Chapter:1 The Mighty Marco
The streets of Valencia were alive with music and dancing. Its people dipped chalices into fountains of wine and clinked them with merry excitement. Fireworks shot up into the starry sky as cheers rang out across the kingdom. Two women in scarlet gowns scurried up the palace stairs.
"Faster, Isabelle!", giggled one of them. "We are not missing a minute of this gala!" They ran for the main gate, which revealed an entire fiesta thriving within.
Everyone danced away as a nobleman made an announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present Queen Luisa y King Raul!" All applauded as the royal couple waved and sat in their thrones.
King Raul raised his hand as the ballroom went silent. He smiled through his black beard and announced, "Bienvenidos! Tonight we celebrate the success of our expedition."
Queen Luisa added, "The Paloma's maiden voyage has yielded fruitful results, and our greatest shipment of diamonds and gold, is now safely on its way home. This fortune will finally allow our economy to flourish, and our kingdom to enter a new era. An era of advancement and opportunity for all!" The ballroom filled with applause as the festivities resumed.
Isabelle was chatting when her friend, Maria nudged her. "Isabelle, look! It's...him.", she sighed while batting her eyelashes. The two turned to see a handsome young man strutting into the gala. He was in his finest robes, and sported a dashing cape and feathered hat. The ladykiller fiddled with his curly mustache and blew a kiss toward the girls. Maria swooned, "Aye aye aye...it's Marco...the famous explorer...and he's walking straight at us!"
Marco flirtatiously raised a brow at them while a pack of eager women trailed behind him. He slid between them and leaned on a table, "Hola señoritas.", he said in a deep, alluring voice.
"Oh...oh...holaaaaa.", sighed Maria, doing her best to compose herself.
"Hola.", confidently smiled Isabelle.
Her tone caught Marco's attention as he looked into her green eyes. "My my you're a pretty one." He kissed her hand as another woman tugged at his arm.
"Oh Marco! Marco! Tell us another story of your adventures!", begged the maiden while others pleaded after her.
Marco chuckled. "Alright alright!" The women surrounded him like a pack of wolves ready to pounce on their handsome prey. "So there I was, sailing home...when I was suddenly attacked!" Marco drew his rapier sword and assumed a dueling stance. "The pirates had me cornered, taunting me to surrender my hard-earned fortune."
"What did you do?", asked Maria desperately. "Tell us!"
Marco smirked, "I told them they had ten...no...THREE seconds to get off the boat before I cut them to ribbons! Rather than heed my warning, the brigands lunged at me. With a stab and swing, a duck and kick...I fought them back! None could match my dueling speed, as I parried away their blows. When the dust had settled, only one pirate remained. I easily disarmed him and warned, 'Tell the others what you saw here.' "
A maiden swooned against the table, sending her head dunking into a bowl of fruit punch. "You're so brave!", she admired while licking the punch off of her lips.
Marco turned with a wink. "Only for women like yourselves." He proclaimed, "After warning the fiendish foe, I tossed him into the sea and sailed my way home, just in time for the party!" His crowd applauded as he caressed Isabelle's shoulder. "How about a dance?" She nodded with a flirtatious smirk as the two made their way to the dance floor. He gripped her waist and whispered, "You know...they say the key to love, lies in just one dance."
The palace's back door swung open as a sailor caught his breath. The man was drenched from head to toe in seawater. He ran down the hall and slipped into the ballroom. Queen Luisa giggled at the sight, "A little late for a swim isn't it?"
The sailor was hyperventilating as he ran to the royal couple's side. He gave a quick bow, "Your majesties, I bring terrible news."
King Raul's smile disappeared. "What?...What is it?"
The king leaned in as the sailor whispered, "I don't want plunge us into total chaos...but the Paloma has been attacked."
"THE PALOMA HAS BEEN ATTACKED?!", screamed Queen Luisa as the king rolled his eyes. The palace went silent for a moment, and then spiraled into mass hysteria.
People yelled and complained,"This was our chance!" and "There goes the kingdom!"
The chaos tattered away at King Raul's ears, forcing him to exclaim, "SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILENCE!" The crowd froze and glared at the king. "Everyone must be...calm." He turned to the sailor. "What happened?"
"We were sailing home from the expedition when we came under attack from the nearby shoreline. Men stormed the ship and seized it as their own. I was one of the few to escape and swim back here." Bystanders gasped at the exhausted man's words.
"We've got to get it back!", yelled a maiden.
"Rally the fleets! Send an army!", hollered a nobleman.
Queen Luisa asked, "Sailor, did you happen to see where they took the ship?"
"Last I saw they were headed north, towards Corona, or Arendelle."
King Raul pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "To send the fleet into uncharted waters is suicide, especially in our economic situation. Heavens forbid the other nations see it as a declaration of war. The last thing we need is the Snow Queen of Arendelle plunging Valencia into an eternal winter!"
The queen pouted and pondered until her eyes lit up with an idea. "We need to send an expert! A daring do! A fearless adventurer both loyal to his country...and familiar with others."
Marco was slowly tiptoeing out of the ballroom when Maria shouted, "Send Marco!"
He cringed, slowly turning around with a forced smile. "Me?"
"Of course!", cheered Isabelle. "We've all heard the stories...Marco's as brave as they come, and he's stopped enough villains to fill a prison!"
Marco scratched his head and rubbed his curly mustache. "Well...I suppose...I could maybe-
"And he knows Arendelle!", proclaimed the punch-drenched woman, who still had the bowl on her head.
"I do?!", he asked before pausing..."I mean...yes! I do!"
"Of course! Don't you remember the story you told us of how YOU stopped the eternal winter?" She took the bowl off of her head and called to the king and queen. "Marco told us how it was he who convinced Queen Elsa of Arendelle to bring back summer last year. He's practically a hero in that country!"
King Raul rejoiced. "Fascinating...I had no idea!"
"Well he usually just tells the chicas.", giggled Queen Luisa. "Such a humble hero. I mean, look at him! He's sweating with enthusiasm!"
Marco was trembling in his boots while wiping the sweat from his brow. "Y...yeyeyeye yes! I'm soooo excited! I know Arendelle like the back of my hand. Elsa and I are basically dating, we're so close."
"Splendid!", chuckled King Raul. "You two can get married here when you return with the treasure."
Marco's eyes shot open as he facepalmed, "Ma- ma- married?"
"Yes, but slow down my eager friend.", laughed the king. "Not a second can be wasted! Go forth, make for Arendelle! Ally with your snowy sweetheart and return what's rightfully ours!" He turned to one of his guards and ordered, "Give him the finest personal dingy we have."
Marco couldn't stop trembling in his boat while he waved at the cheering citizens. "Buena suerte, Marco!", hollered bystanders as he drifted off to sea.
"Hurry home, Marco!", giggled Maria. "We can't wait to hear all about your battle!"
"Ba-ba-battle?", Marco gasped to himself as his heart raced. "Great going, Marco. Finding a lost ship? Fighting enemies? MARRYING THE SNOW QUEEN? Aye aye aye...I've never even been to Arendelle." He buried his face in his feathered hat. "Me and my big...fat...lying...hopeless romantic mouth." He heard something tap behind him. He turned to see a seagull perched on the edge of the stern. Its squawk startled Marco so badly, he screamed like a four-year-old girl.