Chapter Ten: Cleopatra

Eric

Cold.

I had never been this cold in my life. Each kiss from Elsa felt like she was taking away every inch of warmth in my body. Yet, I held on to her with an almost irrational glee. How ironic that I imagined myself becoming an ice statue in her embrace yet I felt that by being so she was setting me free.

I could see a wonderful life ahead of me, one filled with adventure and new promises with her by my side. I no longer cared for my troubles with my wife or my kingdom. They were all in the past. I want to forget everything and just leave. After tonight, we could just take Melody and a boat to a place where no one knows us. I didn't care about being king of Tastris anymore. I can be king of a ship in some far off land and she will be my queen, free from the troubles that her country puts on her shoulders. I can chart a new future with Elsa and it will be glorious.

"Eric stop, please!"

It was the sudden loss of her touch rather than her words that startled me. In the dark of the cabin I could see nothing but I felt her body shift away before I had time to move. Slowly, the cold dissipated and returned to a normal temperature. A match was struck and illuminated the room. Elsa sat on the other edge of the bed beside a little table that held a lamp. Even in the dim glow of the single lamp she lit, I could see her dress was fully reformed. Her attention was focused solely on that single flickering flame, her lips trembling and her breath heaving audibly as if she was exerting a great mental effort.

"Elsa, are you alright?" I asked.

She turned slightly but refused to meet my eyes.

"I… I've never done this before," she whispered.

She had never been with a man? That was surprising. The rumors about her had called her everything from a witch to a skillful seductress. It wasn't hard to believe some aspect of the latter rumor for the way she can turn my head with just a look or a smile in these last two days had me convinced she already had gained a worldly experience on affairs of the heart. It never really occurred to me that she would be completely unfamiliar with the physical aspects of romance. The thought of me being the one to introduce her to that gave me an undeniable thrill. To have this opportunity to teach her this pleasure, usher her from innocence to experience of her womanhood was something that set my chest pounding with anticipation. Surprisingly, it reminded me of the excitement of being with Ariel for the first time and the thought suddenly sent an uncomfortable feeling passing over me. However, I was quick to dismiss the thought and focused on the untouched goddess before me instead. I must be gentle with her.

I crawled across the bed until I was directly behind her. I tentatively touched her shoulder. "It's alright, we can take this slowly," I reassured her. She gave no answer but I felt her shiver so I sought to calm her by pressing a soft kiss at her cheek, making her tremble once more. "You don't have to worry about anything Elsa, I'll take care of everything."

"Will you?" she whispered, her eyes still demurely averted.

"Of course, my darling." Another kiss and this time she remained still. I needed to keep talking, soothe her nerves until she was comfortable enough for my caresses. "It's going to be the two of us, as it should be, as it was meant to be."

"As it should be," she repeated in such a deadpanned way I was aware she was still scared. I allowed my fingers to stroke the left side of her face while my lips softly graced her right one.

"You don't have to concern about your problems anymore," I said in between contact of my lips with her pale cheek. "I'm here with you."

"Yes, Oh Eric I do need you," she replied breathlessly and it sent my heart fluttering at her encouragement.

I moved down to kiss her neck while my fingers slowly peeled down at her sleeve to uncover her shoulder so I can kiss it once more. "Tonight's the beginning for us. After tonight we'll go."

A shot of cold that emanated from her skin pierced my fingers like it was a blade. It forced me to pull back. I expected a wound, but when I stared at my hands, I realized I was completely unharmed.

"Go?" she gasped. "What… what do you mean?"

"We can just take a ship, Elsa. We'll leave our troubles behind and start over," I explained. She stared back at me as if confused, her lips so delectably innocent that I longed to taste them again. But I never got to. She stood up and moved away.

"T-take a ship? You… you don't mean for us to leave Tastris?"

"Yes, we can Elsa. There's nothing for us left here," I said.

"Nothing left?" she repeated. She paced the room nervously for several moments before her gaze found mine again. "What of your people? You don't mean to leave them behind?"

Certainly she will understand what I feel. She and I were the same, burdened by the responsibilities thrust upon us that never end. I heaved a sigh. "I'm tired Elsa. I'm tired of living each day with solving problems that never get solved. I'm tired of being trapped here when I belong out there." I took her hands in mine. "You made me realize that. Elsa, you and I, we don't have to choose to suffer the way we do. We can make a life together away from all this."

I waited for her to agree with me, perhaps even throw herself in my arms and share plans of our new life together. Instead she pulled her hand away and stared at me with an expression of horror that became all the more evident when the walls of her cabin started frosting anew.

"How could you think that? To even conceive of abandoning your people or if you think I would abandon mine?!"

"They'll survive. Grimsby or someone else will take my place and your captains would certainly find a way. They don't have to be your burden anymore," I stuttered without thinking for each moment the walls around me were crackling with frost. Fear sent tinkles down my spine as I realized the very real danger that came with her powers. Elsa paced again as a cloud appeared above her head and began raining snowflakes all around the cabin and added to my anxiety. Can she really bury me to death with snow if that little storm didn't stop?

"No!" she said vehemently. "I will not leave! I will never leave my people to die in this war!" She stopped pacing and her blue eyes focused on me that I cowered back at their intensity. "And what about Melody? Were you planning on abandoning your daughter too?"

"We will take her with us," I muttered feebly in my defense, but Elsa just shook her head.

"Take her away from her mother?" she asked with such bitterness that it stung. I realized what I just said and quickly regretted it. Was I really planning on taking Melody away from Ariel? Despite my anger towards Ariel, Melody loved her mother. Even I wasn't so cruel as to make my daughter suffer like that.

Elsa turned away as if she couldn't stand to look at me. She faced the flame of the lamp once more, her shoulders heaving heavily with her deep breaths. The ice on the walls and the snow around us dissipated and she remained silent for a long time but I dared not speak or approach her.

"I thought you understood," Elsa whispered so softly that I had to make an effort to hear her. "I thought that you would… that you could…"

"That I could what, Elsa?" I reached for her tentatively but she just shook her head once more.

"This was a mistake, Eric. I shouldn't have let you come here. If I led you on, I'm sorry."

She was pulling away from me and I realized with an even deeper dread that I was losing her. "Elsa, tell me how can I help?"

"Just leave, Eric, please. I can't be with you," she responded desperately without even looking at me.

"I won't leave you," I insisted and this time she did face me but she did so with a startling fury.

"And you'll do what, Eric? Take me as your mistress?! Will you risk your wife's anger over that, or your father-in-law's? You may not care what happens to your people, but I care about mine! I will not trade away their safety so I can feel better about my life! I am already putting their lives at risk by being with you. Arendelle has enough enemies I will not make another with King Triton!"

I couldn't say anything or even look at her. My face grew hot with shame. Did I really just forget what our real situation was? My ideas of escape from my current life suddenly became starkly clear for what they really were: pure fantasy bordering on the insane. There was no leaving my position. I was still married to Ariel, still a king of a country, still chained to my bonds and there was no getting out. Elsa, on the other hand, was still a Queen with a war to deal with, one I realized I can no longer help her after I let things with Ariel go so horribly wrong. Ariel would never consent to allow her father to ally with Elsa now and should my wife find out that I was with Elsa tonight, she might even persuade King Triton to attack the limping Arendelle fleet.

There was nothing left to do but what Elsa asked me to: leave her before things get worse.

Wordlessly, I picked up my fallen clothes and dressed as fast as I could. Elsa neither said another word nor gave me a glance, not even when I opened the door to leave and muttered a half-hearted "I'm sorry" in her direction.

I left her ship almost in a trance but when I was about to get back on my horse, I was startled by a lone figure riding towards me. I froze as I feared this could be anyone that can report to Ariel that I was here tonight. I contemplated ducking into the shadows before I was recognized. However, the rider was faster and ran his horse to stop right in front of me. The lamps from the Alexandra illuminated his face and I recognized that devious villain, Hans Westergard. He stared at me with surprise before his expression darkened to a fierce glower. How dare this former criminal look at me that way?

"Your Majesty," he said evenly though I can still sense an undertone of animosity there. I wanted to call him on it, perhaps demand that he treat me with respect but I realize I didn't have time. Each minute I remained here I was more prone to exposure. Any of Ariel's little friends may be lurking by and could report to her. I didn't want to bring down any more trouble on Elsa than I have already caused.

"Captain," I merely replied back with a curt nod.

He said nothing but continued to stare at me with an air that indicated I had affronted him somehow. I glared back at him but decided not to take the bait.

I got back on my horse and rode away without looking back. I didn't dare turn around. I didn't want to think of how once again I left Elsa to her fate with her former would-be killer within proximate distance so I can return to my gilded prison.

Hans

I walked towards the palace stables at a leisurely pace and resisted the urge to return back into the gardens. I felt a little guilty for leaving Ariel half-drunk with a bottle of Southern Isles wine within her reach. That foolish woman could probably get into all sorts of trouble tonight in the state she was in that I was almost sorry for her.

Almost, but not sorry enough I was going to make an effort. I already got what I came for. There was no need to mess it up to ease my conscience. Besides, taking her back to her quarters like a proper gentleman might complicate things if anyone witnessed us together. Walking the halls of the castle with a tipsy Queen of Tastris was just inviting scandal. Elsa and my men would certainly not appreciate the added problems that would create. So I focused ahead and simply allowed myself to enjoy this little victory.

Earlier tonight, after the council with our captains, I sought the Queen of Tastris once more and convinced her to show me the gardens in the guise of a curious visitor. Armed with a bottle of old Southern Isles wine, several well-placed flatteries and my trusty smolder, I had her falling for my words easily. There was nothing more vulnerable than a woman with an unfaithful husband. Even a mermaid, I discovered, was no exception. Ariel was so desperate for reassurance that I had no trouble getting her to confide in me her own insecurities. Add alcohol to the mix and that woman's guard went down so fast, it didn't take much to lead her on towards planning a birthday party for her daughter and inviting the children of the nobility in that region. She ate up all my suggestions without a tinge of suspicion that I had an ulterior motive in such an affair to gather representatives of the various countries in this region and convince them to ally with us against the ultimate attack on Weselton. It was not a complete assurance of our victory and there will be a lot of work to be done to convince the other nations to side with us, but I will take these small opportunities and put them to good use. If all goes well, we at least might have a better fighting chance. I couldn't wait to share the news with Elsa.

Elsa.

The thought of seeing her tonight and planning our way through this messy war gave me apprehension that altered my mood altogether. I wondered how she is faring back on the ship. I can bet my life, she is pacing her cabin right now, thinking of the journey we will be embarking on in a few days and the possible consequences of putting my plan into action. I recalled her icy footsteps when she exited our conference with the Captains and it made me feel uneasy. I had killed probably dozens of men in my life, but my murders would be nothing compared to hers if she had to wipe out Weselton's population with her powers. She, who had never known how it feels to take a life, would suddenly feel the loss of her humanity once she commits that heinous crime.

It would destroy her.

I should know. I feel less than human each time I've killed, and that was something I would not want anyone else to experience, least of all Elsa.

I saddled a horse and rode off back to the Alexandra as my disturbed thoughts raged on.

"Elsa. I wish to God, I had the ability to take your ice powers and do this for you. Maybe then only one of us will be a monster," I whispered into the cold night air. The chill that met my skin from the wind did nothing to comfort me.

The trip to the Alexandra was so swift that I soon I spied our Arendelian ships docked on the coast. My eyes fell on the Alexandra that shone brighter than the rest from the many lamps that lit it. I knew the watch there kept the hours as disciplined as they always did despite our moment of respite.

From the distance, I saw a single figure step down the gangplank of Elsa's flagship and crept towards a waiting horse that was tied to a nearby tree. It could be any member of the crew on watch, but the way the man moved so cautiously towards his horse set my heart hammering in my chest.

I urged my horse to move faster so I can intercept whoever it was before he can leave. I stopped right in front of him, almost startling him by my presence. But it was I that seemed more surprised when I recognized him.

It was King Eric with his hair tussled messily and his clothes in disarray as if he had wasted no time trying to get dressed. A few buttons of his shirt were even left undone, exposing an ample part of his chest. What was he doing here looking like some drunk sailor that came out of a tavern?

I stared at the Alexandra and a less than decent thought came into my head.

Elsa?

It couldn't be. She would never let him go so far. He probably just came to apologize to Elsa for Ariel's insult. Still, I couldn't stop myself from glowering right at this idiot who decided it was best to come to my queen so soon after his wife already threatened to throw us out if he ever made contact with Elsa again.

"Your Majesty," I greeted though I did so with sarcasm rising up my throat.

He glared back at me but acknowledged me with my rank, his displeasure quite evident. I matched his scowl with my own. Just try me, I dare you.

He didn't take the challenge. Like a dog fleeing with his tail between his legs, he got on his horse and scampered away. Good riddance.

I walked up to the Alexandra and greeted the watchman who gave me a smart salute.

"Everything alright?" I asked the young crewman.

"It's all quiet, Sir," he replied. "But earlier, I felt a bit of a chill."

"A chill?" I asked.

"A little while ago, Sir. When Queen Elsa went to speak to King Eric alone in her cabin."

"He was alone with her in her cabin?" I nearly growled before I could stop myself. Relax. They probably just spoke to each other in private.

"Yes Sir," replied the crewman shyly. "It was for quite a while. She invited him to talk and I felt it turn really cold, it even snowed a little bit out here too. I got worried for a while but I didn't dare to go down and check and intrude on the Queen's privacy."

Now that was reassuring news. I supposed Elsa gave Eric a good talking to and blew an ice storm in his direction while she was at it. Maybe that's the reason he looked so unkempt. I wished I had been there to witness it. That would be a sight that could make all of this trouble worth it.

"You did right," I reassured him. "I'll go check with the Queen."

"Thank you Sir."

I headed down to Elsa's cabin and found her door opened just a crack. I was about to knock when the sounds of soft sobbing within stopped me altogether. I paused at her door, as a foreboding chill crept up at my skin as I recalled Eric's appearance and his hasty departure. Could he have hurt her?

I dismissed the ugly picture of Eric forcing himself on Elsa almost immediately. Elsa was more than capable of warding him off physically with her ice if it came to that. It didn't however soothe my concern for her. I hesitated for a moment until I realized I was not helping her in any way by letting her cry alone while I was wasting precious minutes to allow that fiend to get away. I softly knocked at her door. "Your Majesty?"

The sounds of sobbing receded followed by a brief period of silence. "In a moment," came her tentative reply.

I waited patiently for her until she opened the door. She slipped out of her room and closed the door swiftly behind her. However, she was not fast enough that I didn't see past the gap of the door and noticed the rumpled bed sheets.

No! They couldn't have possibly… But the signs were all there: Eric's disheveled and guilt-ridden appearance, the messed up bed and Elsa's tear-stained face that she was trying so hard to hide. The implications of that felt like someone choked my throat and I found it difficult to breathe.

"Is there something you wish to talk about, Captain?" Her formal address worried me even more. She was trying to mask her unease with rigidness, but I can see through it just the same.

In all my years as a mercenary, I never liked the idea of killing. I did it because I had to survive and I felt enormous remorse each time I had to end another man's life. But for the first time, I looked forward to actually slitting someone's throat open. How dare Eric touch her and leave her in tears! I wanted to offer to avenge her, but I knew she would not welcome such as gesture from me. What she did with her personal life was not my business and who she slept with was certainly not something that I should concern myself unless it proved to be detrimental for my people.

So I assumed a business-like manner with her and averted my eyes so I would not see her face. I led her to the upper deck where we can talk in relative privacy but in a more open setting.

"I've given some thought to what you said, about having an alternative plan."

"And you have one?" Her tone was hopeful.

"Not exactly," I replied. "I've found a way for us to gain a few more allies to increase our chances of success but the plan is still essentially the same." I quickly told her of how we can use the excuse of a birthday party for Melody to get in touch with some of the other nations in the region who were also being threatened by Weselton. I reassured her that Ariel had already agreed to host the party and suspected nothing about it.

"It's a good strategy," she said when I finished the outline of my plan. "We could use any additional allies we could get." She paused for a moment then added with a defeated sigh: "It's far better than mine."

Far better than hers? She couldn't mean she still went on to attempt to gain an alliance with Eric's by… No! It can't be! She couldn't possibly have offered him…

It was inappropriate for me to say anything but I can't live with myself if I didn't know and didn't do anything to help her if she made some progress on an alternative plan, revolting though it may seem.

"Is King Eric among our allies now?" I asked cautiously, evenly.

"He can't help us," she replied simply but it was the despair in her voice that made it all too clear of her deep-seated shame.

I was horror struck anew as my suspicions were confirmed: Elsa when faced with my proposal to end the war through mass murder desperately tried to find another solution to our war. And she did so by choosing to be a whore than a killer of hundreds. She offered herself like Cleopatra to a man she thought could still save her people.

The problem was Eric was no Julius Caesar that had the will to conquer nations and the power to stave off the subjugation of Egypt by imperial Rome. The King of Tastris, even from tonight's appearance reminded me more of a cowering Mark Anthony after the battle of Actium. She had given her body and her virtue to him for nothing!

Why didn't I speak to her about my plans? Perhaps I could have prevented it, made her see that she didn't have to do this! Damn it! It was badly done! A stupid worthless move on her part! Did she think by opening her legs to that lecherous king he would convince Ariel to let her Daddy on our side? I wanted to shake Elsa and accuse her that she put our people at an even greater risk at this botched seduction but I realized that if I were in her shoes I would have done the same. Wasn't it just hours ago that I've also contemplated using sex to convince Ariel to side with us. Even yesterday when I didn't know the truth yet of Tastris' economic and political conditions, I was already setting myself to teaching Elsa to seduce Eric for an advantage. Men and women through the ages have sold their bodies for power and political advantage. Elsa and I were no different. So why do I feel that this was just so wrong?

"We don't need him. We have other options." I said in a futile effort to comfort her. If it did, she showed no indication of it. She merely nodded and the mask of indifference was back on her face and steady voice.

"We proceed with your plan, Captain. We stay for another three days and I trust you can set a meeting with the other nations' representatives to meet me here at the Alexandra during Melody's birthday party."

"It will be done, Your Majesty. Do you need me to negotiate for you? I know some of them."

"No, I think they will be more open to helping us if I do it. You, Captain will continue your work with Queen Ariel. Remain in her confidence as much as possible and keep her busy and focused on the party."

"Of course," I replied. I understood my role was to take the heat away from her by distracting Ariel. "I won't fail you again, I swear it."

She remained silent and I was once again overwhelmed with remorse that all this was due to my failure but she was the one to bear the brunt of the disgrace. I decided that inappropriate though it might be, I couldn't leave her to suffer.

"For what it's worth Elsa, you don't have to be ashamed for what you did for you did it for the good of Arendelle. I know my opinion might not mean anything to you, but I want you to know, you are an admirable and honorable Queen and nothing can change that."

She looked up and met my gaze. A sad smile formed her lips but it didn't reach her eyes.

"I trust your discretion in this matter," she said, her tone icily commanding once more.

"Fully, my Queen. No one shall know," I swore solemnly.

She nodded and made to dismiss me but her expression of sadness pulled at me so that I didn't even hesitate to offer: "When this is all over and Arendelle is safe, just say the word and I can… take care of him for you."

Fear flickered through her eyes for an instant before it morphed into glare. "And what exactly do you plan to do Hans? Plan an accident for him?"

Damn! I should have kept my mouth shut about this. I really just planned to roughen Eric up, maybe rearrange his face a bit but it sounded more like I was offering to murder him. Of course, I wouldn't even if it is quite tempting.

"He lives, Hans. I won't condone him being killed," she emphasized before she added softly but in a tone that couldn't hide her own bitterness. "Eric will live and stay with his wife. They deserve each other."

I couldn't agree with her more. Those two can go on living their messed up married lives like the clueless children they were. I suppose living with a wife like Ariel is punishment enough, but it didn't make me feel any better about letting this go.

"I'm not going to kill him," I reassured her, which eased her scowl.

"Maybe just throw in a punch or two."

And the glare was back.

"Okay, I won't. I promise," I mumbled sincerely.

She shook her head and turned away again but not before I noticed a tiny but genuine smile that curved her lips for infinitesimal second.

Just for that little smile, I will make an effort to keep that promise of not inflicting bodily harm on Eric.

A really great effort.

Author's Note: Apologies for the long hiatus. Things just got crazy with my life I haven't had time to write.

This chapter, as the title suggests was inspired by Egypt's last pharaoh, Cleopatra VII. Roman history condemns Cleopatra as a vile seductress but if you really look at it from Egypt's point-of-view, she really was a brilliant ruler in her own right and her seduction of Julius Caesar bought Egypt peace and autonomy for a few years. I like to imagine that if it weren't for Caesar's untimely assassination, Cleopatra could have maintained a position of power that would lead to her nation's prosperity for years.

Elsa, though not as shrewd as Cleopatra, mirrors some of the Egyptian queen's qualities as a female ruler fighting for survival. (Have you ever wondered why Elsa's flagship is called the Alexandra? It's a play on 'Alexandria', the capitol of Egypt at the time of Cleopatra). Unfortunately, like Cleopatra, Elsa also fails here when she chooses a weak man like Eric. I liken Eric to Mark Anthony, Cleopatra's other lover who commits suicide after he is defeated at the battle of Actium by Caesar's heir Octavian.