By Elsa, Queen Emerita of Arendelle
I rushed over to Arendelle on the Water Spirit the moment I heard that Anna was back from Keep Mundilfari.
Anna’s first move was to chair a meeting of the inner court in her study. Maren and I saw for ourselves how Anna looked: deep in thought, brow furrowed, her expression a mixture of fear, resolve, and anger. My heart was heavy as I listened to Anna feverishly recall her first meeting with Countess Viola. This heiress was as nightmarish as we had all imagined, endlessly confident, and remorselessly fixated on destroying Northuldra and taking the Five Elements’ power for herself.
She no doubt is obsessed with turning Anna to her dark cause and following through on her family’s ancient pact with their gods to destroy the Fifth Spirit – me. She’s a uniquely personal adversary to us, and perhaps she doesn’t even see herself as Anna’s enemy: Anna herself said that Viola told her that she loved her, and could be an invaluable servant if given the chance.
It still feels surreal to know that Anna not only had dinner with this psychopathic noblewoman, but stayed in one of her castle’s rooms for two nights. There is a sense of foreboding among Anna’s supporters. It’s not just Maren and I – Kristoff, Mattias, and many others feel that the shadow of a vast power is about to fall over our kingdom. It was like when I first heeded the call to Ahtohallan, and the spirits made their curse known to us.
I’ve deliberated with Anna about Lady Viola’s imminent assault on the monarchy, which will be relentless. As I see it, the political attacks will come from three directions. The first is the press, specifically Viola’s Snow Herald newspaper, which I heard has seen an injection of new funds from the Mundilfari estate and the crowning of a new editor by the name of Brunhild. I’m sure that through their editorials, columns, and commentary, they’ll try to persuade the government and the public to adopt the Mundilfaris’ militaristic stance against Northuldra, and even invade other countries like Corona and Zaria. Brunhild will surely push other positions that Viola likes: a national draft for children, a retrenchment of the aristocracy’s privileges, and other ideas that Anna and I feel are regressive and cruel.
The second is in the Great Assembly itself, our parliament, where the vanguard of pro-Runeard ministers and jarls have been licking their wounds and keeping their heads down since a series of victories by Anna. Until now Anna and Maren, as I predicted, have been able to rally most politicians to their flagship proposal, the Northuldra-Arendelle reunification bill that will define Anna’s reign. Historians will judge the success or failure of Anna’s on this policy before all others. I anticipate that now that Viola has revealed herself to Anna, this faction will regain momentum and try to sabotage Anna’s bill while pushing several new bills (no doubt approved by Viola herself) that steer Arendelle in a far more militaristic direction, or at the very least, divide our parliament.
The third will no doubt be a much more organized attack on the business interests that support Anna. So far, the short-selling of the Princely House’s bonds hasn’t worked. Kristoff is proving himself an adept defender of his company. However, simply dumping money into a buying frenzy for Bjorgman stocks isn’t much of a strategy itself. It’s obvious that it was Viola’s predecessor, her late grandfather Lord Mayer, who was behind this crude bullying tactic. Kristoff and other merchants that support the Crown must expect much more once Viola gets personally involved.
It’s clear that by staking her honour on preserving the Old Ways of our kingdom, Viola has made her conflict with Anna a referendum on the kind of country Arendellians want their home to be. I don’t need to remind readers of the challenges our small nation faces as we navigate turbulent international waters, face off against countries and empires far larger than ours, and come to terms with new technology like photography, railroads, and steam that will revolutionize our society and the world. The future is both exciting and frightening, and I believe it’s Anna, not Viola, who has the right approach for our people.
This newspaper in which I’m writing my column, The Arendelle Guardian, has informed the Crown’s political vision since my reign. As queen, Anna believes in a generous, happy, and kind society, dynamic and adaptable, and courageous enough to accept Arendelle’s unique relationship with Northuldra.
All Arendellians must ask themselves: what does Arendelle mean to them? What kind of kingdom should it be? Should it be like Anna’s ideal? Or should it become a war machine, where there are only wealthy aristocrats feeding off impoverished citizens, who in turn feed off fear, hunger, and ignorance?
Do we want an Arendelle that is re-integrated peacefully with Northuldra, or an Arendelle that will bear history’s condemnation for wiping out the last refuge of the spirits, my home?
I appeal to all: choose Anna’s vision. Lend her your strength.
She needs all of your strength, in this war for the kingdom’s soul.
Sincerely,
Elsa
The Arendelle Guardian 
You’re damn right Elsa, we MUST support Arendelle. I wrote up my own article, with a similar message. It is our duty to protect what is right.
Alan
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Dear Alan,
Just as I was finishing up my column, my editor excitedly showed me your own submission to the newspaper. I loved your piece and I can’t wait for it to appear in the next morning edition’s pages! Thank you for supporting my Anna.
Yours,
Elsa
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You’re absolutely welcome Elsa, its my honor and pleasure.
Alan
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Elsa;
I sent you the urgent dispatch w/Gale after Sir Alan filled me in on the details. We both then went to Viola Mundilfari’s castle, where then we joined up with Gen. Mattias and a few of his troops. We all got Anna home safe and sound.
I gotta tell you, my Snow Queen niece, Viola is crazy dangerous. She wants you dead bad, so she can steal off with your 5th spirit powers. There is no reasoning with her. I do agree with your three pronged attack. I believe Queen Anna can handle this Countess Nutjob. I’ll be Praying for all of us tonight. May the Hand of Almighty God be on all of us, especially you, at this time of crisis.
UM
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Dear Mike,
Thank you for your kind feedback to my thoughts. I believe in Anna and I know she’ll triumph, but there’s no sugarcoating it: Viola sees Anna as not only fair game for herself, but also to use in her war against me. I fear a deadly escalation if she is so one-minded in killing me.
“Countess Nutjob…” I don’t like to giggle at these put-downs, but I have to admit, I couldn’t help myself! She is a bit on the unhinged side, isn’t she?
Yours tenderly,
Elsa
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I don’t like put-downs. In this case, though, it’s the only way to keep me from wanting to choke her with my bare hands!
Viola acts like evil incarnate. She is just so hell bent on her goals. I warned her time and again that she’s no match for you. I know you hate wars and fighting. So do I. However, sometimes a fight is the only or very last option. Then you have to go “total warfare” for a hopefully swift ending because reasoning peaceably has failed.
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I know Anna is full of light and kindness and hope… so much so that she will attempt to engage with the Countess even as they butt heads. I worry for Anna’s wellbeing as her fight intensifies politically and emotionally, but I have to be there for her – no matter who is left standing.
Yours,
Elsa
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Unhinged is putting it nicely.
I would rather see her be abruptly brought to her senses and not have to die. If she did, it would be a wasted life.
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You raise an important point, uncle. At no point during our meeting did Anna seem to wish death on Viola. Viola herself has made it clear that she believes she’s doing what’s right for Anna, too. I’ve no doubt that Viola is very cruel and may well resort to psychological warfare or emotional blackmail. But I don’t think she’ll intentionally try to physically harm Anna.
I feel a great sadness in my heart. Must it come down to a confrontation between the two of us and her?
Deep in thought,
Elsa
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This is why I respect you both so much. I eagerly await to see what part you play in all of this. It is time for the world to see the other side of the bridge…
Sincerely, Seeker
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Dear Seeker,
Thanks for reading my column and your encouragement, mystic Seeker. I’m so proud you’re writing my biography. I sense that the Countess has a story that Anna and I are only just discovering.
Yours,
Elsa
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I don’t like put-downs. In this case, though, it’s the only way to keep me from wanting to choke her with my bare hands!
Viola acts like evil incarnate. She is just so hell bent on her goals. I warned her time and again that she’s no match for you. I know you hate wars and fighting. So do I. However, sometimes a fight is the only or very last option. Then you have to go “total warfare” for a hopefully swift ending because reasoning peaceably has failed.
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You won’t be alone in that stand, Elsa. Believe me, you won’t.
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Thank you, Uncle Mike. We can’t meet this challenge on our own.
Tenderly,
Elsa
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I will say this. When she goes psychological, there’s someone who can zinger her or just disarm her a bit.
Mike
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Uncle, perhaps even the darkness needs understanding and love. Don’t mind me. I’ve been thinking a lot recently.
Love,
Anna
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No, you’re right, because I’ve also been trying to make her see the error of her ways, plus dissuade her of harming Elsa. I’ve told her how gentle, loving, caring and kind she is and how warm, passionate and loving you are. If Viola doesn’t chsng and pursues this to it’s ends, it will destroy her and her life will be a wasted one. I hate to see that.
Mike
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Hello Mike,
I know this: if I can help it, the countess won’t die by my hand. She says she wants to take me under her wing. Has it ever occurred to her that I might be thinking the same thing about her?
Love,
Anna
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Good point. It may take another moment that you and Elsa had to endure to get past and grow into what you’ve become; brokenness. When your spirit is so broken, that all of the junk that holds one back is swept away in a flood of a broken spirit, and a new work can now commence to make you better. Condensed: “Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new!”
Viola needs a point of brokenness to see the error of her and her ancestors’ ways so that new work of Grace and Love can start. I wish brokenness on no one, yet I recognize that it can be the only thing that can save her from a cold, dark grave of a young life wasted.
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And with that brokenness, you can have that new ally where once an enemy was, and can learn that new way that you and Queen Vic and the people’s of the U.S.A. are now charting.
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When it comes to darkness, Viola cherishes it to the hilt. Yet a simple candle chases the darkness away. Love is that light. It’s why I zinger, scorn, reason to Viola and share Scripture that hopefully, she will finally see that the darkness she “thrives” on, has made her blind to the truth.
If Elsa, Maren and Kristoff are there, mind if I come to the castle to see you all and pray together? A little talk with The Lord never hurts.
Mike
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Of course I don’t mind if you come with us, uncle. I’ve wondered what I’d say to Viola next time I meet her. I’ll send her a letter first, before suggesting we fix another date.
There is a great shadow in Viola’s heart, but as you note, I sense shades of darkness and even moments of burden. I felt it at dinner with her, despite our bickering and her being a bit rough with me.
I will go to her again, for sure. She and everything she stands for is entwined one way or another with my reign.
Love,
Anna
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Thank you and I believe I will. I would be a pleasure to.meet her face-to-face. You do the talking.
Mike
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