My Jolly Sailor Bold
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. So many things would be different if I did!
"Arendelle, you can't be serious, brother," Killian groans, helping Liam put the finishing touches on his captain's uniform.
"Quite serious, Killian. The King has requested that I travel to Arendelle in order to make a naval alliance. I'll be back in two weeks," Liam answers, straightening his hat for what must be the hundredth time.
Every time Liam goes to a new kingdom on a mission he tries to dress his best to impress what he hopes will be new allies.
"Two weeks? You expect me to spend two weeks without sailing, Liam?" Killian inquires, going and grabbing his brother's sword from the desk.
"You'll be fine, brother. As my leftenant, I trust you'll still put the men to work," he smiles.
"Aye, but leaving me alone is bad form, brother."
"Killian, you're eighteen. You can't keep acting like a little kid. I'm going, and that's final."
Killian decides this is a lost battle, so he hands Liam his sword before pulling his older brother in for a hug. True, he is an eighteen-year-old man, but Liam is the only family Killian Jones has left. Liam wraps his arms around his younger brother, looking into Killian's piercing blue eyes before he releases his grip.
"Be careful, Liam. It's a dangerous passage from here to Arendelle," Killian warns, not wanting to lose his brother.
"I will. You'll see white sails on the horizon before you know it," Liam promises.
And with that, the twenty-two-year-old naval captain heads out of their small house to venture into a world of unknowns.
Elsa sees the white sails of Misthaven's Royal Navy from her bedroom window. Her heart pounds against her chest a million miles a minute. A new kingdom means new people to impress and listen to. New people to impress means more people to hide her powers from. Hiding her powers means coming up with millions of excuses to sneak off. And all of this makes for a very nervous and unstable Elsa. Her parents insist that she, as future Queen of Arendelle, come to all peace meetings and proposals for new trade routes. Most of the time, Elsa finds all of these meetings to be a bore. She never gets to do anything other girls her age can. She's twenty years old and has never had a boyfriend for crying out loud! Elsa puts her silk blue gloves on, preparing to go and meet the Royal Navy of Misthaven. Goosebumps find their way to her arms, and Elsa is glad no one is around to see her obvious fear. She passes by Anna's room, thrilled that her younger sister is still asleep, as it is just past sunrise. If one thing can be said about Anna of Arendelle, it is that she will question travelers to death, wanting to know about the world outside of Arendelle.
"Princess Elsa, my lady, the Royal Navy of Misthaven has arrived. Your parents have chosen you to greet the fleet at the docks. You leave in ten minutes," one of the castle's loyal servants, and Elsa's personal favorite, tells her.
"Thank you, Kai. I'll see to it at once," Elsa says to the older man before making her descent down the stairs.
This is her first real test as a princess, and she is not going to fail. She could do this.
Liam Jones steps off of his prized boat, The Jewel of the Realm with all the poise a naval captain should have. His chest is slightly puffed out, his shoulders squared, and his gait nice and slow. He grabs his chest of belongings he brings on every mission with one hand from the docks. As Liam begins to walk forward, the chest in his hand obscuring his peripheral vision, he bumps into a young woman by the water's edge. The young woman begins to fall, which makes Liam instantly drop the chest and catch the woman he bumped into. She falls into his outstretched arms, her braided blonde hair gently smacking Liam in the nose. Their blue eyes meet, and a slight blush appears on Elsa's cheeks. Her rescuer helps her stand up before making sure she's okay.
"I'm so sorry. Are you hurt?" Liam asks, his accented voice filled with concern.
"No, no. I'm okay," Elsa responds, her eyes locking on Liam's face, converting every line and scar to memory.
"Are you sure?" he inquires, noticing the way she's holding the arm that was hit with the chest.
"I just wasn't looking where I was going. But I'm okay," Elsa assures, removing her hand from her arm.
"Oh… Thank goodness. Uh…." Liam starts, fumbling over his words quite a bit.
Talking to girls is Killian's forte, not his. No, Liam Jones has never been considered a ladies' man. His younger brother, however, can charm just about any girl he meets. Liam finally decides on what to say where he doesn't seem awkward any longer than he has to.
"I'm Captain Liam Jones from Misthaven's Royal Navy," he says, smiling at the blonde girl he just met.
"Princess Elsa of Arendelle," Elsa reveals with a curtsy.
Liam feels all the color drain from his face.
"Princess? Milady, I'd like to apologize for hitting the Princess of Arendelle with my chest. And every moment after," he apologizes, not believing he almost hurt royalty.
"There's no reason to apologize," Elsa laughs, feeling more comfortable around this sailor than she does around most of the palace workers.
She can let her guard down around him, be who she really is. Elsa tries to get this crazy notion out of her head. He's only here for about two weeks. There's no need to get attached to him in any way. Liam's voice breaks her out of her thoughts.
"Uh, I hate to ask this, but which way is your castle? My men and I are here to negotiate a naval alliance with your parents to protect us from the Southern Isles attacking either kingdom," Liam asks, remembering his own mission.
He can just hear Killian in his mind, saying how it is bad form to leave a woman you've been talking to so abruptly. It is then that Elsa remembers her duties as well.
"I have to go. The castle's that way. Bye!" Elsa suddenly says, turning to head for the castle.
"Goodbye, Princess Elsa," Liam smiles.
"It was nice meeting you, Liam! And you can just call me Elsa," she grins as she faces him.
"Nice meeting you as well, Elsa. I shall eagerly await meeting you again at the dining hall this evening," Liam says, knowing Killian would approve of his last sentence.
The younger of the Jones brother loves slipping lines like that into his partings with girls. With that, Liam and Elsa head off to complete their separate duties, looking forward to tonight's dinner.
They end up sitting on the complete opposite ends of the table. Liam and his men eat on one end, Elsa and her family on the other. The looks the blonde princess gives Liam from across the table are not subtle in the least bit. However, no member of the royal family picks up on these obvious signs. The other men in Liam's navy party, on the other hand, notice all the attention a certain captain is getting from a certain princess. They tease him about it all night up until the point of their meeting with the King and Queen of Arendelle. The meeting is long and drawn out, causing Elsa to get extremely nervous. A small patch of ice begins to form on the arm of her throne, so she excuses herself, claiming to need a bit of air. All but five minutes later, Captain Liam Jones complains of having a bit of a headache, excusing himself to his room for the rest of the night. He wanders around for a while outside before finding Elsa sitting near the garden's fountain. Liam casually walks over to the princess before sitting down beside her.
"Hey, Elsa," he starts off, not expecting the soon-to-follow reaction.
Elsa gasps and her hand falls to the water, freezing all the water in the fountain to a solid block. Her light blue eyes are filled with fear, and she barely catches sight of Liam.
"Liam! I, uh," she fumbles over her words, not sure how to explain the situation.
"It's okay. I don't mind the magic," Liam assures.
"You don't?"
Liam shakes his head in response. Elsa lets out a sigh of relief, glad the captain isn't going to spill her secret to the whole Royal Navy of Misthaven. She has found a friend in Captain Liam Jones. And if the two of them snuck out within minutes of each other every day during Liam's two week visit, then that was their business.
It is on the night that Liam leaves for Misthaven that they share their first kiss. One moment he's telling her goodbye, promising to come for visits whenever his schedule allows. The next moment, she crashes her lips against his, tangling her fingers in his brown curls. He doesn't complain, instead, he wraps his arms around her, kissing her lips and never wanting this moment to end. With all technicality, it is both Elsa and Liam's first kiss ever. Both have been so focused on their separate futures, that neither has been on one single date. And now, in a two week period, both has experienced their first kiss. It is an amazing experience for Elsa and Liam alike. They don't mind the looks Liam's navy friends give them when they finally pull apart. All that matters is that they are happy and content.
"Do you have to go?" Elsa asks, entwining her fingers with his, not wanting him to leave just yet.
"You'll be fine, Elsa," he promises, smiling at her in a way that calms his and her nerves alike.
"I'll never forget you, Liam," she says, her voice catching a bit as she admits this.
"Nor I you. I'll come back one day, Elsa," Liam tells her, pressing a kiss to her hands before boarding his ship.
Elsa waits for the white sails to disappear completely, then walks back towards the castle. Liam gets home from his trip to Arendelle the next day and is instantly bombarded with questions from Killian.
"What was your trip like, Liam?" Killian excitedly asks.
"Magical," Liam simply replies, a smile on his lips.
And Killian is none the wiser his brother has fallen for Elsa.
It is a year before Elsa sees Liam again. Shortly after her parents' death, Elsa is throwing a coronation ball. On that night, she is to become Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Liam is on the first ship out of Misthaven, bringing a slightly annoyed Killian with him.
"Why do I have to wear this?" Killian asks with a sigh, fixing his collar for the tenth time that day.
"Because, the queen has come of age. It's Coronation Day!" Liam says, giving Killian a good once-over.
He couldn't have his brother looking like a hot mess in front of the kingdom of Arendelle, and more importantly, Elsa.
"That's not my fault," Killian argues, not seeing the big deal.
"Hush, little brother. You're going to be on your best naval behavior."
"Younger. Younger brother."
Liam playfully punches his brother in the arm before walking to the castle. His pace quickens as he gets closer to the castle, causing Killian to take giant steps to keep up. Killian has no idea why Liam is so excited to get to the castle for some dumb coronation ceremony. The Jones brothers reach the castle within five minutes, and Killian gasps as he looks around.
"This castle is huge, brother. It's much more inviting than our king's," he remarks, looking at everything in wonder.
"Indeed. I knew you would like it, Killian," Liam smiles, walking around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Elsa.
The sailor's heart has yearned to see Elsa again for a year and in that time, he only grew fonder of her. A servant comes down the stairs to pass the news to Liam that Queen Elsa would like to see him.
"Brother, I'm needed. Will you be alright on your own?" Liam questions, coming up behind Killian.
"I'll be fine. Now go. It's bad form to keep a lady waiting, Liam, especially a queen," Killian grins, making Liam snort in laughter.
For the skills he lacks in naval operations, Killian makes up for in being both a gentleman and a charmer.
Liam quickens his pace, heading for the throne room to see Elsa once more. His light blue eyes light up when he catches sight of her blonde hair. Today it's cascading down her shoulders and back, reaching almost down to her calves. She's wearing a long blue dress, one that will allow her to navigate through the crowd during the party later on that night. Walking with a book in one hand, Elsa doesn't see the wooden chest in the middle of the hallway. She begins to fall, dropping the book with a loud thud onto the stone floor. Liam quickly moves, grabbing her by the hand to keep her from crashing to the floor on her head. Elsa's face lights up upon seeing the familiar captain.
"Glad I caught you," Liam smiles, his blue eyes twinkling down at her.
"Liam," she breathes, finally thinking of something to say to the man she loves who has been absent for so long.
"We have to stop meeting like this, Elsa," he teases, which makes Elsa laughs.
It is then that Liam falls even more in love with Elsa, if that's even possible. Her laugh lights up the room, making a large smile cross Liam's face.
"I agree. Liam, I've missed you so much. Why haven't you come to visit?" she admits, pressing her head against Liam's toned chest.
"I've tried, Elsa. Really, I have. You know as well as I do what being an older sibling means," the captain counters, giving the top of Elsa's head a light kiss.
"Speaking of younger siblings, did you bring Killian? You told me he would love it here."
"I did. He's probably still looking around. I'll make sure he comes to the ball."
Later that night, the music begins in the ballroom, calling couples to dance. Captain Liam Jones and Leftenant Killian Jones make their way over to Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. Both brothers bow before Liam takes Elsa's hand in his own. It is then that he notice the crown on her head.
"Elsa, you look different," he starts off, only to be hardly nudged in the ribs by Killian. "It's a good different," Liam amends, scratching behind his ear, a trait both Jones brothers share when they are nervous.
"Thank you, Captain Jones," Elsa smiles, keeping up her formality around other nobles in Arendelle. "I would be honored if you would lead me through my first dance as Queen of Arendelle," she blushes.
"Thank you. Only I don't dance," Liam grins back, hoping Elsa is not too disappointed.
Elsa starts to talk, only to be cut off by Liam.
"But my brother does," he adds in, casting a glance at Killian.
"Lucky you," Killian says with a devilishly handsome smile, pulling Elsa onto the dance floor, minding the boundaries his mother and brother taught him.
Killian watches as Liam gazes in the direction if Elsa, and a knowing smirk makes its way to his lips.
So, my brother's got a crush on the Queen of Arendelle, eh? Well, I don't blame the bloke; she's quite beautiful. I'll make sure and put a good word in for him.
Days after Liam's death, caused by dreamshade, Elsa receives a letter from Killian.
Dear Elsa,
I regret to inform you that my brother, Captain Liam Jones, has died. We were on a mission in Neverland, and he was killed by a deadly poison, dreamshade, to be exact. His body now lies at the bottom of the sea. Elsa, Your Majesty, I am now a pirate. I fear you will never see the Jones brothers again. Please forgive me.
Killian Jones
Upon reading this letter, Elsa closes the door before collapsing into a chair in defeat. Tears pour from her light blue eyes, the feeling of loss all too familiar to the Queen of Arendelle. First Elsa lost her parents, and now she's lost Liam, the only man to ever love her. She shuts herself in her room for days, not sleeping and only eating what she needs to survive. Losing Liam has been one of the worst pains of her life. The castle staff do not understand the reason behind Elsa's recent behavior. Even Anna does not know the truth. All of the people of Arendelle are none the wiser about the love between Liam and Elsa.
"My heart is pierced by Cupid. I disdain all glittering gold. There is nothing can console my but my jolly sailor bold," Elsa softly sings.
A single tear drops from her eye, flowing down her face.
"Liam, come back to me," she hopelessly whispers, knowing very well that he can never return to her.
Author's Note: Okay, so I was re-watching Season 3 Episode 5: Good Form a few weeks ago and the idea for this headcanon ship hit me. I personally think that Elsa and Liam would make a cute and perfect couple; they have a lot in common. The death/abandonment of their parents, younger siblings, responsibilities towards their kingdoms, etc. I thought I would write a story about how I thought the two of them would meet and fall in love. Anyone notice the Pirates of the Caribbean reference? Oh, and if you like how I wrote this pairing, keep an eye on my Once Upon a Time and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland crossover called Undefeated. I'm thinking of having a lot of Elsa and Liam moments, as well as some between Killian and Elsa as well. I hope everyone liked this, and please leave a review with what you thought. Thanks for the support, everyone!