GoldenVibeWeek2016 Day 1: Soulmate/ Disney AU
Lisa was unhappy.
It should have been every girl's dream for her father to allow her to marry the Prince of the realm. But Lisa didn't want the Prince. He wasn't her soulmate. Her soulmate was the man she met in her dreams every night, the man whose name was written under her right breast. Cisco Ramon. She knew her father would never approve of him though. The Prince liked her and had promised her father a heaty sum in return for his blessing. Cisco could never give Lewis the amount his greed desired.
Leonard Snart hated to see his sister so unhappy. His husband Raymond was close with the Prince, they met at Len and Ray's wedding but Lisa was too young for him to make his intentions known. As soon as she was of age he wasted no time on the matter.
Len walked into his sister's chambers in the castle to find her sketching in her window. "Hey Lenny," she said solemnly.
"Who're you drawing?"
"His name is Cisco, he started appearing in my dreams when I turned 16, he's my soulmate. He's a sailor, but father would never approve, and the Prince seems to like me too much to be willing to part with me." She told him looking out of the window and out to the docks. Len sat beside his sister and put his arm around her shoulder.
"I'll find him; do you speak? Do you know where he is?"
"He's due to dock two kingdoms over in three weeks. He couldn't get fit into the port here for months and he was going to come and meet me. I guess I'll never know if we were meant to be." She laid her head on his shoulder.
"You will, I'll talk to the Prince, try to get him to agree to it."
"If dad find out-"
"I don't give a damn, I've seen that man put you through hell growing up and I won't let him do it anymore."
"Thank you Lenny." Lisa hugged him.
"No worries Lisa, tell him tonight, even without the Prince's blessing I'll find him. Get as much information as you can about him, OK?"
"I will."
"I'll be back."
Len found the Prince in his library, "Mark," he said, the prince had forbidden the formal names long ago. He hated that he was in power, his brother should have taken the crown but he had been lost at sea, years before. "I need a word. Lisa isn't… Excited about the arrangement you have with our father."
"Len you know I want nothing more than for your sister to be happy but I'm under pressure to settle down and start a family, you know this."
"I know, but Lisa has a soulmate. And it's not you."
"God I know that, I have a soulmate but I have no idea how to find her and your father is being very… Insistent we move things along."
"Look, Lisa's soulmate is coming to the kingdom next month, she just wants to know if she can be happy with him. All she wants is a chance. Please give her that."
"I can give you a month to get him here, but your father is really on my ass right now."
"Stall him."
"How exactly?"
"Get Lisa to play sick, faint at the alter if she has to, play the diva with wedding plans, just give me time."
"I can do that." Mark agreed.
"Thank you."
"Use what you need, horses and food rations take them and be quick."
"I will, I promise. I'll leave first thing."
Ray stood in the stables the next morning as Len saddled up his horse, their young daughter in his arms wide awake even at the ungodly hour Len was departing. "I'll be back as soon as I can, but his ship doesn't dock for three more weeks."
"Len you're doing this for your sister, I wouldn't even try and discourage you. Just be safe OK?"
"I will. I love you," he kissed his husband. "And daddy loves you too," he pressed a kiss to Annalise's dark curls. Mounting his horse, he blew a kiss to Annalise who was reaching out to him.
That morning Lisa had told him in great detail what she had learned from Cisco in the night. Lisa watched from her window as Len left, she was so grateful Mark was letting him go, she liked Mark, he was a good and fair ruler, but he wasn't the man for her.
Len's journey to the other kingdom was met with unnerving ease, the woods were known for thieves and yet none came after him, sure he was in disguise but it was obvious from his horse he belonged to considerable wealth. It took him two weeks at a slow pace to reach his destination, with any luck Cisco would dock his ship sooner rather than later and they could set off. Len had brought with him a map of his home kingdom, looking for somewhere his boat could dock, he was determined to see Lisa off with her soulmate, she seemed to trust him a great deal already.
Len took a room at an inn and spent his days by the docks, keeping the sketch Lisa had made at hand, checking with the leaving night shift if anyone had seen this man.
Back in the castle Lewis Snart was growing impatient with his daughter and the Prince. "You promised me a quick wedding," Lewis accused Mark.
"Yes but I also promised Lisa her brother could be present for her wedding, nothing happens until he gets back," Mark argued and Ray and Lisa smirked as they entertained Annalise across the room.
"I know what that no good son of mine is up to and I won't stand for it, I was promised-"
"I gave him a month, a timeline that Lisa has agreed to. Your daughter is a good woman who deserves a shot with her soulmate, even the Prince won't stand between soulmates. I know better."
That evening Lisa knocked on the Prince's chamber door. "I wanted to thank you," Lisa said as he let her in, "for standing up to my father like that. Few people are brave enough to do so."
"It's OK, I understand the woes of having a soulmate from a distant realm. We just have to fight your father off just a little longer. When you dream do either of you travel?"
"What's that?"
"If you touch your soulmate, you can be in their environment, only for a short time, but the two of you can speak easier not in the dreamland. I recommend you try it. I did and I regret not doing it sooner." Mark told her.
Lisa drifted to sleep in her bed that night, eager to try what Mark had said with Cisco, she had often dreamed of seeing the world, maybe she could now in her dreams. They met once more, he smiled and waved.
"How was your day?"
"Same old same old, yours?"
"You don't want to hear about my day."
"Believe me I do. I spent years dreaming of going out into the world, your stories make it seem a little less than impossible. The Prince, I spoke to him, about you, he seems more than content to let us leave together, my father on the other hand… He told me, the Prince not my father, about a way we can see each other's surroundings, we just have to reach out and touch. If you'd be willing to-"
"I'd love to," Cisco smiled reaching out a hand for her to take. Lisa reached towards him and her body tingled briefly until she found herself standing in what she assumed her his quarters on his ship. She wandered over to a porthole on the wall, looking out over endless ocean.
"I never dreamed something could be so beautiful."
"Would you like to see it from the deck?" He asked standing from where he had been laying on his bed. She turned to him, excitement beaming from her eyes. He opened his door and they walked out, there were men on deck, but he assured her that they could not see them. They stood at the stern of the boat, watching the trails of bubbles left behind by the boat. "I can't wait to meet you in person," he said looking out over the waters, "though I do worry about when I must leave again, what will happen?"
"If my father denies us then I will run away, I won't marry someone I do not love, not even the Prince." They walked along the ship, careful not to pass through any of the crew. They stopped looking over the Port side of the ship, continuing their conversation.
"You're a very brave woman Lisa, without the support of my mother and father I could never have become a sailor, my father was a merchant sailor, he took me with him before I could walk, for years I was more comfortable at sea then on land. He gave me the ship for my 21st birthday so he could retire and be with my mother. He had hoped my brother would do it, he's five years older than me, but the man does not have seas legs. Nobody wants a seasick Captain." Lisa laughed, then caught sight of something over his shoulder.
"Is that-"
Lisa was cut off by a voice shouting 'Land' and she was pulled from her dream reality back into her world. He was here. He was docking his ship, today at the Starling Kingdom Docks.
Cisco was jerked awake by his first mate Hartley shaking him and informing him of their arrival at the docks of Starling. They hurried out on deck where the crew were making the necessary preparations to dock and make port. Once they were tied up Cisco paid the docking fees and set his crew loose, Hartley choosing to stay close.
Cisco locked eyes with a man who walked over to him, hand extended. "Mr Ramon?"
"Cisco, please. You must me Leonard."
"Len, come, we don't have much time, your early arrival is highly fortunate. Who charts your maps? I have a place you can dock in the Central Kingdom; it will also be good for a fast getaway if it comes to it."
"You can give the map to Hartley, he's my most trusted guy. Even if he is a bit of an ass."
"The journey should take two/ three days in rough conditions, it's a private dock owned by my husband's trading company, they know to expect you."
Hartley nodded and took the maps back onto the ship to chart a course. "See you there. Good luck." Hartley told his Captain. Cisco lifted his bag onto his shoulder and shook Hartley's hand, if he could trust anyone with his ship, it was him.
"Be fair and don't yell, that's why most of them hate you, and there is a girl who wants passage to the Kingdom, keep her safe, OK?"
"I will."
Len paid for his rooms and for Cisco a horse before they set back on their way to the Central Kingdom. They had little over a week to make it back in time, the first night they made camp Len told Cisco to tell his sister to stall at all opportunities, they were coming home.
Back at the castle Lisa told Mark that Len was on his way back with Cisco. "He says we have to stall a little, just to be safe. And be discrete, my father has an evil heart but he's no fool."
"Well I must admit I hate those floral arrangements."
"Mm, and my dress? I don't know about the sleeves."
"Just a few more days, Lisa please know I was lead to believe you wanted to marry me, I would never have imposed something like this on you had I known."
"It's OK, I should have known my father would sell me to the highest bidder, even someone he conned. I'm just lucky you understand."
"And I you. Go, you should rest, I'm meeting with my guard Captain tonight."
Lewis Snart was losing his patience, he should have never kept that little brat, he should have just drowned her at birth if he'd have known the trouble she would cause for him. He couldn't let some guy take away his big pay-out.
That night he gathered his friends in the tavern near his home and laid out a plan to intercept and stop his son from losing him everything. "They'll be due along this stretch of path by the early afternoon, stop them from getting here, wound them by all means but don't kill, I want to see the look on that bastards face when he misses the Prince's deadline and fails his sister."
Len and Cisco were a few hours away from the castle, they had needed to take a detour though less sheltered areas as a storm hit, knocking down several trees in their path. They could see the top of castle roof from their position, they were so close. Len slowed his horse.
"What?"
"Something seems off," he told Cisco looking around the shadows in the trees. His eyes caught sight of something, "go, just go, quickly," Cisco urged his horse to a gallop towards the castle, Len behind him. Suddenly men were standing in the road ahead, they stopped their horses, fortunate not to fall off in the process. "Oh no," Len muttered, "I should have known."
"What is it?"
"These are friends of my father."
"Ah."
"Look I don't know what Lewis promised you but please leave us be," Len tired reasoning with them but he had no faith in it working. It didn't. It was clear they weren't going to let them pass without a fight. Len unclipped his cloak and got off of his horse, Cisco did the same. "You ever been in a fight?"
"I've had my fair share," Cisco told Len, his fingers wrapping around the grip of his sword. Len smacked their horses with his hands and sent them off, his would know the area and hopefully lead the way to the castle. Lewis's men may have had the numbers, but they were all out of practice, and Len and Cisco overcame them with ease. They continued on foot to the castle, where they found Lewis standing in the gate.
"Too late son, times up. Your sister belongs to the Prince now."
"No, he promised-"
"Do you think I give a damn? You missed the deadline and even if the Prince let your sister go, I wouldn't approve of whatever he is anyway."
"He's a sailor and a respectable one at that."
"There's no such thing," Lewis cut him off.
"Let me talk to the Prince," Len tried.
Lisa had seen her father leave the gates, she knew Len was due back today, Cisco had confirmed as much the night before, but his leaving made her nervous. Then she had seen Len approaching with a man, Cisco, but they had not been allowed entrance, something was off. And she didn't like it.
She went to find Mark, knowing he would be able to resolve the issue. Together they exited the castle but her father was returning to the building. "They missed your deadline your highness, I sent them on their way," Lewis told him with so much pride Lisa wanted to kick him where it hurt.
"No!" She cried, "how could you?"
"Your brother had a month, he failed and you will marry the Prince."
"I refuse," Lisa spat at him and sprinted back to her chambers.
Hours passed and a maid brought her meal to her. Under her glass there was a note, folded for her to read. It was her brother's writing. 'Lise, Mark told me about the old smuggling tunnels, there's one behind your fireplace, I asked your handmaiden not to light it, push the centre brick to open the tunnel and follow it down, it leads to Ray's private docks, Cisco's ship will be docked there for 24 hours. Good luck.'
Lisa rushed to pack her essentials with her, leaving all of the lavish and royal dresses she had never liked wearing anyway and packed her casual clothes, mainly her old things from before her engagement. Packed she took one last look around her chambers and let herself into the tunnels, taking one of her candles with her and vowing never to look back.
Lisa emerged on the beach on Ray's property, a short walk from the docks from where she was. She walked up the hill to the main grounds where Annalise was playing with her nanny. "Aunt Lisa!" The little girl squealed hugging her, "daddy said you were coming."
"He did, where is he?"
"On the dock with the man with long hair. Can I come with you?" She asked. Lisa thought about it, this may be her last chance in a while to see her niece, but she didn't know if she and Cisco would be able to leave safely.
"Sorry sweetheart, I think you should stay this time, and I'll see you again soon OK?"
"OK," Annalise said sadly.
"I love you, OK?"
Annalise nodded.
Lisa hurried to the dock where she caught sight of Len, Ray and finally Cisco. Cisco the literal man of her dreams. Lisa felt butterflies seeing him for the first time. His ship was docked beside them and it was a beautiful as she had imagined. Picking up the pace Lisa made her way down the slipway. Cisco caught sight of her first, standing from where he was seated on some crates. Len and Ray turned to see her. Lisa walked straight past them to stand before Cisco. "I can't believe it's really you," she said softly.
"Neither can I," he replied raising a hand to caress her hair, "you are even more beautiful in person."
"You too," she smiled.
"Well isn't this touching," Lewis Snart's voice sounded from behind her brother. Cisco stepped in front of Lisa, hand on his sword.
"Get away from my sister," Len said, his sword drawn and pointed at his father's throat.
"Now, now, no need for that Lenny. A deal is a deal, your brother was late and you will marry the Prince even if I have to hold a gun to your head at the altar."
"I'd refuse."
"And I would shoot."
"Lewis hasn't there been enough fighting?"
"Step down Raymond, you don't know who you're dealing with," Lewis said and Len stepped forwards in defence of his husband.
"Stand down," Mark's voice boomed over the group, "not you Len, Lewis, stand down and leave her be."
"But your high-"
"No, I won't stand by and let you force her into something she doesn't want. I'm not her soulmate, she found him and she deserves to be with him. And he's a lucky man," Cisco smiled and reached for Lisa's hand. "Now leave, before I have my men remove you," Mark said firmly. Lewis show his children dirty looks before backing down after a long and tense pause.
"Thank you," Lisa said to Mark from where she held Cisco's hand. Mark nodded.
"We all have soulmates; it's only fair we have a fair shot with them." Hartley leapt from the ship onto the docks, helping a woman off of the boat.
"Thank you for giving me passage." She said.
"Don't thank me, thank the Captain." Hartley told her. The young woman lifted her face for the first time.
"Shawna?"
"Mark?"
"Are you? Is it really you?" She nodded. "You came back?"
"My father agreed, he arranged me passage to the kingdom."
"Everyone this is Shawna, she's my soulmate, this is a surprise however." Mark explained.
"Surprise."
"We should go, my friends still have business to discuss, please let me offer you rooms at the castle," Mark and Shawna left in the company of his guards and they were left.
"So what happens now."
"What do you mean?" Cisco asked.
"I just found you and I don't wish to lose you."
"You could come with me, see the world, with me and my crew."
"I would love nothing more." Cisco assured her.
"Why do you never head the superstitions," Hartley muttered, "it's bad luck to have women on ships."
"This is Hartley, my first mate, he's a bit of an ass, but he's harmless."
"Hey you love this ass."
"You wish," Cisco smiled, "tell the men to prepare for departure at sunrise."
"Aye-aye Captain."
"Look after my sister," Len said the next morning.
"She doesn't need it, but I'll certainly try." Cisco assured him. Lisa was hugging Annalise for what would be the last time for a while.
"Thank you for everything Lenny. I'll write and we'll visit." Cisco nodded his agreement to visit. Len hugged his sister tightly.
"Have fun sis."
Len and Ray watched as the boat left Ray's small harbour dock and sailed out to sea. Lisa would be just fine, they knew she could handle her own like no other, and now she had her soulmate, nothing could stop them now.
