Summary: Anna is a bold thief on her most daring mission yet. Elsa is a lonely princess who dreams of escaping her well-to-do life. When a kidnapping attempt goes awry, the pair are thrust together, and together they are bound to create quite the stir.

Disclaimer: This story is loosely based on the opening stages of Final Fantasy IX.


Chapter One

The Theatre Ship


There was always music on the Primadonna's main deck. On this fine morning, the band members were out in force, harps and violins, flutes and trumpets, drums and lutes, playing together in perfect harmony.

Anna closed her eyes as she listened, allowing the melody to whisk her away. They were four days into their leisurely journey north, and after spending most of it cramped up in her cabin coughing and wheezing, Anna found herself craving the fresh sea air.

The crow's nest was where the air was freshest, so Anna went there, legs hanging over the circular railing with only her hands' grip on the side stopping her from falling. The Primadonna rolled gently on the ocean, but fifty feet above the water that easy roll made the top of the mast – and the crow's nest – sway back and forth through wide arcs. Anna threw back her head and laughed at the wind that blew in her face. God, it felt good to be out of her cabin.

All around the ship was pretty, sparkling ocean. Not a single cloud stained the sky. Birds turned into tiny specks by the distance circled and plunged into the ocean before rising once more, so Anna supposed they must be closing on their destination. She'd visited Arendelle two or three times before and it had a certain natural beauty to it that the other great Northern cities lacked. Anna looked forward to her return. The thought of what she planned to do there filled her stomach with a concoction of nervous excitement unlike anything she'd ever felt before.

On a sudden impulse Anna lifted her hands over her head and stretched out her legs, balancing against the sway. She almost made it a complete cycle before she lost her balance. Heart in her throat, she grabbed the railing once more and steadied herself. She gulped huge breaths of fresh, salty wind and laughed with the exhilaration of it.

"What are you doing up here?" came a hoarse voice on the rigging just below her. "Aren't you meant to be resting in bed?"

Anna looked down and saw Kristoff clinging to the ratlines. The big man's hands were white from gripping the taunt topes. Her stared up at Anna grimly, unwilling to ascend the last few feet. "You didn't have to climb all this way," said Anna. "You could have shouted for me."

"We were."

"Oh . . . sorry, I didn't hear."

"Which is why I had to climb all this way. Blood, Anna, what were you thinking, letting go of the ropes like that? You've got everything thinking you've gone mad!"

She looked down and was surprised to see all the musician's faces staring up at her, instruments held loosely in their hands. Anna hadn't even heard the music stop. She turned back to grin at Kristoff. "You want me to come down then?"

Kristoff nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

"All righty then!" She shifted her grip on the edge of the crow's nest and sprang forward. She heard Kristoff bite off a yelp and a curse as her fall was cut short and she dangled from the long rope running from nest to bow in her hands. Kristoff scowled at her, one hand half stretched out to catch her. She grinned winningly at him again. "I'm going down now."

Swinging her legs up, she hooked one knee over the thick line, then caught it in the crook of her elbow and let go with her hands. Slowly, then with increasing speed, she slid down. Just short of the bow, she dropped to her feet on the deck right in front of the musicians, took one step to catch her balance, and turned to face the boat with her arms spread wide, the way Laffey did after one of his tumbling tricks.

Scattered clapping rose from the musicians, and Anna turned to deliver them a flourished bow. With the show over, the musicians took up their instruments to practice once more, although more than a few of them cast concerned looks in Anna's direction.

Anna met Kristoff at the bottom of the ringing, as the blond descended the last few rungs. His legs shook as he reached the bottom, and he looked back up at the crow's nest wonderingly. "That's the furthest I've ever gone up," he said. "It's wobblier than I imagined."

"Why did you come up and get me?" Anna asked.

"Because you looked like you were about to fall and break your fool neck," Kristoff retorted.

"I mean why were you looking for me in the first place?"

"Oh. Capt'n wants another meeting before land comes into sight," Kristoff said. "Wants to go over the plan one last time."

Anna sighed. "Again?! I know my part like the back of my hand – and everyone else's too, besides!"

"Aw, you know how he is. He'll make us go over the damn plan until he's satisfied that we can recite our lines in our sleep!"

"Well, I suppose there's no helping it," said Anna.

"None at all."

The fresh sea smell was replaced by damp, stale air underneath the deck. Anna followed Kristoff down a circular stairway into the very bowels of the ship, where the company stored their props, deconstructible sets and whatever other cargo they happened to have at the time. A miniature stage was built against the flat wall at the rear of the deck, complete with flowing curtains that could be retracted with the pull of the rope. The rest of the theatre company were already there. Some smoked pipes and murmured, while others poured over their scripts one final time before the ship came to port.

"Looks like we're all here," commented Anna. One of the company, a comely sort of man attractive enough to look at twice, but not attractive enough to remember, stood up to meet her. His name was Cuthbert, but he said only his mother called him that when he was caught doing some mischief. Everyone else just called him Cuddy.

"Everyone but the captain," Cuddy said. He invited Anna to take his seat, but she shook her head and elected to lean against the swaying ship.

"I've been sitting and laying down for four days straight," she told him, so as to not bruise his ego. "My legs'll turn to jelly if I sit down any longer."

"Aw, fair enough, then," said Cuddy. Kristoff left them then and went over to talk to the star of the show: A pretty little brunette named Cassie. Anna might have felt a little jealous at that once, but everyone on the ship knew that Cassie was shacked up with the captain.

"Is the captain still in his cabin?" Anna asked.

"Sure is. Cass said he wanted to make some last-minute changes to the script."

The news was met by a chorus of sighs by everyone within earshot. Anna released a hearty one herself. "Well, I hope it's got nothing to do with my part!"

"Mine neither."

Then the sound of footsteps clomping on the circular stairs caught the ears of everyone in the room, and the captain himself spun into the room, flourishing a bundle of papers in one hand while holding a smoking pipe in the other. Captain Noel struck a majestic figure. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with lovely thick hair swept fashionably over his head. Of all things, he liked to wear a flowing white cape that he flourished every time he made an elegant bow. He was good looking and very much aware of it, which only made him seem full of himself, at least from Anna's perspective.

"Hey, fools," Noel said to the crew. Upon seeing Anna, he paused and peered into her eyes a little suspiciously. "You're feeling better then?"

"I'm not coughing my guts up anymore," replied Anna.

"Good thing too," Noel said. "You kept us all up half the night with your hacking and groaning. . . No one here can play Mercutio like you can." He grumbled at the mere thought of having to find someone else to play Anna's part. "Well, it looks like you've got your colour back. Those rosy cheeks are enough to turn any man's gaze."

"Or any woman's," retorted Anna cheekily.

"Good to see that mouth of yours is back too." He laughed heartily. It was one of those sounds that infected everyone around him, and Anna quickly felt the familiar tug of her own smile on her lips. Noel gave her cheek an affectionate pinch, then leapt up onto the stage so he could see everyone in the room. "All right," he boomed. "Let's start this meeting already!"

They all twisted around to look at Noel. Some took seats on the various props and set pieces, while others elected to remain standing. Anna stood on her toes to stretch her legs, then leaned he back against the inner hull once more.

"Now, first," Noel began, "I'll have you all know that I've made a small change to the opening scene." A collective groan rose from those involved in that scene. "Now, now," Noel continued, sounding not the least bit discouraged. "You just wait until you see it! But I don't want you to concern yourselves about that change now. We've other matters to discuss – ones that are far more important in the grand scheme of things.

"We're due in Arendelle in an hour. Any minute now we should come in sight of the cliffs, then the fjord soon after. Once we're there, they'll be absolutely no discussion of anything outside of the performance. I'll only say that once, and I expect you all to remember and keep your lips sealed. The gallows are the only thing waiting for us if anyone discovers why we're really here. Have I made myself clear on that point?"

"Aye, sir," the crew said in scattered unison.

"When the Primadonna docks, we're to put on our costumes for the final dress rehearsal. You're all to remain in character for the duration of our stay. If you're a Montague or Capulet, you're to project such thinly veiled hostility towards each other I want the royal guards to feel it when they walk past. I want everyone who comes to watch to be captivated before they even take their seats. So, break a leg Cassie, Cuddy, 'cause all eyes are gonna be on you!"

Cassie stood up, flicker her hair over her shoulder. "As we all know, the third act is the most important, for it marks the beginnings of our other plans. Anna, your duel with Tybalt will spill off the stage and into the crowd. If all goes well, you and Kristoff will be able to slink into the guardhouse and no one will even think to challenge you."

Anna bowed and grinned, then clutched at her breast as though she were bleeding from some terrible wound. "'Help me into some house, Benvolio'," she recited. "'Or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses! They have made worms' meat of me'!"

Noel gave her a wholly approving nod, and scattered applause rose from the crew.

Kristoff spoke next. "Once Anna and I are inside, we're to take out the guards and dress in their uniforms. With everyone out watching the play, there shouldn't be any more than two or three to worry about."

"Of course, you'll have to wait until Romeo's fight with Tybalt to act," Cassie added.

"Of course," said Kristoff with an easy grin.

"Easy." Anna flourished her hand and a dagger appeared in it from its hiding place deep within her sleeve.

"Then, you'll march through the palace and up to the alcove where the royal family will be." Noel sounded positively gleeful at the thought. "A little sleeping weed in Princess Elsa's tea shall do the trick. She'll be so tired, she'll need to be carried to her bedchamber."

"Once the princess is asleep, I'll create a distraction from below," Kristoff said. "The guards should come running."

"And that's when I steal into her chambers, snatch Princess Elsa and bring her back to the ship!" Anna said.

"That's right," Noel crowed. "You're going to kidnap Elsa Arendelle. According to rumour, she's the most extraordinary beauty in the Northern Lands! Once she's on the ship, everyone who's not on stage will have to be prepared to make a quick escape. If the guards discover Elsa missing, we'll need to be on our way before they can act. We may have to lay some cannon fire into the Arendellian flagship as we go, but once we're out of the fjord and into open ocean there's no chance that monster of a ship can catch us!"

An excited ripple flooded through the crew. Noel kept on speaking, checking the finer details of the plan with individual crew members. Exhilaration stirred in Anna's stomach, warming her body and tingling her fingers and toes. After months of planning and rehearsals, they were here, and they were going to put on the greatest show Arendelle had ever seen.


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Author's Note: The play referenced is Romeo and Juliet, which is probably my favourite Shakespeare play. The best Mercutio I've ever seen was performed by a woman. The entire Capulet party scene where Mercutio sneaks Romeo and Benvolio in was so good I wish I could see it performed that way one more time.