Authors Notes: So, ideas for this chapter have been floating in and out of my mind for awhile now and figured it was past time that I apply my fingers to the keyboard and update this story as well. Also, because I have a lot of fun ideas to implement, which I am sure everyone will enjoy. So, without further delay, on with the story!

Dead Winters Reign

Chapter 2

News of the queens return had spread like wildfire, reaching the ears of the citizens of Arendelle before she had even arrived at the city gates. Resulting in a massive fanfare as citizens gathered in celebration for Elsa's return.

As the wagon ambled through the cobblestone roads to the castle, the wayward Queen could hear the excited murmurings of her denizens. Mothers telling their children that they would be able to ice skate again, men expressing their relief that ice would be more readily available to them once more. However, no one expressed their relief that the Queen had returned unharmed, causing Elsa to narrow her eyes.

'Of course, they only care about what I can do for them.' She thought bitterly. 'Even my own sister hasn't even questioned my well being.'

Slowly the carriage drew to a stop in front of the castle main entrance allowing the wayward queen to dismount and push through the crowd of maids and servants that were awaiting her arrival, causing much confusion amongst them at the actions of their queen. Leaving her sister to apologize to the staff for the queens behavior, before quickly following after Elsa.

"Hey Elsa, do you want to maybe.."

"I'll be retiring to my quarters." Elsa cut off her younger sister, causing Ana to take a small step back.

"Oh, okay." Ana sadly replied as she watched her sister disappear into the large bedroom, roughly shutting the door behind her. Letting out a soft sigh as she slowly walked away from the door.

Once inside her bedroom, Elsa inspected her quarters with a frown on her face. All around her were luxurious comforts. A massive four post bed with blue silk hanging loosely to filter out the suns rays. A mattress filled with the finest wool and other various fillings to ensure it would remain comfortable and inviting for years to come. To the right side of the room, a large wardrobe, holding countless outfit. Once again, made with the finest silk and wool.

"This won't do." Elsa said, shaking her head with a cruel grin on her face. "No, this won't do at all."

Raising her hands, she began to manipulate her ice powers to encase her bed and other various furniture in her bedroom. Focusing on the bed, she encased each of the bedpost in a thick layer of ice. Being sure to manipulate it so that skulls of various sizes would be evident in the ices design, with a larger skull on the top of each bed post facing outwards.

Moving on, in the corner near the bed she began to conjure a simple podium with a skull facing towards the ceiling. It's jaw wide open. Unclasping her tome, she fitted the book into the jaw of the ice skull and flipped it open to a random page. Taking her simple sacrificial dagger, she jammed it into the skulls forehead. Completing it's look.

Just off to the side, her ice manipulated into a twisted and gnarled stick of ice protruding from the wall. Taking off her robe, she hung it up. Fully exposing her for the first time since she had been back to Arendale. Gazing at the mirror that was still exposed with a frame of ice around it, she took in the markings her face that signified her position and rank within the Cult of the Damned. Elsa knew she couldn't walk around the kingdom like this. It would draw too much attention.

Frowning some, she placed her hands over her face and slowly moved them outwards, using her ice magic to literally create a mask over her face to cover the markings. That done, she looked down at her current dress. It was a simple dress that was typically worn under the robes of a majority of the Necromancers in Icecrown. Once again, she maneuvered her hands to manipulate the ice around her to fashion her a new dress. Similar to the one she had made original a few years back. This time, forgoing the blue and instead focused on a dark purple with hints of black.

Placing her finger on her chin, she examined her work with a small smile. Seeing what the room was missing, she injected dark purple, red, and black hues into the ice. Giving the room a cold and foreboding appearance.

"Now, if only I could get people to scream in agony throughout the castle, it would almost be like home." she smiled.

Looking around her room one last time, she decided she should at least take a tour around the castle. It wouldn't do her any good to keep herself locked up inside her room. No, that would only prompt Anna, Kristoff and Olaf to hound her further. No, it would be best if she simply put on a mask and pretend everything was alright. Perhaps if she was lucky, the same magical phenomenon would happen again and spirit her away one more time back to Icecrown.

Of course, she knew if that happened again, Anna and Kristoff would just go back to the rock trolls and request aid to bring her back to this hell hole one more time. Unless she killed off the trolls. She smirked at the thought. However, the flaw with this particular hope was that it relied purely on coincidence. There was no telling if or when another phenomenon would happen, and the massacre of the rock trolls would just garner unwanted attention.

Shaking away those thoughts, she departed her bedroom. Closing the door behind her and sealing it with a moderate layer of ice to prevent any invasion of privacy. Her security set, the wayward queen made her way through the castle. Eyeing the castles various maids as they abruptly ceased any gossip they were discussing as Elsa walked past them.

Paying them no mind, she proceeded with her stroll. Until a commotion at the main entrance of the castle caught her attention. Cheers and hollers of celebration seemingly erupted from the foray as a group of guards escorted five chained up individuals. Normally Elsa wouldn't have paid it any mind, if not for the attire these four were dressed in. Her eyes widening a fraction as she approached the guards.

"What is going on here?" The queen inquired.

"Nothing to worry about your majesty." The head guard replied as he bowed his head in respect.

"I insist." Her tone was clipped.

Clearing his throat nervously, the head guard explained.

"For the past year there have been multiple cases of murders and defilement of the dead. Immediately we began to investigate. Just today we got our big break when a patrol finally encountered this group in the act of desecrating a corpse of a villager they had murdered."

Elsa said nothing as she leveled her eyes on the group of robed figures. It was no coincidence. These four were members of the Cult of the Damned. However, judging by the markings on their faces, they were low end initiates. Still, this could work in her favor.

"Bring them before me in the throne room." The queen commanded.

"With all due respect..."

"That is an order." She cut the head guard off again before turning and departing towards the throne room.

Deciding not to upset their queen any further, the group of guards escorted the four robed figures towards the throne room. Of course taking chances to strike at them for even the slightest offense. After a few moments the guards and prisoners stood before the throne, awaiting their queen's next orders.

"You may leave us." Elsa dismissed the guards, much to their shock. "I wish to speak with these necromancers in private."

"Your majesty, I must insist." The head guard spoke up, in shock that the queen would send away all her guards. "What if they attempt something?"

"I am very well capable of defending myself." Elsa replied with a cold edge to her voice. "Now leave us."

After a few seconds of hesitation, all the guards departed the room. Though they opted to be on stand by near the doors, in case they were needed. The head guard though, casting a cautious glance towards the necromancers, and then to the queen before departing himself.

Once all the guards had vacated the room, Elsa stood up and shot her ice powers towards the doors. Successfully sealing them shut to avoid any interruptions or unwanted guests. The necromancers could only look on in shock at her display of power.

"Now then, let's remove these shall well." The ice queen grinned and she grabbed hold of the shackles and channeled her ice into the chains before they became too fragile and just crumpled to the ground. "Now then, what are your names?"

The four looked between each other first before the lithe figure stepped forwards and removed her hood. Exposing a narrow face with a pale complexion. Her purple eyes gazing at Elsa with a hint of wariness.

"Lilith." She replied. "I have no surname as I gave it up when I joined the Cult of the Damned to serve Lord Arthas."

"Shut up Liltih!" One of the male necromancers shouted in anger. "You are giving too much information!"

However, Elsa ignored the outburst and focused on the girl in front of her, and smiled.

"Tell me, were you instructed in the Citadel, or Borean Tundra?"

This caught the groups attention. How could this woman know of such locations? They had already deduced that this world was not Azeroth. So there should be no way this ice woman would know of they training locations. Unless.

"How do you know these locations?" Another female voice spoke out. Elsa turned her attention and was surprised at the sight before her. When she had initially saw the group, she merely dismissed this woman as just that. A tall woman. However, upon seeing her face, she could concede that she was mistaken.

"Now this is something I didn't expect." Elsa replied. "A Night Elf in Lord Arthas ranks?"

Again, the group were surprised at Elsa's knowledge of their world.

"I am an outcast amongst my people." The elven woman explained. "All because of some damned superstitious belief that because I was born under a dark moon, my path would be filled with darkness."

"Their loss is Lord Arthas's gain." The ice queen replied. "And what is your name?"

"Vidanta Darkwhisper." Stated the elven woman.

"You've been to Azeroth before, haven't you?" Lilth said, her eyes slightly narrowed as she was piecing together the puzzle pieces.

"You are correct." Elsa grinned. She was beginning to like these two female necromancers. "I spent a year in Northrend. More accurately in Icecrown, where I met our Lord Arthas in a chance meeting while he was personally scouting locations of Horde and Alliance camps."

"You met Lord Arthas personally?" Vidanta asked in shock.

"You lie! Arthas would never lower himself to talk with someone like you." The same male necromancer spoke out, earning an agitated look from all three of the female necromancers.

"You are a mouthy one." Elsa smirked as she approached the guilty party. "But I know how to correct that little issue."

Without giving her soon to be victim a chance to respond a spike of ice shot out from the floor. Embedding itself into the poor mans throat. However Elsa was not finished. Focusing her necromancer magic, she proceeded to rip out the mans soul while all he could do was scream in ethereal agony. Once the soul was extracted from her victims body, the ice queen began to manipulate the soul into her own Shade. A wisp like entity devoid of any freewill. Bound solely to Elsa herself.

"Now, as I was saying." Elsa grinned as she turned back to the gobsmacked group. "I met Lord Arthas while he was scouting camps. He saw my potential and invited me back to the Citadel to learn the ways of necromancy at the foot of Lady Deathwhisper."

"Now, as to how I arrived in Azeroth. I am unsure." The ice queen frowned. "The last thing I remembered was going out for a walk, and then blackness. As if some magical storm swept me up and spirited me away."

"The same thing happened to us." Came a male voice as he stepped forward. "Kromwell, your majesty. Like Lilith, I forsake my family name upon joining."

"We were on a mission to seek out possible new recruits and sow seeds of discord in the ranks of the Alliance." Lilith explained.

"I see." Elsa frowned, placing her finger on her chin as she thought of what to do next. These three could be of great help to her and it would be nice to have a few like minded individuals around. "This is something we are going to have to figure out ourselves, and if all possible, find a way back to Azeroth."

"Perhaps, but with all due respect. You are forgetting one thing." Kromwell spoke.

"And what is that?"

"We are set to be executed in mere hours." The lone male necromancer replied.

"Leave that to me." The ice queen smirked. Looking to the one she killed, she quickly manipulated her ice powers to surround him in a thick sheet of ice. Preventing anyone from seeing what truly happened. That done, she turned to the shade she had created from the mans soul.

"You are to spy on the town and report anything unusual to me." Elsa ordered. "And do not be seen."

With a silent node, the shade disappeared from view to carry out it's orders.

"Now then, let's get this over with." The ice queen said as she removed the ice from the doorway.

Almost immediately, the guards pours in, ready to kill the necromancers. But were shocked to see Elsa calmly speaking with the trio.

"Stand down captain." Elsa ordered, as the man approached the group apprehensively.

"Your majesty. The executioner is ready." Looking to the three necromancers before him before he realized one was missing. "Where is the fourth?"

Elsa merely gestured to the ice block behind her.

"The only one stupid enough to attack me." Was her simple answer.

"I see." The captain frowned before turning to the three remaining necromancers. "Come on you three, the headsman's ax awaits you."

"I do not think so." Elsa stated. "These three will be working closely with me for an undetermined amount of time. As such, they are absolved of past crimes until their service to me has come to an end."

"With all due respect your majesty, this is too far." The captain stated, clearly upset at the change of events. "They have murdered and defiled corpses of their victims..."

"And they are the only link I have to the world I was transported to." Elsa rebutted. "Unless you wish for another phenomenon to happen and whisk away someone else. Perhaps your daughter?"

At this, the captain paled. Imagining his little girl getting spirited away to some unknown location. He had seen the angst that Anna had gone through when the queen had disappeared, and could only imagine it would be worse if it was someone he was close to.

"Very well, your majesty." The captain nodded. "Shall I escort our 'guests' to their cells?"

"No. They will take the room across from my bedroom." Elsa responded as the captain clinched his jaws. "I will need them close by to compare notes as we research what happened. You may leave us."

"Very well, your majesty." He bowed once more before leaving the room with the rest of his guards pushing the large ice block out to properly dispose of the fools remains.

"It's good to be the queen." Elsa smirked as Lilith and Vidanta couldn't help but snicker.

Additional Authors Notes: Alright, finally got this chapter done only two years after I posted the first chapter. Sorry about that, but I did say that this story would take slow updates. I will try though to focus more on this story as well. Just need to get some free time to be able to put my fingers to the keyboard more often.

Anyways, hope everyone enjoyed this update. Be sure to leave a review and tell me how you liked it!