Chapter I Big in Europe
Anna thought she loved weddings. She had never been to one before in her entire life, but she knew she would have loved it. Now that she had finally lived the experience, she realized it was a misplaced assumption. Oh, well, the princess was still sure would have probably loved the wedding of people she knew, and her own of course, but the one of perfect strangers? Not so much.
In castle Arendelle had arrived a month prior an invitation for the royal union of the princess of the neighbour country of Langreise with the love of her life. It was directed to Elsa, but she was too busy with court's duties to actually attend. Anna had jumped at the possibility like a wolf on a meal, sure that Kristoff would have travelled with her. But he was busy…
Closed in her moving carriage, Anna grunted, remembering those words. He wasn't busy of course, he just didn't want to go to a party of nobles, or to a wedding. Honestly, every time she threw the word in the air, he shuddered, suddenly cold. It wasn't his fault, she knew it all too well that the trolls were pressuring him to conclude the final verses of that song, they had performed that night… immediately, her frown turned into a quiet chuckle. He was so cute when he was under pressure… she just couldn't stay mad at him.
Well, in the end, she went alone. The bride's dress was amazing, the buffet was delicious (oh, the chocolate, oooh…), but she had found herself lost in the miasma of unknown faces and accents. She didn't really had anybody to talk with, and all the sharply dressed men that came to ask a dance reminded her too much of… him. Again, she grunted nervously. It had been a year and a half and she still had trouble trusting attractive gentlemen in high uniform. In the end, she didn't have that good of a time. She couldn't wait to be back home.
Anna removed the bad thoughts from her mind. Still closed in the highly decorated ball dress she had prepared for the occasion, she left herself sink in the padding of the carriage's pillows. They were moving towards to the docks, were her ship back home would have sailed that night. Two more days at sea. She sighed heavily, moving her hands to the box of chocolates she had borrowed (stole) from the wedding, taking another one of those delicious pearls.
As she cooed in pleasure for the taste melting in her mouth, she moved her fingers once more, looking for another candy. She winced, raising her head. "Oh no…" she grabbed the box, studying it intensely. "Oh, no, no, no!" they were already finished. She pushed her head out of the little window of the coach and called her driver: "Fridolv!"
"Yes, my lady?" the affable middle-aged man looked at her. He pulled the bridles to slow down the two black horses at the head of the chariot.
"Is there a chocolate shop or bakery or something like that around here?"
He laughed: "I don't know my lady, we could look for it."
Anna gave him a wide smile, waving the empty box in the air. "Then let's do it! Your princess demands it!"
He chuckled again, starting to move. They needed half an hour and the help of three different men before finding a rather large commercial street, filled with expensive looking and richly decorated shops. Langreise was a city of white buildings and warm weather. It was a perfect little day of spring, a sweet and gentle breeze kissed the citizens of the kingdom. The chocolate shop had a French name with a sign all in pink, its window showcased so much beautiful tasty-looking stuff that Anna felt ready to cry tears of joy. She forced herself not to look, sure that she would have bought the entire place.
"Alright, here we are," Fridolv dismounted from his seat, reaching the princess's window. "What do you want me to look for, my lady?"
She handed him the box. "If they have these, it would be great! Otherwise look for something similar."
"I'm on it…"
Anna watched him go, staying inside the coach. Her eyes danced around the streets, looking through the various commercial exercises. A book shop on the other side of the road caught her attention. Mr. Peacock's Paper Paradise. She liked the name, and suddenly she remembered how bored she had got during the journey to reach that kingdom.
"I should have brought myself something to read," she remembered saying many times in those forty-eight hours of sea-sickness. Smiling, she decided that waiting in the coach was pointless. With a few rapid steps, hands gripped on the fabric of her skirt, she went out of the cabin, crossed the street, and entered the bookshop. A bell ringed when she opened the door.
It was much larger than she had anticipated. The first room swept high up to the ceiling, the walls on both sides were filled with books, and so were countless tables dispersed through the main hall. Thousands the volumes, a colourful army of covers and pages or every size and the aroma of paper filled the room, a smell that had a soothing effect on the princess. Anna was never the biggest or most voracious reader, truly, Elsa was the one much more into it. Yet the young woman did enjoy a good novel every once in a while.
She started wondering if somebody was there, when suddenly a low sounds of steps arrived from a near by room. A man came in, tall and friendly looking, with silver hair and a discreet pair of glasses on his nose. "Oh, I thought I heard the doorbell," he said, with a gentle smile. "Good Morning, my Lady."
"Mr. Peacock?" she asked.
He shook his head, smirking. "I'm Mr. Feynar. I'm sorry, but Mr. Peacock is just the name of the shop…"
"Oh," she flushed red, faintly laughing at that little gaffe. "Well, Mr. Feynar, I'm Anna, it's a pleasure…"
"It's a pleasure for me too, Lady Anna. Do you want to buy a book?"
"Yes actually," she looked across the room, smiling. "Something to pass the time…"
"Do you have any idea on what you're looking for?"
"Why don't you sir give me an advice?"
"Well, how about horror fiction?" he moved around some piles of books, reaching a text in a black cover. "Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. It has been a huge hit in Europe. Written by a rather talented woman, Lady Mary Shelley."
Anna bit her lips. "Horror? No, no, not for me," she laughed cautiously. "Don't you have something, I don't know, light? Pleasant? To fill the time during a boring journey?"
"A romance?"
The princess smiled, embarrassed. "A romance sounds great."
She was afraid of sounding childish, but the man kept his open smile, starting: "The choice is wide! And advice on some classics? Pamela or Pride and Prejudice. Or maybe you want something more recent… Love is an Open Door has become quite popular. Or maybe even…"
Anna stopped him, intrigued: "I heard of Pride and thing! I guess I will take thatwaitwhat?" the last title finally reached her brain, hitting her like a cannon ball. Love is an Open Door. Didn't she already heard something along those lines? Maybe? Where? Then she remembered… "Oh god…"
Mr. Feynar stared at her with puzzled eyes. "Uhm… my Lady? Is something wrong?"
Shocked, she ignored the question, rapidly asking: "That last book! Who wrote it?!"
"Which one, Love is an Open Door? The author is a man named Johannes Liebe. Unfortunately, I don't know much about him, this is only his first novel," from one of the shelves he took the book, that had a green cover decorated by golden trims. "…But it surely won't be his last. Like I said, it's having quite a lot of success in Europe. It has a fairy tale sort of vibe to it that is surprisingly appealing I'd say…"
Anna went closer, grabbing the tome from his hands. To her, it felt immensely heavier than it actually was. She opened it up and studied the first page, reading the title and author once more. "Wh-w-what is it about?!" she asked, he belly filled with an awful presentiment she really could comprehend or ignore.
"It's a love story obviously. A prince and a princess meet," hearing that Anna became stiff with disbelief. "It's true love at first sight, but her evil sister doesn't want them to get married," she raised her head and stared at the shop owner, her face a pale mask of confusion. He elegantly smiled. "That's all I'm going to say. I wouldn't dare ruin a book to anybody…"
Anna passed the title page, reaching Chapter one. She read the first few lines… Summer in the city of Kaldnade. It couldn't be warmer, it couldn't be sunnier.
Mr. Feynar clapped his hands. "So, do we have a winner?"
The princess gritted her teeth, closing the book. "Oh yes… I need to read this…"
Fridolv had found the exact same type of chocolate and bought a thirty pieces box. Despite that, even the delicious milky bonbons weren't enough to wipe away the bitter, nasty taste that was filling Anna's tongue and mouth, as she started reading the book.
Prince Friedrik of the Northern Mountains was a man of infinite talents and countless qualities. Many admired his beauty and his mind, even more were those that envied his status, of first born prince of a great and powerful nation. He was a stunning man, charming to all living things, a thick mane of black hair…
Anna snorted, rolling her eyes. That foppish scumbag had some nerves.
…sent he was by his father to the coronation of Princess Haralda of Kaldnade, known by many for her sharp mind and the astringent draughtiness of her heart. She had kept herself closed for years and years in her monumental stronghold, disgusted by the idea of sunlight and people. She was a woman enamoured with many things: her power, her throne, but most of all, her own isolation…
"Can't believe this bulls…" Anna took another chocolate in her mouth, snarling as her anger was building up.
…they were meant to marry, Friedrik and Haralda, like their fathers had decided many years before, on a night of cold, unnatural and calculated diplomacy-making, drenched in the rain like the sky was crying for such wickedness. In the name of respect for his father, Friedrik knew he needed to abide to that old contract. Yet, his heart felt dishonest and conflicted in accepting that destiny. What was the meaning of a throne, if he couldn't share it with someone he truly loved?
Anna almost chocked. Accidentally, she spat a globe of saliva and liquefied chocolate on the page. Cursing herself, she dabbed the paper with a tissue. The words were still readable fortunately. She went back to them, and again she knew, there was just no doubt, no doubt at all.
…he stopped, short of hitting her, so quickly she had appeared in front of him, like an angel, lost and confused after escaping the golden gates of Paradise. A girl of uncommon and blinding beauty, hair gorgeous and black like a living winter night, her speckled skin fair and noble. A spark of bright energy ran across her smile, lips like plump petals or a majestic flower too beautiful to really exist in that dreary world. Descending from his stallion Appelsin, the Prince smiled and apologized for his rude, uncoordinated movements.
"My lady, thank goodness my lackadaisical riding didn't tarnish your splendour. I'm Prince Friedrik of the Northern Mountains. May I have the honour and privilege of knowing your name?"
She bowed ever so slightly, holding her green dress. Her voice was a tender tune, like music from an enchanted orchestra. "Noble knight I am Princess Veronica of Kaldnade and I assure you, the honour belongs to myself in meeting someone of your undoubted eminence."
They realized both that something had happened in that short instant. Something unexpected and magic, something they both believed would have never happen. But it was true… true love.
"Ugh, don't trust him!" Anna kept herself from spitting again.
They reached the docks, and she went out of her coach with the chocolates in a hand and the book in the other, barely looking where she was going. The Arendelle's sailor surrounded her, every one of them sure that in those conditions she would have fallen to her death one way or another, but she reached the ship and her cabin without problems.
Throwing herself in the bed, she kept reading, again and again, page after page, barely able to sleep that night, devouring the book not because she liked it, but because she despised intensely every single printed word of it. She spent the entire day after still on the book, and once she finished it the first time, she read it all once more.
Her breathless voice emitted a whisper of sadness and fear, her eyes covered in bitter tears. "My sister's sinful witchcraft stroke my soul. I will wither away like a solitary blossom in the autumnal wind… before its too late, only true love alone can save me… true love that I never knew in my life whole…"
"True love …" he realized with the speed of the God Mercury. "The true love that connects our lives. The true love that we felt that day on that shore. The true love that I myself never knew in my life whole… before you…"
And he leaned over her, their lips meeting in the a single moment of perfect synchronization. They were not two but one, like the original perfect being of the myths, man and woman, united forever. And with that kiss, he saved the both of them.
Anna closed the volume, gritting her teeth with such strength she was sure to break them. She wanted to burn that damn thing! She wanted to toss it in the ocean, then stand there, and wait to see the fishes eat it up, page after page! But she didn't do it. She needed tangible proofs that it was all real, that she didn't just imagine that horrible literary nightmare. That night, they reached Arendelle.
The following was a hot morning, with a bright tender sun. Like many days, Elsa had her breakfast ready on her balcony, so that she could smell the delicious air that came from the sea as she was quietly eating. With her white hair let loose, the light blue night vest still on, she sat on her table and started drinking a large cup of tea, letting the delicious taste heat her inside. Soon enough, an abrupt sound came from behind. She turned her head, smiling as her sister barged in the room, ready to join her.
"Ooh, Anna, less than a week, but I did miss you so much!" Elsa stood up, opening her arms. "Sorry if I didn't wait for your return last night, I had kind of a stressful day, and I wanted to sleep… actually, I'm surprised you're not still sleeping yourself… you arrived late yesterday, am I wrong?"
"I couldn't sleep," said the younger, hugging her sister rapidly before declaring: "We need to talk!"
"Oh sure," the Queen smiled, reaching her seat once more. "How was the wedding? Did you have fun?"
"The wedding is not important!" snapped the other. "This is!" Anna raised the green book she was holding, and Elsa looked at it confused.
"Ooh, ok… what is it?"
"It's a book that you need to read!"
"Oh," the interest of the Queen resurfaced. "Is it good?"
"No! It's the most horrible, nightmarish abomination I ever laid my eyes on!"
Again, Elsa frowned, really disconcerted. "I'm not sure I want to read it then…"
"You must!" Anna sat down at the table, her voice turned into a frantic fast-paced waterfall of words: "It's about a prince meeting a princess and they want to get married but she has a crazy evil witch-sister that doesn't want them to get married and has kept her lock up in a tower for years so that she would never find love and then she curses her because she's a witch I already said that and the princess will die unless an act of true love saves her so the prince jumps on her…"
"Wait, wait, slow down!" cried the other. "If you want me to read it, don't just spoil it like that!"
Anna eyes widened, stunned. "This is serious Elsa! You're not getting it?! What I said doesn't remind you of anything?!"
"Uhm…" Elsa curled her lips. "Well… it does kind of…"
"Me! You! Prince! Princess! Act of true love! The evil witch-sister!"
The queen narrowed her eyes, clucking her tongue: "Oh, so now I'm evil?"
"That's not what I'm saying!" Anna threw the book on the little table covered in sweets and brioches. "This books is us! Is our story!"
Elsa made a dubious face. She chuckled, shaking her head, visibly entertained. "Oh, dear, are you sure you're not overreacting?"
"I am not!" barked the redheaded princess, putting the book in the hands of the other woman. "Read the name of the author! Read it!"
"Johannes Liebe?"
"Yes! See?! See?!"
"See what?"
"Johannes! JOHANNES!" chanted the younger, articulating as hard as she could the words, twisting her face in several goofy masks: "Jo-HAN-ne-S". Elsa just stared, still not understanding. Anna grabbed her own face, desperately growling: "Hans! Hans wrote this!"
"Hans?"
"Hans!"
"Who's Hans?"
"Are you kidding me?! That Hans!"
"Oh," Elsa nodded. "That Hans… the one we want to forget about…"
"Yes! I mean, no! I mean… yes! But I can't if he pulls out crap like this! Look!" Anna screamed again, rapidly turning the pages, filled with wrath and rage, her face red and ready to explode. "Look at what he writes about you! Look at it! Look! At! It!"
The older took again the book in her hands and glanced at the lines her sister was pointing at.
…now officially the new Queen, Haralda shined of an otherworldly light. She was spectacularly beautiful and threateningly regal at the same time. Friedrik was left mesmerized by her ivory skin, perfect and clean like a primordial diamond, and he thought he could lose himself in her blue eyes, as deep as the sea and as piercing as a frozen peak…
Elsa raised an eyebrow. "Truly awful… Who would ever want to be described like this?"
"Don't joke around! Doesn't it makes you all…" Anna twisted her tongue. "...Icky and filthy the idea that he writes stuff like this about you?!"
"Not really," Elsa shrugged. "I mean, let's be honest now, you don't know if it's him."
"Of course it's him! Everything that happens in this books is something that happened to the two of us… a very perverted, manipulated version of what happened, but still…"
The Queen sighed, sipping her tea. "Come on," she said. "I'm sure it's just a coincidence."
"It's not, I tell you… I mean, do we even know what happened to him?! We sent him back home and then what?"
"His brothers punished him…"
"How?"
Elsa puckered her lips. "I don't know, we never checked… I mean, again, I thought we were trying to forget about the whole deal with Hans.."
"We don't know! Exactly!" breathing heavily, Anna dropped on her seat, exhausted. "Wherever he is now, he's writing books like these! All of Europe will think I'm a stupid dreamer that falls in love for the first lying thief…"
"Anna," the Queen looked at her, gently. "Tell me this. In the novel, the princess, does she have your name?"
"Uhm… no?"
"Does it all take place in Arendelle?"
"No… there's an imaginary kingdom…"
"Is she redheaded?"
"No, she's has black hair and so does the prince, just like me and Hans had the same hair colour, and she…"
Elsa raised a hand, blocking her. "If you and the character have nothing in common, how would it be possible for anybody to know that it's you? If even she's you, which I'm still not convinced of."
Anna shook her head. "Well, I know what is going on and I don't like it! He pretends to be a hero that saves the world, kills the bad guy, receives the trophy princess of his dreams and obtains a throne! He's making money of a giant lie, distorting our story! I won't allow it! I can't allow it!"
Elsa tilted her head, curiously looking at her sister. "What are you going to do about it?"
"I will do something," Anna folded her arms and stood up triumphantly, ready to leave the room. "First of all, I need to find that scumbag. And this time, I will punch him so hard, he will forget how to write!"
She started moving towards the door. Elsa grabbed the volume and asked: "So, uhm, are there any like… explicit scenes in this book?"
Anna shivered, "Yes, unfortunately…"
"Oh, I get it…" the Queen nodded. "Can I still read it?"
Anna looked at her, stunned and agape. "Elsa!"
"What?"
End Chapter I
Author's note: the central idea is inspired by the fan-theory that many made on how Prince Hans is truly Hans Christian Andersen and re-wrote his adventures in Arendelle to make Elsa look like a villain. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope I'll be able to update it with a certain regularity. It won't be exaggeratedly too long anyway.
Have a nice day.