After unceremoniously dropping into the middle of a war meeting, Elsie, Henrick, and Aron had been escorted to Henrick's room, a blatantly confused and furious Vira claiming that she would “deal with them later.” After seeing the condition Max was in, Vira had been kind enough to have him sent to be treated for his wound, but Elsie was still worried as she silently sat in a large chair by a crackling fire, waiting for any news on her brother.   

Henrick and Aron on the other hand had quickly gotten back into their old routine, the pair finding clothing out for them, most likely put there for their return from their spontaneous leave of the castle. Aron sat closer to Elsie, a kind source of comfort, as an agitated Henrick paced around the room, furs covering his body making him look like an angry ball of fluff. 

“Well. That really didn't go as I thought it would.” Henrick grumbled, completing his seventh cycle around the room.   

“Well, what did you expect Hen? We left without a word and were gone for who knows how long. I don't think that Vira was ready to throw you a party.” Aron looked back at Elsie, who still sat silent, eyes staring into the flame. “Hey, you alright?” He asked moving to sit on the arm of her chair. 

“What do you think?” She said, pulling her knees to her chest. “I have no idea where I am. My brother is wounded, and I have no idea where he is, and now, I'm stuck in a room with no idea what is happening, and with two guys who I barely know.” 

“Yeah. I guess being a princess of another world with magical powers you didn't know existed for 15 years will do that to you.” He chuckled at his bad joke, earning a cold look from Elsie.

“Not helping Aron.” She grumbled, hugging herself tighter. Suddenly the doors to the room burst open, causing Elsie to look up. Marching into the room was the young woman that Aron and Henrick had referred to as Queen Vira, and as far as Elsie could see she was second away from losing it. Vira stopped in the middle of the chambers, taking a deep breath before seething out a few words. 

“Captain Lochelm, could you please make your way to the courtyard, your troops are awaiting your command.”

“If it’s all the same Vira, I’d like to try and sta-”

“A command that you have neglected for the past few weeks, thanks to your little jaunt, CAPTAIN.”

“Of course, my queen,” Aron conceded. “I’ll leave immediately.”  Aron quickly made his way towards the hall to avoid further scrutiny. While he and Vira were only a few years apart, she could be scary when she wanted to be.

“Aron.” 

“Yes, my queen?”

“Close the door on your way out.” 

“Yes, my queen.” Aron gave a sympathetic look towards Henrick and Elsie as he shut the door, leaving the two with the fiery woman.

As soon as the latch clicked, all composure that Vira had evaporated.

“WHERE IN THE GOD'S NAME WERE YOU!!!” She screamed at Henrick, stalking towards him with a murderous glint in her eyes. 

“Vira, please calm down!” 

“DON’T YOU DARE TELL ME TO CALM DOWN YOU LITTLE TWERP! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED WE WERE?! YOU DISAPPEAR IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT, AND COME BACK A WEEK LATER WITH TWO RANDOM KIDS, ONE OF WHOM WAS BLEEDING! WE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! YOU INSENSITIVE JERK!” 

Vira shoved him hard earning a hiss from Henrick as he clutched the still sore bruise on his side. 

Seeing this made Vira even more agitated. “And you're injured?!” 

“It’s not that big of a deal!”

“Yes, Hen! It is! You are a crown prince. This country needs you, and you're acting like your safety means nothing!”

“It’s not as important as this!”

“As what?!”

“Fulfilling the prophecy!” The room went silent as Vira tried to make sense of her little brother.

“Henrick, what are you talking about?” She sighed pinching the bridge of her nose.

“THE prophecy Vira! Remember that old storybook that we used to read? The one we found after dad passed away?”

Vira sighed. Memories of her father always pained her. “Yes, I do remember, but what has that got to do with this?”

“I’m fulfilling it stupid! Don’t you get it? We needed to find a lost princess, who was magic and fight with her to bring Down mordal. Well, she's it!” Henrick pointed at Elsie who up until now had been sitting in her chair watching the sibling interact. She waved meekly. Vira simply stared at Elsie, confused at what she was looking at. 

“What are you wearing?” She asked, staring at Elsies light blue show jacket, that she had donned for the trip. 

“Oh, this? Well, I mean it's cold, and I wasn't about to come here in a sweatshirt.” She gave a small chuckle. Vira’s stone-faced expression signaled she did not find it as funny. 

“What in the god's name is a sweatshirt?”

“Ok! I think we may be getting off track, Vira” Henrick interjected, eager to present his findings. “What you need to realize is that this is her. The lost princess of Morena” 

The room once again fell silent as Vira simply stared at Elsie, her scrutinizing gaze running over the young girl in front of her. Finally, she turned towards Henrick. 

“I would like to talk to this girl alone.”

“What?” 

“You heard me.” Vira scolded, all business. “If you say that this girl truly is who you think she is, then I want to have an at-length discussion with her. While we do so, you can go check on the boy in the medical ward and find her some decent clothes. She looks like she was cursed.” 

“Um, yeah. Ok.” Henrick said, somewhat uneasy about his sister's acceptance of what he had told her. “Elsie, will you be ok?”

“Oh, we’ll be just lovely Hen!” Vira answered the question for her. “You just go make yourself useful. God’s know you've neglected a lot of your duties thanks to your little tirade.”

Henrick nodded before exiting the room, leaving the two women alone. Vira began to move away from Elsie, putting a good distance away from her as she made her way to a window. “If you are who Henrick says you are, you should be able to do magic, no?” Vira asked, gazing out into the snow-covered grounds. 

“Well, I can, but the problem is that it doesn't always work.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I don't know why but it only comes out if I'm in danger or something like that.”

“Oh! Well, then that makes validating you much easier!” Vira replied cheerfully.

“I’m sorry what?” Elsie barely had time to react as she watched Vira turn around, sending a dagger flying from her hand.