By Elsa
The Snow Queen’s column in today’s morning edition is about Anna’s recent state ball for Queen Victoria in the castle’s Great Hall. Elsa’s op-eds are published whenever she visits The AG’s newsroom.
Quite a night, wouldn’t you say?
It certainly brought back memories for me. Especially memories of coronation night, the first ball I held in my name. I still remember how the new role of queen was slowly crushing me inside, especially when the memories of Mother and Father’s deaths were so fresh.
Last night was different.
As I watched Anna greet our many guests, I was so proud of how she was able to make small talk, flatter, fish, and perform all the kinds of social lubrication that a charismatic and networked monarch must do. The Great Hall of the castle was fitted sumptuously in dark green, black, and purple to match the occasion. British and Arendellian flags welcomed our kingdom’s power blocks. There was General Mattias and his military friends, mingling with Kristoff and the executive directors of Bjorgman House. “Chief,” Anna’s and my editor, was speaking quietly to her rival press barons, the owners of the Fjord Times and the Snow Herald. Ministers and jarls from our grandfather’s era (the faction responsible for many of Anna’s headaches) and the Bishop who crowned me queen were huddled in their own corner. Lord Palmerston, Victoria’s foreign secretary, was talking animatedly with the Duke of Weselton, who had grown considerably more mellow toward Anna and me over the years.
And, of course, at the centre of it all: our guest of honour, the resplendently garbed British monarch herself, who Anna and I entertained for much of the night.
All of Arendellian high society was here, princely warlords of their diverse fiefdoms, in all their Viking ambition and greed, to pay homage to my little sister and her “friendly rival,” Queen Victoria.
Continue reading “Elsa’s Guest Column: Pax Arendellia” →