Elsa Comes Out: Over Her Head

        All around her the other envoys stared. Eyes of people who, like her, had the authority of kings and queens, entire empires looked to her. Anna cleared her throat. After years and years of practically begging for attention, right now all she really wanted to do was hide in her room. Was this how Elsa felt every time she had to welcome people like this?

        Anna remembered consuls from England and France and Spain arriving before, all of them wanting trade agreements at the expense of the others. Elsa had handled it so well. Anna didn’t know who they were trading with, of course, but she didn’t really need to. Well now she did but she didn’t then. Anna really just wished she could be as strong and smart as Elsa.

“Uh right. Well um. See,” she stuttered. It dawned on her she should have talked to Eddard about this. Or their clerk, she didn’t even know the man’s name! “I was thinking that, well. Weselton doesn’t really feel all that bad, you know, without the Duke. Uhm… Why do they need a new one?”

        A knot of confusion spread across the table as the Viceroy from Prussia whispered to his own attendants. Spreading from the German to the woman from Denmark beside him. Arabelle’s own helpers began to discuss things with her. Soon the delegation from Corona, and France we all talking to each other, Linda and Jean glancing at Anna once or twice. Anna swallowed hard. The only ones not talking amongst themselves was Frederick and his people.

        “Princess Anna, what… exactly are you suggesting?”

Anna could hear Eddard saying something but she ignored him, “I mean why not, like, rule themselves?”

        She could hear Brendan laugh over with his other grey clad Prussians.

        “Anna that’s… I don’t even know what that is. We can’t let them govern themselves, have you looked at them?” the Duke asked her, a chuckle slipping past his throat.

        “Have you?” Anna jabbed back, glaring at him, “They’ve gotten along fine since they kicked him out! They’re already doing it!” Again Anna thought back to the tavern’s she and Oliver had gone to. Everyone smiled, they were happy. People talked about meetings to discuss things. Work had to get done even without the Duke around. Things had to be decided, people had to get paid. It all kept on working, “And it’s not like this has never happened before. I may not have read about it but my sister kept on telling me about this place Greece? And they always let the people make their choices. It was like, if they didn’t they wouldn’t have discovered the triangle!”

        “Anna that was a long time ago now-“

        “Then look at the Americas! They seem to be doing fine!”

        “Anna.”

She hadn’t noticed the tone in the Englishman’s voice, the sound of steel sliding on steel, “They have their problems but they always seemed to get through them, they even beat…”

        You. Anna thought to herself as she finally realized what she was saying, and to a Prince. She turned from the Prince and looked to the other groups. Linda’s little troop talked amongst themselves still, as did Arabelle’s but Jean and his men were once again looking to her.

        “Jean, what about you? France wanted the same thing!”

The Frenchman coughed, “Well, his majesty Philippe I, has only charged me with securing debts, princess…” he looked at his men, “And it seems to me that a more… democratic Weselton may feel that the Dukes debts are not their own… I cannot say, in good conscience that my King would support forcing a dynasty to abdicate.”

        Eventually all the chatter around her had died down and Anna found herself standing in a circle she was no longer part of. These people she’d had dinner with only the night before showered her with looks from glowers to amused grins.

        Anna did her best to swallow the knot in her throat.

 

        Her trepidation hadn’t abated by the next day either. The entire night Anna had tossed and turned with a sort of empty little feeling in the pit of her stomach. A feeling of failure. The little gnawing of discontent and self doubt chewing at her insides. It seemed like she’d only just gotten to sleep by the time Eddard had called her down. It was time to face the council again.

        Again the large double doors reared up, the empty shields on their faces another little accusation at the ambassador’s inability to solve any problem. Strangely, this time the steward that always seemed to guard the door had two men with him, colorful uniforms denoted them as guards of the mansion, and each of them carried a long pike. As Anna and her retinue drew closer, the pikes came down, a cross over the doorway.

        “I am sorry, Princess Anna, but you and your group are no longer needed,” The almost rat like man said, looking down his nose at the princess.

        “What?” Anna asked.

        “It has been decided that you have nothing more to offer the proceedings here. You are of course welcome to stay for the duration of the council, and will have free access to the mansion, but you are not allowed to enter into the meetings.”

        “You can’t do that,” Eddard rumbled.

        “I’m sorry to say that I can sir,” the little man squeaked, “The other emissaries were, ah, unanimous in their decision.”

        “Eddard, can they-“

        “I’m afraid so, princess. We have been uninvited; we are no longer welcome here.”

        “Better luck next time, maybe?” came an older woman’s voice. Anna and Eddard turned to find Linda and the rest of the Corona group walking along the hallway. The woman was, as always glad in some combination of purple and gold. She was smiling too. Grinning. Smugly.

        Anna glared at her as the older woman came closer. “Oh don’t be so glum, Princess.” The pat on the cheek felt almost like a slap to Anna, “We’re not all cut out for this sort of thing.” The lady gave Anna another smile before the meeting room’s doors were opened for her, and she disappeared beyond them.

        The.. the… what was the word? Nerve? How could they do this? All of those people in there, they didn’t care at all bout Weselton, about the people that made it, they just wanted the Duchy. So she comes up with the only idea that might help the people and they throw her out?

        “Eddard, find the captain,” Anna said as she turned around in a huff, “We’re going home”

Anna strode out of the mansion with as much indignation as she could muster. She’d thought of hitting things. Maybe tipping over a vase watching it smash against the floor in its little priceless porcelain pieces. She settled for unstraightening a painting of some king.

        Outside of the mansion there were still people gathered around the Duke’s home, fewer than ever. Soon enough they’d all be gone, whatever grievance they’d had all but forgotten, the whole council all but pointless. The Duke would probably be able to return to his duties before any of the diplomats could make a decision.

        Those stupid stupid stupid people. They’d been here the whole time and never even bothered to look out the windows of their rooms. Weselton was fine without them. And Linda! That insufferable old lady with her stupid smile. Where had she seen that face before? It was like, like.

        Like the face her Auntie had made when Anna had told her Elsa was making her a diplomat.