Anna’s Column: We Move Forward Together

By HM Queen Anna

Thanks to everyone’s help, Arendelle has never been in a stronger position, geopolitically and economically. But that means the stakes are higher than ever. Given the volatile global environment, our kingdom needs to take stock of the fronts requiring our attention. It’s part and parcel of the joy and burden of being your queen, your First Servant.

Without further ado:

Domestically, without question my priority remains the apprehending of the Northuldra hunter known as the Grey Ghost, Amira. She remains a threat to public safety, and I refuse to allow my government to be held hostage to political violence. Destin now has credible intelligence to track her movements between Arendelle and the north, and we’ll find an appropriate time and place to intercept her. Maren is taking on this assignment for obvious reasons. I hope you’ll join her – she could use the help.

But simply arresting Amira isn’t enough. She’s angry and betrayed because of another “ghost” – that is, the Northuldra Children Protection Act, which was never signed into law but favoured by many in our civil service and educational establishment. Recovering trust will require a gradual and patient process of initiating a new exchange program for Northuldra young people. We can’t let Amira continue to undermine faith in Arendelle, but we have to show everyone that we’re trustworthy to begin with.

Internationally, I’ve caught the eye of some truly large and frightening powers. The abduction of Princess Danielle – who, thankfully, is back with us – showed us all that there’s nothing that Katina Romanov won’t do to get revenge on Elsa. This Russian princess doesn’t want to stop with vengeance against my sister: she wants proxy control of the whole North Sea and Baltic, to finish what her father couldn’t. My advisors and I identify this greater region as the flashpoint that most risks military conflict.

I’ve also received troubling news from Vi. In the early hours of yesterday morning, an unregistered clipper docked in the harbour for less than an hour before leaving. Just as abruptly, Skau-Krogh, the direct competitor to Kristoff’s Bjorgman House, announced that it had received a huge investment and would be expanding into the ice market while consolidating its spice holdings. Shares in Skau-Krogh have shot up and the chamber of commerce is being bifurcated into supporters of Bjorgman and those of Skau-Krogh.

I’ll always support Kristoff and his business. But we don’t know for certain where his rival, Lars Krogh, is getting all this new financing from. A possible hidden hand, Elsa notes, is a wealthy scion from across the Atlantic, Will Harrison. I never expected our activities to catch the eye of an American First Family, but when Elsa told me everything she knows about the Exalted, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots. Katina and Harrison, both members of this secret and manipulative group? Just as there are two major new developments for our kingdom? It can’t be a coincidence.

Every now and then, Lord Yixin has alluded to his leadership of this shadowy group of rulers. Looking back, I now realise it was partially a warning, because the Exalted is full of powerful puppeteers jostling for even more power, wealth, and territory. A smaller kingdom like ours – especially when we’ve staked our foreign policy on anti-colonialism – is ripe pickings.

So now, more than ever, we’ve got to stick together and work together. I promise you that Arendelle is in good hands, and I’ll work my darndest to keep this kingdom safe, happy, and prosperous.

Love,
Anna