Rossiya Ascendant: Katina Romanov Re-enters the Fray!

Russia. The imperial capital of Saint Petersburg.

Nearly a year after the Russo-Arendellian War

It was a day the soldiers and servants of the Imperial Household would never forget.

The carriage was run-down, rickety, and looked like it was almost falling apart as it came to a stop before the massive gate of the Alexander Palace, the Romanov family’s favorite retreat.

One sharp-eyed guard remembered who had set off inside this humble vehicle, and panicked. “Oh, God. It’s Her Highness. It’s Her Highness! She’s back! Summon the Imperial Guard, right now!”

He hastily opened the gate so that the carriage could labor its way toward the steps of the palace. The Imperial Guard were quickly called to the steps below the great pillars lining the entrance of the palace, and from the carriage stepped out Katina Romanov, her attire nearly unrecognizable – she wore a tattered, mouldy cloak with a hood over a simple top and leggings, typical of peasants from the wastelands far away from Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Her hair, once in an elegant ponytail, draped down her shoulders and back, unkempt and smeared with grime and dirt. Her own face was weathered and slightly hardened, and her hands had visible calluses on them, perhaps from riding horses or working on the farm. “Your Imperial Highness!” cried the members of the Imperial Guard, who looked visibly horrified as they streamed out of the palace.

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Michael’s Musings: Selene’s Visit

Featured image art “Redemptive chat” by Arute (@ast05water)

By Michael, Trade Minister of Arendelle

After seeing how Hilde and Selene were doing during our dinner for Queen Anna and our returning travelers, I got to thinking about what our little castle has become to some very special folks.

I said to my niece, the Queen; “You know, Anna, this castle is not just our home, it feels like a safe haven for some once-hurting souls like Vi, Hilde, Tess, Danny, and now Selene. Just add some love and make them feel like family. Like they belong here as one of us.”

“I feel like our whole kingdom is like a found family, and I love it,” Anna replied.

“Oh yes! It shows when you’re amogst the people of Arendelle. The best little kingdom in the world!” I answered.

Anna then said: “I like to think that everyone would like to have us as their family! Teehee.”

“We’d fill up those little houses pretty fast with our crew!” I agreed, laughing generously.

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Greetings from Zapolyarny: Katina Romanov Re-Emerges!

Featured image art “Supreme commander” by PURY (“puryartist)

FROM: HH Katina Romanov, princess of Russia

TO: HE Michael, trade minister of Arendelle, and HM Queen Anna

Dear Michael and family,

Thank you for your letter. I read it over several times, and it still lies open on my desk. It was very kind of you to think of me even after the conflict between our countries concluded. In truth, I often think of you and your queen, and the kindness you all showed me even after my disgrace. I’ve come to accept my role in that whole fiasco, and I’ve made peace with the fact that I must live with my mortal error of banishing Sora, my companion and protector. The one who never gave up on me.

I’m not used to writing letters that discuss intimate matters. I envy you, Anna, and the rest of your beautiful circle. It must be so nice to never have to have one’s guard up among those you love. I had that with Sora, although it was always me that pushed her away. And then I betrayed her.

My defeat at Anna and Elsa’s hands was well-deserved. Just as I know that Anna has tried to swallow her lingering anger against me for my mass invasion of her home, I’ve tried to accept my defeat with a humbled heart.

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Arendelle politics: Commander Hilde designates Vi’s harasser as THREAT to national security

By Gudrun, Home Reporter for The Arendelle Guardian

Hilde Von Altheim, the right hand woman of Countess Vi and a sub-commander in the Arendellian army (second only to General Mattias), has issued a public challenge in our paper to Vi’s harasser. Indicating confidence in the culprit’s identity, Hilde has also used her authority to declare the harasser a threat to Arendellian security – making it much easier for her to deploy more severe means to hunt down this person/s, including with army help.

Hilde is the scion of the Von Altheim clan, a Germano-Nordic noble family that’s as ancient as the Mundilfari clan. The two families’ political fortunes have been inseparable since the early centuries of the Holy Roman Empire, and each scion of the Von Altheims has served as the protector closest to the head of the Mundilfaris.

For the past few months, the First Vampire and prime minister has been subjected to an increasing vitriolic campaign of public humiliation and character slander. Despite suffering vandalism against her Grand House on the foothills of Arendelle, which has forced Vi to relocate to Arendelle Castle, she’s maintained a remarkably restrained silence on the series of hate mail she’s received and slanderous pamphlets circulating around. She’s stated that she no longer wishes to solve her problems with violence, attempting to ask herself what her queen, Anna, would do instead. “I am, after all, Anna’s regent until she returns from China,” she said.

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Arendelle DEFEATS Russia at Arenfjord; Expels Russian Prisoners

Featured image “War map,” by Arute (@ast05water)

By Mikael, Senior Reporter for The Arendelle Guardian

ARENDELLE – After a grueling and bloody battle that lasted for an entire day, the Arendellian army repelled an attempt by Russia’s Baltic Fleet to seize an island off the fjord of Arendelle (nicknamed Sudden Death).

Should the Russians have seized Sudden Death, Arendelle’s harbour would have been in the direct sights of the Russian navy’s cannons. At great cost, the Arendellians’ strategy of keeping the Russians off the islet worked, with Muspelheim, Countess Vi’s iron-clad warship, striking the Baltic Fleet in a pincer attack that ended with the destruction of Poseidon and the sinking of Charybdis and Scylla. Of the thousands of Imperial Russian troops that stormed the island, only about two hundred survived and have been taken prisoner by General Mattias. Anna has promised to display clemency, and will settle for expelling them from Arendelle. The Russians also lost their admiral, Grand Duke Yaraslaf, who was one of the most terrifying figures of the invasion force.

However, there is little mood in Arendelle to celebrate.

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The Battle of Arenfjord, Part Three

Warning: Violent depictions

Featured image “Baltic Brawl,” by Arute (@ast05water)

The cries and screams in the distance had quietened down slightly, with cannonfire between Muspelheim and the Baltic Fleet still shaking the palace. But it was the late afternoon, and Anna knew that both the Russian and Arendellian troops were surely exhausted. She crossed her arms as she stared out the window, to her study, biting her lip as the afternoon sun bathed her in red light.

Elsa was on her mind, and sure enough, Elsa walked into her study. “The door was open. I wanted to talk to you,” came the Snow Queen’s gentle voice.

Anna didn’t look back. Elsa glided across the study and moved closer to Anna, who avoided her gaze. “It’s time.” The queen of Arendelle remained silent, but her predecessor pressed on. “Now it’s time for you to send me out there.”

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The Battle of Arenfjord, Part Two

Warning: Violent depictions

Featured image “Baltic Brawl,” by Arute (@ast05water)

The sun had risen magnificently over the fjord, the rays of light touching and warming the wharf. But even though she was standing by the docks on her usual morning walk, Anna wasn’t mindful of the beauty today. For in the distance she could hear the booming rumble of cannons, the cries of Russian and Arendellian soldiers, and somewhere in that tumultuous struggle for Sudden Death, the island across from Arenfjord, Mattias was there with Hilde, holding off Yaraslaf. Elsa was keeping Danny company, while Sven and Olaf were accompanying the citizens evacuating to Keep Mundilfari. Uncle Michael and Alan were acting custodians of the palace while Anna focused on the war. That left only…

“Hey.” Anna turned her head at Kristoff’s voice. “Thought you’d be here.” The tai-pan of the Princely House was in his beige casual ensemble, and his brown eyes were kind as he observed the exhausted face of his queen and future wife. “Babe, you need rest. More than any of us,” he urged. “Mattias and Hilde have got this down. You can get some shut-eye for a few hours, at least.”

“Maybe you’re right. I’m glad you’re here, sweetie. I need a mountain man to lean on.” Anna took Kristoff’s oaken arm and rested her head against him. She breathed in his protective, masculine scent – fresh pinecones, mint, and the slight odor of reindeer fur.

“I want everyone in the kingdom to feel as safe with me as I do with you,” she whispered.

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The Battle of Arenfjord, Part One

Warning: Violent depictions

Featured image “Baltic Brawl,” by Arute (@ast05water)

Anna got up early, as always. She usually went to bed two hours after midnight, having checked in on Danny, Elsa’s adopted daughter, and crawled into bed – sometimes in Kristoff’s, sometimes in her own. Today she got up well before her fiancé did, and was now in her study looking over the map of Arendelle and the islet of Sudden Death across from the fjord. Elsa would be staying in the palace for the next few months. She looked up at the grandfather clock across from her room: five thirty-three in the morning.

“Has Mattias set off?” she asked quietly, seemingly to herself. But a shadow with glinting yellow eyes emerged from behind her desk.

“Yes,” said Commander Hilde quietly, hands behind her back. Ever graceful and deadly-looking in her impeccable black and silver uniform, her presence was calm, confident, and reassuring. “I’ll be sailing up the strait as well, to catch Yaraslaf in a pincer attack just as he’s engaging Mattias on Sudden Death.”

“Right. As we planned.” Anna stood up from her chair, staring at the Countess’s right-hand woman. “Destin will always want to me to feel safe, to not over-worry. Tell me honestly, Hilde. How confident are you of beating back Yaraslaf?”

Hilde’s expression was impassive. “He’s a powerful warrior.”

“So are you.”

“He’ll be tough. I’ll fight him to the death.”

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CRUSHING: Russia Piles Pressure on Anna as Baltic Fleet Wipes Out Chatho Allies

Featured image art, “Ancient Fury,” by PURY (@puryartist)

By Mikael, Senior Reporter for The Arendelle Guardian

ARENDELLE – Our newsroom received breaking news in the early hours of this morning that the fleet of Chatho, one of Arendelle’s closest allies, suffered a horrific rout in the Arctic Ocean by Russian Grand Duke Yaraslaf’s Baltic Fleet.

Conflicting accounts of the battle have emerged, especially about the true scale of the casualties. However, General Mattias and his lieutenants have grimly concluded that most of the Chathan navy was wiped out. Arendellian command also received word that Chatho’s elite shock troops, the Ten Tigresses, all fell in battle against Yaraslaf. The leader of Chatho and Anna and Elsa’s childhood friend, Queen Colisa, has been reported as missing.

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Arendelle Prepares for Evacuation in Worst-case Scenario of Russian Onslaught

By Halfgar, Political Reporter for The Arendelle Guardian

ARENDELLE – Amidst tense military preparation, the recently-turned vampire Countess Vi has released her Prime Minister’s War Edict, granting the government a stake in her considerable resources. In a speech to the Great Assembly, Arendelle’s parliament, Vi proclaimed: “Anna has already recommissioned my old toy, Muspelheim, which will be commanded by my right hand, Hilde Von Altheim. But we’re grossly outnumbered and dwarfed in resources by the Romanovs.“

Most important among her contributions will be her temporary loan of Keep Mundilfari, the First Vampire’s ancestral home, to Anna as a shelter for Arendelle’s people to retreat to. “With unprecedented danger about to fall upon Arendelle, we must minimize potential loss of life, and keep casualties limited to our armed forces. It’s not a matter of if, but when, the kingdom comes under shelling from the sea and invasion by land,” said Vi to her ministers.

“We must provide a spacious and comfortable location for evacuation. My magnificent keep is far away from the conflict, in the fresh alpine air of the Jotunheimen Mountains. Its hundreds of rooms will serve as a comfortable and luxurious refuge for Arendelle’s citizens.”

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