The Young Diplomat [Frozen II post-canon]

Rumors and Misunderstandings

Lars woke up to a knock at his door.

"Mr. Nilsen," a servant said as he opened the door an inch, "His Excellency wishes to see you."

"What time is it?"

"Almost eleven, sir."

"Oh! Did the ambassador say what he wants to discuss?"

"No, sir."

"Thank you," Lars acknowledged. The servant left, firmly closing the door, and Lars quickly dressed, and walked down the long hall to the ambassador's room. He knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Mr. Meyer called from inside.

"It's Mr. Nilsen, sir."

"Oh! Please come in!"

The room was a similar size to his own, but facing toward the town. Lars had the feeling the ambassador had requested that.

"I've noticed that you've become friendly with the heir apparent," the ambassador stated.

"Yes," he confirmed, confused by the question, "Sir?"

"It's quite nice. He seems to be... an energetic young man."

"He is, sir."

"I noticed you were out riding yesterday, and I wondered if you might have learned anything about this morning's meeting."

"Meeting, sir?"

"Quite early, it seems. The queen had her council assembled. Does the prince know anything about this? Is there any chance he mentioned anything?"

"Well, no, sir," Lars began, "but, well..."

"Well?"

"We did encounter a member of the council riding back to Arendelle with a messenger. But no one seemed to have any idea what was going on."

"Curious..."

"Is there anything else, sir?"

"Now that I think of it, if you know the lay of the land a bit now, perhaps a short ride would do me some good. Do you have any obligations today?"

"No, sir. I would be happy to, sir."

As they walked across the courtyard, Lars wondered what they would encounter in the stables today, but it was all quiet except for the snorting of the animals inside. The pair mounted their horses, and Lars showed him the way out of town that he had been shown the previous day. The ambassador asked him if he had learned anything more about his family, and he had to admit that he had learned very little. What little he had learned may as well have been misremembered out of eagerness to please a visitor, for all he knew. Still, the ambassador was pleased to hear of his acquaintance with the general.

"You do know he will be the regent if anything happens before the prince's twenty-first birthday," Mr. Meyer reminded him.

"Yes, of course," Lars acknowledged, "though that isn't something I would wish on them. But why him?"

"He is very attached to the royal family, going back to the grandfather, and if you ask me, there's always some advantage to a potential regent with no... conflict of interest."

Lars nodded. "Sir, do you know anything about the general's ward?"

"Which one? All I know is that he and his wife take in orphans from time to time."

"To help in the tavern?"

"Not to my knowledge. I think the general's wife had been running that by herself for quite some time before they were married. I think as far as the wards are concerned, they've generally raised them and introduced them into society, such as it is around here..."