He didn't dare promise, didn't dare to speak of the word in fear that he may not fulfill it, he could only assure, because yes he would do anything in his power and ability to get his wife back.

The Nokk had halted right at where the waves lapped against the rocky beach, unable to step onto land without the Snow Queen's frost blanketing his body made of water, and he had dismounted as soon as it had stopped, boots creating a small splash against the water as he helped his son off.

The trek back was short and quiet, as the sun had set behind his back, and around halfway in he had lifted the young Prince after he yawned tiredly. He didn't quite have the knowledge of how tiring using magic was -he didn't even know if what Wilhelm had done back then had been magic or simply being his mother's son, but even so the travelling that they had done from Arendelle and then Ahtohallan may have been a little too much for such young child.

Anna was sitting by the fire with Kristoff and the Nattura siblings when he had reached the camp, leaping up onto her feet as soon as her turquoise eyes caught the sight of the auburn-haired Prince Consort, yet the excited expression on her face had soon fell when she did not see any trace of the platinum blonde hair of her sister.

"Where is she?" she questioned, as the Prince approached the warm fire, taking the half asleep boy into her own arms. "Hans, where is Elsa?"

And he told them of what he had seen in Ahtohallan as they sat back down, of the wonder of what Wilhelm was capable of -awakening the ancient river by being Elsa's son, the memories that was played before their very eyes, and the reason why Elsa had left without telling the truth.

"Duchess of Weselton?!" the Princess would have shouted, he knew she would, if only she did not have her nephew in her lap, and had opted for a sharp hiss instead. "She's meeting the wife of that weasel?"

"She may not be as bad as him." Kristoff suggested, though it had only prompted his fiancée to turn and glare at him, making him flinch. "Just an idea."

The exchange between them, and the clear dislike that Anna held over the duke, had caught the interest of the Northuldra girl, who had turned her attention to her with a curious frown. "Wait, who is this 'weasel' again?"

"He's a duke of a neighboring land." Hans explained, "He accused Elsa of witchcraft and attempted to turn our people against her years ago."

"All because he was a coward, that sneaky little thing."

Not exactly the word that he would have used, or one that Elsa would have approved of the Princess to say, but there was little to nothing that he could do. Besides, Honeymaren and Ryder were not royal guests or one of high statues, watching over their foul and perhaps even rude mouths did nothing to affect them as much. Still, he had elbowed her lightly against her ribs in a warning gesture.