Chương 38: Chapter 33
Hi, hello.
Happy Christmas to those that celebrate it. And you know what? Happy Christmas to those that don't celebrate it either. Just be happy ya'll. Hope you liked all of the presents you received... If not, send them over to me, and I will keep them warm and toasty, hehe.
Three chapters today. Three chapters for Queen of Hogwarts tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow, Four chapters for Strong to Weak.
Bye!
~ Commence the meeting, part 1 ~
Narrator POV:
Today's the day of the meeting, between the Queen of Arendelle, the all-mighty tycoon Rosa and two ridiculously named members of foreign nobility.
It's been exactly thirty-seven hours, plus a few minutes and seconds since Elsa met Rosa privately.
Elsa thought that it would be a difficult task for her to somehow 'convince' Diana to stay out of this, as she still didn't want help with this situation even if it was practically done with.
But to her surprise and dismay, there was absolutely no need to do or even say anything about it. Her maid had stuck to her prior and out-of-place words when the two walked back to the castle. She had not asked anything revolving around the letters, Rosa, and the nobles. And is seeming keen on waiting for the Queen to say it first.
The Queen of course knows that her Maid knows something about it, since she had read the first forged letter and went looking out for her on that day. And she knows that because she received that very letter from Diana's hands when they arrived on the castle grounds. But so far, there had been not even a single sound about any of it from her.
Of course, she's happy about it, as there's no need to do anything... But she can't help but feel that there's something majorly wrong with her maid.
But right now everything else will have to wait, no matter how strange it is. As Elsa and Rosa stand right next to each other before the big hall entry door.
They had conversed lightly and formulated a plan. The Queen will go in first, speak, and be subtle about her goals. Then at some point, she will make them angry, by continuously and periodically pressuring them to reveal their secrets, as well as ignoring them in a roundabout way.
And when they will be at the breaking point, Rosa will walk in to reset the tempo and nail the nail in completely.
This plan was mostly Rosa's, she trusts Elsa wholeheartedly to 'speak' perfectly, and make the plan an easy success. This trust is based on the fact that Elsa would have done more taxing and worse meetings, speeches, and simple talks with worse people than these simpletons many times...
She however doesn't know that her trust is absolutely misplaced. She hadn't spoken to anybody 'important' in weeks due to Diana and her extreme changes. But even so, Elsa couldn't bring herself to tell it how it is to Rosa, not when she looked so earnestly at her.
So with a huge knot in her throat, the Disney Queen steps inside the room... When in fact, just 'wing' it as her maid would say.
Her eyes immediately set upon the two nobles from Nawnegzistawnt Isles.
Sirs Joek and Gddy, sit at the other end of the set-up table.
Elsa gracefully takes her seat and readies herself for a long and tiring meeting.
Sir Knobb Ouh. Gddy III and Sir Nothinguh Buutah. Joekk IV of Nawnegzistawnt Isles seeing the Queen sitting in front of them, after calling them for a meeting, smile 'kindly' at her in silence. They were the ones invited this time, it's not for them to start the talking, that prestigious 'privilege' falls on the Queen's shoulders.
Elsa, already subtly annoyed by these two, clears her throat and starts speaking.
"Before we get this meeting on the way and start talking about business and deals. How about some refreshments? Tea with some biscuits, new biscuits produced just a few weeks back. It's a new delicacy, highly recommend"
The two sirs look at the Queen incredulously, they didn't expect this kind of start to the meeting. Not wanting to waste time, Nothinguh states 'kindly' "No, no need, thank you, Queen Elsa. How abo-"
But before the man could continue and finish expressing his want for business, the Arendelleian Queen interrupts him innocently.
"Oh, don't be like that Gentlemen, I promise you that you won't be disappointed by them. It's a Queen promise"
Nothinguh's eye twitches irritably, both from being interrupted and his refusal having been ignored.
Knobb sensing that the mood of his fellow comrade is shifting for the worse, comes to his aid.
Nothinguh might be his senior, but his temper is far better. Both of the sirs know that, but Nothinguh wanted to lead the meeting.
"The Queen is generous. But would you be kind enough to us and allows us to refuse?" Sir Knobb expresses calmly.
He purposefully used 'compliments' to play into the Queen's emotions, if she were to continue pestering them about it, she would show herself to be a poor host. No noble of their right mind would make that mistake and they just move on with the topic.
Knobb's partner Nothinguh hearing the help calms down and barely stops himself from smirking at the Queen instead. They've been doing this for years, they have mastered the 'social' aspect of Nobility to the tea. He forgot himself for a moment because of the interruption, but realizing that there's no need to actually panic, his mind reset itself back to perfection.
However, to both of their dismay, the Queen wasn't deterred by this passive provocation.
No, in fact, it seemed to have bolstered her onwards. Not to mention they never could've predicted the next sentence to come out of the Queen's mouth.
"Oh, but Lady Rosa specifically sent them for you to try. She's very happy doing business with you and it's a gift. I even have a little cheerful card sent by her, as... Proof" Elsa puts extra emphasis on the word 'proof' and sets the first flag out of many to come "You wouldn't want to turn down your business partner's kindness, right?" The Queen finishes innocently, but the foreign nobles know passive aggressiveness from a thousand kilometers. Their own methods were just used against them. Not to mention the added 'Rosa' in the mix has completely beaten anything they could say now.
So with heavy hearts, one heavier than the other of course as Sir Nothinguh clenches his hands into fists under the table, the two agree to the Queen's propositions with smiles "Well, since the Queen is gracious enough to insist. And because Lady Rosa went through the trouble. We will agree to the refreshments"
"Sweet!" Elsa 'happily' claps her hands together. And rings a loud handbell left on her side of the table that was there ready for this exact purpose.
Not even moments later, a few carts have been wheeled in by Diana-trained maids, everything gets served superbly fast without problems of any type.
"I hope the two gentlemen are satisfied with Arendelleian maids' service"
"We are, they are trained greatly. Fast, Silent, and Obedient all in one package" Nothinguh says with a 'smile', but his words are let out all grease-like without any thoughtful emotions.
"Yes, just like my partner said. By the way, may I please see the card sent by Lady Rosa?" Sir Knobb asks the Queen. He needs to check, maybe he can find a discrepancy of sorts and call the Queen out on it. He doesn't believe the Queen's 'lies' one bit.
The Queen's lies will be her own undoing, the moment he breaks her, the business they want will have its results tripled. She, like a naive novice, had openly admitted that she has seen the forged letters they sent and came with. But besides that, there's no way Rosa has any actual knowledge of this meeting or any power in this.
A Queen letting out trade deal secrets of foreign envoys to some, somewhat rich, peasant? Yeah, right.
Knobb stares at this comrade thoughtfully, but seriously. Sir Nothinguh immediately understands what Knobb wants from him, he's not happy with it, but there's nothing he can do, he isn't as good as his partner.
Sir Knobb will be the one leading the meeting moving forward.
Elsa not deterred by the noble's request agrees elegantly.
"Drusilla, bring in the envelope from my study"
The maid who of all the maids had spent the second most time with the Queen, the first one obviously being Diana herself, bows and lets out "Yes, my Queen"
With that, Drusilla leaves.
While Knobb is continuing to examine the Queen's face in search of every kind of expression and emotion on it, so he could be more prepared later.
His partner, who more or less was reduced to the sideline, as he doesn't need to speak anymore, is instead frowning at the maids who haven't left or even been let go by the Queen.
Is the Queen of Arendelle actually thinking of letting some hussy little servants listen in on their meeting?
Sir Knobb, usually would also regard such a thing negatively. But unlike his comrade, he had already figured out that the Queen must be up to something, he doesn't know what yet, but the refreshments, and the maids not leaving. All of it must be there for a reason.
If Elsa could read minds as one of her powers, she would be mildly impressed by this 'gentleman' in front of her. The stay of the maids is the second flag after all.
In the letter to the Nawnegzistawnt Isles envoys, she had specifically said that this will be a private meeting and nobody else will hear of it. Yet, there are a dozen maids just standing on the side.
Elsa didn't like this part of the plan at all. Rosa had told her multiple times that it was only an act, and there was no need to feel guilty about what she will do, besides the maids know what they have gotten themselves into, and agreed to it all, since they were instructed about most details of the plan.
But still... To treat them less than humans... It's just no right no matter what, it irks her to her very core.
But... Rosa knows her stuff, she has dealt with people her whole life, from being a little tavern over, to a whole tycoon and monopoly-running beast. People and how to deal with them, that's her strength honed by years of experience.
The third flag has been set the moment Sir Nothinguh opened his mouth and let out distastefully.
"The servants can go, they aren't needed here anymore"
And just like Rosa predicted, the 'nobles' couldn't help themselves from showing off their 'nobility'... How very noble of them.
"But what if something happens, we may need help. Like... You spilling your tea, or come cookie crumbs getting on your clothes. They are here to deal with inconveniences like that" The Queen explains calmly.
The man's eye twitches again, but this time visibly.
Elsa withholds a smirk of her own.
"The Queen surely jests. I am not a clumsy and ungrateful child. I wouldn't make such mistakes, nor would I disgrace the Queen's generosity by trashing up the place"
"No, of course not, Sir Nothinguh. But, things happen sometimes, so the maids will stay just in case"
The envoy's eyes darken and he finally says bluntly.
"The Queen must have forgotten what she said in her letter. Private meeting"
Fourth flag.
And the flag she hates the most.
She really doesn't want to do this, but... With the plan going so perfectly she can't risk it.
Elsa breathes in and steels herself for the upcoming dark words and insane actions that she's about to execute.
The Queen chuckles darkly "Surely, you can't be serious, Sir Nothinguh"
The noble blinks in confusion and lets out "W-what?"
Elsa throws a quick and disinterested glance at the maids and both of the nobles can see that in her eyes there seems to be nobody in front of her view.
"Do you see them as 'people'? They are absolutely nothing, just worthless tools. They are here to do their job and not think of anything else. So trust me when I say this, they are obedient enough to... How should I say this... Not hear anything that's going on here whatsoever"
"I..." Nothinguh is speechless.
"So, I haven't broken my words. This is still a private meeting. No other people in this room besides us. Or do you, a noble, a superior breed actually see them as more than that?" Elsa finishes blankly.
"W-well, yes, I don't seem them highly, but still..."
Elsa hums melodically.
"Well, would the Gentleman like to see a demonstration?"
"What does the Queen mean exactly?" Knobb interjects into the conversation, shutting down his partner's attempts at speaking. His comrade is actually getting into the Queen's tempo and simultaneously losing theirs. From now on, he won't let him speak anymore, lest he says something truly wrong and ruins this whole operation.
Nothinguh is stunned by his friend's action. He has only been interrupted by him twice in his life and both times were a sign for him to just stop speaking... He can't believe that the third time happened here of all places, in front of a stupid, spoiled bitch of a Queen. He can't help himself but feel ashamed.
But understanding the sign, he shuts himself up and intends to just listen from now on.
"I'm glad you asked, Sir Knobb. I like to do this whenever I am bored" Elsa clears her throat again.
"Thing number two, come here"
Knobb looks at the upcoming spectacle interested, his interest peaking once she heard the Queen refer to one of her maids by a number. Not even a name, brutal. He likes it.
A young-looking woman steps up wordlessly.
"Your hand, now"
The woman starts extending her arm, but it suddenly gets harshly grabbed by the Queen which makes her stagger and almost fall to her knees.
"Ugh, can't you be any slower? You will get punished later for this impudence" Elsa says 'annoyed'.
"Yes, my Queen" Is all that the woman says to her Queen's words.
"Your sleeve, pull it up"
The woman does so, revealing the bare skin of her hand, which has clearly suffered in the past as it has purple spots in many places and even a few scars, for everybody to see.
The Queen roughly commands "Put the hand on the table"
The maid listens to the command obediently.
Just as the woman's hand touched the table, Ice formed around it, all the way up to her forearm. Now, no matter what she tries she couldn't move away from the table. She's stuck in this place.
Silence for a few long minutes proceeds the room after this.
Sir Knobb and Elsa are 'patient', but Nothinguh really wants to speak, to start questioning the Queen on what is she doing and why is she wasting so much time to prove something that she doesn't need proving. But he isn't allowed to speak anymore, as it may ruin things for his partner.
Finally, after what seems to have been hours, the Queen breaks the quiet.
"Is number two feeling okay?"
"Yes, my Queen" The woman answers, with some clear shakiness in her voice.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, my Queen"
Elsa's voice gets lower.
"Are you cold perhaps?"
"No, my Queen"
"You wouldn't be lying to me, now would you?"
"No, my Queen"
"Is that so? Then why, pre-tell, are you shaking?"
This is the first question that hasn't been answered by number two, Sir Knobb muses in his head.
"Why aren't you answering me, number two?"
And this is the second one. Sir Nothinguh doesn't understand why.
But his confusion gets answered almost immediately.
"Good, number two, very good. Just like I taught you. You're to only answer in two ways and only say three things overall"
Two ways? Yes or No... Nothinguh understands now, the previous two questions weren't answered by the maid, they simply couldn't have been answered. He still doesn't know the 'third' thing that they can say though. But he's sure that he will hear it during this 'demonstration'.
"Very good, but..." The Queen lets her pause hang in the air, before standing up from her seat.
"You lied to me. And I know that I said you will be punished later... But why wait?"
And to the shock of even Sir Knobb, it all happened so fast.
The maid's head had been thrown to a different side by a harsh and loud slap from the Queen's palm.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Elsa, feeling disgusted with herself inside, doesn't break character and asks blankly.
"May I have another, my Queen?"
Elsa 'grins evilly' "Good answer"
And just like previously, another slap, even louder than before, happens on the other, yet untouched cheek of the maid. And also just like that, Sir Nothinguh has heard the third thing that the maids can say.
Elsa's hand grabs the chin of the maid and she looks towards her 'guests'.
"See, my maids are the most obedient sort you'll ever meet. They can't think for themselves, they don't have their own opinions. They are barely more than the tools people use every day, their only 'bonus' is that they can walk by themselves. So you can trust me, gentlemen, when I say that they can't listen to whatever happens in this room today without my command"
Sir Knobb looks between the maid, who is not even close to tearing up, and the nonchalant Queen. Then he remembers the clearly 'punished' hand of the number two and finally breaks into a burst of hearty laughter.
"Magnificent, Queen Elsa. They can stay here then"
"I am glad you agree" Elsa says gracefully, but inside she's seething in rage.
Her own self-disgust was overshadowed with disgust for these so-called 'noble people', they had actually enjoyed this act and even agree with it. She really wants to cut this meeting short and just throw them out. But she needs to calm herself and continue on, for Rosa's sake and her request.
"Number two, go back and stand in line"
"Yes, my Queen"
Elsa takes a quick sip of her tea and sighs tiredly, she couldn't stop herself from sighing any longer so it was good that there was some tea in front of her to hide her true feelings behind some small 'act'.
Thank the heavens that this is the last interaction between her and the maids in the plan. Except for the small one, which should be arriving accordingly to plan.
And there it is, the moment the door opens and reveals Drusilla with an envelope in hand.
"Drusilla, bring that letter to Sir Knobb and go back in line"
"Yes, my Queen"
Drusilla hands over the letter and starts turning around to leave. But she didn't expect her hand to be harshly grabbed and twisted to the side. She almost let out a pained scream, but due to the suddenness of it all, she subconsciously withheld it. Because of it she almost ruined the whole 'act' right there and there. Her given orders from the Queen and Lady Rosa ring true in her mind and instinctively she executes them, even if she wants to cry right now. She just knows that her wrist is sprained, but she doesn't even look in the direction of the nobles, because she had already turned her head back, so she stays in place. Like a good 'tool'.
Sir Knobb having tested the 'tool' hands-on and not receiving the wanted reaction, finally stops thinking that the maids being here is a part of any plan and is here just for show. The Queen had trained her servants perfectly and she must have wanted them to assess the goods.
While the noble is thinking that, on the other side of the table the Queen is almost drawing blood from her clenched fists. How dare he injure one of her precious people so brazenly.
"Your tools are indeed amazing, Queen Elsa. You trained them well" Sir Knobb compliments while chuckling.
Elsa 'laughs' along meanwhile thinking about how she could ever apologize to Drusilla and the rest of the maid trainees... No, maids. Calling them trainees even in her own mind is purely an insult to their dedication.
"Though, I do wonder. Why that one has a name, while the rest, I presume, are numbers?" Knobb asks, loosely pointing towards Drusilla who is now back in line. He sees his handiwork, the wrist of the maid clearly swelling and facing the wrong way somewhat. He smiles to himself proudly.
It's for the same reason why beasts like you have a name, it was given to her by her parents, neither of the things you deserve. This is what the Queen truly wants the answer to be to this question.
But she answers something coming from at the top of her mind since this wasn't in the plan.
"She's the one that goes out with me in public, she can't be referred to as a number by the public, now, can she? She has also set in various replies to topics she may be asked while out with me. But she only says them, when she is asked. She doesn't speak without being spoken, just like the rest"
"Uh-huh, I see. Yeah, that makes sense" Knobb nods at the answer given to him by the Queen.
"Well, since all that is sorted, why don't we start our meeting?" Knobb tries to ask subtly, hoping to skip the pleasantries and the refreshments. But he isn't that lucky as the Queen immediately shuts down his hopes.
"But you haven't even taken a sip of your tea, nor have you tried the biscuits. Go on, they are both excellent" Elsa continues to act, even if it's getting harder and harder as she's actively and repeatedly stopping herself from glancing worriedly at Drusilla. The poor girl must be resenting her for allowing her to suffer like this.
"Fine, but after that can we get down to business?"
"Of course" Elsa answers, meanwhile grinning inside herself as the fifth flag gets set. At least this will be fun to watch and it will also double as retribution of sorts.
The two men, finally, pick up their tea cups and start drinking. But just as soon as the liquid spread all over their mouth cavity, just as quickly it left it as they spit it out disgusted.
"Blegh, this is disgusting" Sir Nothinguh can't stop himself from saying out loud.
"Oh, dear. What happened gentlemen? Did you not like our local tea blend?" Elsa asks faking her 'concern'.
But her question gets ignored as Sir Knobb shouts out to one of the maids. He remembers who it was that served them their tea.
"Hey, you! How dare you serve us this trash? Are you trying to kill us?" He continues saying a few other words and insults, getting no reaction from the maid he was shouting at. Which made him instead dare to command "Come here!"
But nobody moves, which makes the noble's eye twitch, him a being of superiority and higher power being ignored by a mere tool? He's about to stand up in rage and walk over to the maid by himself when Elsa steps in.
"My maids only answer to me, don't take their 'refusal' as anything against you, sirs"
"Yeah? Then why did she serve us something nasty? Clearly trying to snide us" Sir Knobb states his suspicion. He saw the Queen drinking the tea normally and quite fast as well, while his and his partners' tea were probably the worst things they have tasted. Now, even if it's on the 'orders' of the Queen since she clearly just admitted to that, they can't blame the Queen so straightforwardly. This is why he started berating the maid, but he didn't expect to lose his cool when he got ignored. He clears out his throat and sits back down.
"Nobody served you differently, all of us have the same tea"
Sir Knobb blinks in disbelief. There's just no way that anybody would subjugate themselves to drinking... this pile of cow dung.
"Number five, Do you have some malicious intent towards these two men?" The Queen asks one of the maids.
"No, my Queen" The woman being asked, answers steadily.
"Do you even know them?"
"No, my Queen"
The eyes of the gentlemen twitch in tandem, both clearly understand that this was an insult thrown towards them.
"Well, did you serve all of us equally then?" Elsa asks one last question.
"Yes, my Queen"
"Hope that clears any misunderstandings, gentlemen. We are all drinking the same tea"
"That just can't be" Knobb lets out incredulously.
"Number three, why don't you take what's left in my cup, pour into another cup, and give it to Sir Knobb to try it, all so he would believe me, I don't want to be seen as mistrustful"
Sir Knobb's leg under the table jumps somewhat. He really doesn't want to drink the tea again, even if he doesn't believe that the Queen is drinking the same as what was served to them. He doesn't want to take the risk anyway.
"There's no need for that, Queen Elsa"
But Elsa shakes her head and then states like it was a command "I insist"
The man gulps as he watches a maid execute the orders given to her and eventually, the tea that was drunk by the Queen sits near his hands.
He doesn't want to drink it, he really doesn't... But under the watchful eye of the Queen, he has to. He doesn't yet understand whatever plans it may be that the Queen has, but he feels that if he somehow oversteps, it will end poorly for their business.
As he picks up the cup and starts pulling it towards his lips, he instead thinks of the envelope that was brought to ho him by Drusilla, he hasn't read it yet.
But even other thoughts that he tried to divert his attention with so it could save him even a little bit, however, the moment the tea touched his mouth, he cringed in disgust as he spat back the tea into the cup it came from.
"I'll be frank. How can the Queen drink this... this... Whatever this is?" The man says after a few silent moments.
"It's good" Elsa answers simply, and laughs inside when she sees the incredible expression she got from the man.
"But, perhaps it's the fact that you didn't try the tea with the biscuits. As both of them are meant to be enjoyed at the same time. Here, I'll show you"
The Queen pops a cookie into her mouth and then sips tea right after all.
She hums pleased "It's quite great. The biscuit just melts in the mouth when touched by the warm tea"
"Try it. Both of you" Elsa adds with a smile.
The men stare at the untouched cookie plate on their side, with heavy eyes.
But go for it nonetheless, the sooner they try, the sooner they can move on.
And so, the two of them pick up a cookie each and slowly raise it towards their mouths.
As soon as the cookies got inside their mouth, their eyes seemed to have started tearing up. They couldn't even do it alongside the tea.
Simply because they thought that the tea was the worst thing they have ever tasted... And would remain the worst part of the experience.
But... The cookies are, somehow, even worse!
~ End of Chapter ~
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