Author's Statement
Hello everyone and Happy New Year! It's a pleasure and honor to bring you all the sequel to last summer's Frozen fanfic, Royal Road Trip. I am as happy as can be and hope you'll have a great time reading and following our heroes on a whole new adventure. The thrills are back with daring foes and exciting new challenges. Join Elsa, Anna, and the rest of the Frozen gang for Arendelle's second royal road trip. But before you do, I ask that you stop to reflect on those you love. Love is all powerful, and it comes in all forms. Family or not, people are brought together by the strength of their hearts and the love they share. Remember this theme throughout the story, and most of all remember...
Never...ever...give up.
Long Live Imagination
~ Michael J. Pineda
Dedicated to Olga Illuminada Pineda.
Mother, warrior, friend.
And for Hannah.
May you find the love and peace we all seek in life. Wishing you a happily ever after.
Prologue
"Someone calling you elsewhere?"
"Maybe."
"Marco, my son. You never even look at other girls anymore. What troubles your heart?"
"There is someone. But I don't know how she truly feels."
"Look at me, Marco. Search inside yourself. Do you love this woman?"
"With all of my heart."
"Then follow your heart, my son. You're adventure in this kingdom is ending. Your destiny lies across that sea. Go to her. Discover the truth. And should you fail...what better way is there to live?"
"I will, father. I love you."
"I love you too, son. Now go. Find your true love!"
Marco's father's words echoed throughout his mind. He sat in his quarters, listening to the waves crash along the sides of his ship. He leaned back, fiddling with his featherless hat before plopping it back on his head. My how things had changed since his last voyage to Arendelle. He was now a respected hero in his kingdom of Valencia. He wore fine, blue robes and finally trimmed the exaggerated curls off of his mustache. Marco sighed while unclipping a white gold necklace from his neck and proceeding to examine it.
It bore the crest of Arendelle in its center, and Marco found himself wearily gazing at the symbol. "Oh Elsa..." he huffed. "How I wish you could see me now. You wouldn't see the cocky coward that set foot in your kingdom, that's for sure. I guess I owe that change to you, your highness. I miss you. I know this voyage is a huge risk...but I feel that our goodbye was wrong. I still wonder if you feel the same...I have to find out. I have to know the truth. I've listened to my heart and finally understand. I love you, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and I hope we'll be together. I have to believe...that love will find away."
In that instant, the ship's captain knocked on his door. Marco called for him to come in and the burly man acknowledged. "Marco sir!"
"Hmm?"
"The winds are good. The weather should be this clear for at least a week." he smiled. "And at this rate, we will reach Arendelle in two days time."
Marco smirked,"That's wonderful news, Captain Ortega. Keep up the good work, I'm going to take a nap."
"Bueno," he nodded before exiting.
Marco made his way over to a hammock and plopped onto it with a huff. He stared up at the wooden ceiling before pulling out Elsa's necklace again. He held it to his chest, whispering, "Elsa..." He closed his eyes, allowing his mind to wander. He could see the Snow Queen in the depths of his subconscious. There she was, just as he remembered her. Her bright blue eyes...her smooth pale skin...her soft red lips...her platinum blonde hair flowing down her shoulder in a single braid...The thoughts made Marco smile. He imagined himself already arriving in Arendelle, and running straight towards her. She was now in her queenly attire, a crown nestled in her braided hair.
Her apparition smiled and began to cry. "Marco?...Is that you?"
"Yes...yes Elsa. It is me!" He sprinted as fast as he could as she did the same. They embraced each other tightly as Marco lifted her off of her feet and twirled her around. As she returned to the ground, she pressed her forehead to his as they shed tears of joy. Their blue capes fluttered in the wind, as if rejoicing and dancing with one another.
"I knew you'd come back," sniffled Elsa.
"Of course I did," whispered Marco. "I love you."
Elsa gasped at his words while her pale face began to flush in shades of red. She gently placed a hand n her heart and began to smile. "Oh Marco...I lov-"
BOOM!
A powerful clap of thunder sent Marco jolting forward in his hammock. His eyes shot open as his hammock swung back and forth violently.
BOOM!
Another thunderclap blasted outside while streaks of lightning flashed across his windows. He immediately leapt to his feet and ran onto the deck. The calm seas were long gone, replaced by mighty waves reaching monstrous heights. Marco's light brown eyes widened at such a horrific sight as a wave crashed against the deck, sending sailors slipping and falling off of the edge. Marco slipped too, and gasped when he spotted Elsa's necklace sliding across the deck. "No!" he shrieked before chasing after it. He kept his eyes fixed on the jewelry's shimmer each time lightning struck. That was all he had to remember the Snow Queen by. He couldn't lose it now! Marco dove across the flooded deck, his arm extended to snag the necklace before it fell over the edge. He succeeded in grabbing it, clipped it back to his neck, and stood again.
"Marco!" screamed Captain Ortega. "The helm! I need your help!" Marco looked up to see the captain struggling to hold onto the wheel.
"Hold on!" he assured as he ran up the stairs and grabbed hold with him. The two men desperately fought to keep the wheel from spinning away as heavy rain battered against their faces.
"Looks like this is the end!" grunted the captain.
"Not on my watch, captain! Hold on tight! Push!" affirmed Marco as the two heaved at the wheel.
"ROGUE WAVE!" hollered a sailor. "ROOOOOOOOGUE WAVE!"
Marco and Ortega turned to see a gigantic wave looming over the others. It towered over their ship, so much so that it cast a shadow completely over them. It closed in, like a predator about to strike. Marco wrapped his arm around the nearest rope and motioned for the captain to do the same. "Hang on!" he cringed, shutting his eyes as the monstrosity of a wave struck. It bashed the ship with all of its might, snapping the mast in two and completey overturning the vessel. Marco found himself completely submerged, using one hand to hold onto his hat while the other remained tied to the rope. After wave passed, he was thrusted upward. He broke the surface of the water, choking and gasping for air while more waves hit him. He grabbed the nearest piece of driftwood and caught his breath. A flash of lightning illuminated the sea, making Marco gasp as he watched his entire ship sink to the depths. "Captain!" he exasperatedly called. "Captain! Anyone!" His cries went unheard, and he realized that he was all alone...stranded at sea amidst an atrocious storm.
In that instant, he felt a huge tail brush against his leg. "Oh great..." he gulped. "Sharks!"
A yellow tailfin emerged from the water twice before circling him. It dipped once more before a woman's body broke the surface. She had dark brown hair styled in a ponytail and gazed at him with blue eyes. "Hi!" she exclaimed.
"A mermaid!" gasped Marco. "You're...a mermaid!"
"That's right!" she giggled. "I'm Adella, fifth daughter of King Triton!"
"A mermaid...go figure," panted Marco. "I never knew the stories were true. I guess mermaids really do save people from shipwrecks!"
Adella completely ignored him and continued, "Say, you're really cute. How's about a kiss, ya handsome stud?"
Marco scoffed, "You're kidding right?"
"What? I wanna kiss."
"You are fully aware that I've just been in a traumatic shipwreck and am now stranded at sea...right?" asked Marco.
"Yeah, but now it's over. Can we smooch now?"
"Save me, for heaven's sake!" flailed Marco. "Just...pull me to shore or something!"
Adella pouted, "If I take you to shore, then will you kiss me?"
"I can't. I already have a true love," said Marco as she reached for Elsa's necklace.
The mermaid raised a brow, "What...what are you doing? Why are you patting your neck? It's creeping me out."
Marco gasped, realizing that the necklace was gone. "No...no!" he yelled. "Where is it?...no! It must have dislodged from my neck when the rogue wave hit..." He pressed his face against the driftwood. "Oh Elsa...I've lost my only memory of you."
Adella shrugged, "Well...if we're not gonna kiss I ummmmmmm whatever. Bye!" she dove back under.
"Nonono wait!" called Marco. "For a mermaid living in the deep blue, you're pretty shallow!" he jeered at the water. "How could things get any worse?"
"Oh Marco..." chuckled a woman's voice. "I just love it when people say that phrase. It promotes such...chaos."
The Valencian watched as female figure began to materialize in front of him. She emerged from the sea and towered over with long, flowing hair. "Who are you?" he asked.
Two bright yellow eyes with red pupils glared down at him as the woman laughed maliciously. "Your worst nightmare."