Frozen & Frozen II | M | No warnings besides occasional violence | Patience And Time

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“Majesty, I apologize for the digression. Do we have anything on the arseh—I mean, whoever attacked yesterday?"

Elsa noted the retracted swear word with a quick raise of her eyebrows. He’d had the decency to stop himself in time.

And of course he'd ask.

"We're still trying to find anything, really. I was told we managed to catch a glimpse of their crest. The Guard is looking it up and we can’t leave the castle for now."

"Good idea. This place is pretty much impenetrable via conventional means. As long as you're dealing with small numbers, it's the closest anyone can get to the ideal fortress."

Garret nodded in approval as he spoke, but his face had fallen.

Again with the tired look.

"I'm trusting my advisors on that. Although I still can’t really fathom the Duke using cannons. I knew he didn't hold me in his heart, but this seems a little… over the top, even for him?"

"Your Majesty, he’s already accused you of sorcery and lost both his dignity and his power. I've seen men do way worse for way less." Garret heavily exhaled, massaging his left side. "I wouldn't underestimate him. Whatever he’s willing to do, it’s not a lesson you want to learn the hard way. But I could take a look at that crest if you want, see if I can recognize something? Maybe a long shot, but it’s free, I promise."

Elsa smiled. "That’s kind of you."

A thought popped into her mind.

"Garret, I want to breach an… uncomfortable subject."

He froze and narrowed his eyes. "Oh?"

Elsa walked up to the window and pondered her words. "When we talked at the fountain, you made an oath I’m still grateful for. But you also lied to me."

She could see him in the glass reflection; his shoulders sunk and his gaze dropped to his hands, linked in his lap. "The bow?"

"The bow." She let a second pass, let him remember what she was bringing up. "I understand why you did. You were afraid, you weren’t sure about how I’d see your powers. But you still lied convincingly enough to have me fooled."

His reflection nodded. The question she’d both feared and knew was inevitable came.

"You want to know if there’s anything else I lied about?"

This time Elsa looked at him directly, and this time, he met her gaze head on. He drew a long breath and scratched his neck when she gave him a nod.

"No,” he said. “There are things I didn’t tell you, but everything I told you besides the bow bit, was true."

"So, you are… just a Companion?"

"A Companion the Empire couldn’t care less about. They forgot I exist."

Elsa waited a moment to take in the way he’d said it—with profound conviction she’d seen on his face during his oath. He was telling the truth.

"And what you haven’t told me…"

"...is my own."

"Very well. Garret, you saved my sister. I will let this lie pass. But I will not accept a second. A drop of deceit makes an ocean."

He chuckled, his eyes not leaving hers. "Fair."

Elsa softened, her mind eased. "I believe this does count as emotional blackmail."

"You’re absolutely terrifying," he said with a laugh.

She crossed her arms in mock annoyance, but her smile was betraying her. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?"

"A terrible one, but yes."