A/N: Godfrey Lijah! Just one chapter and I get over ten reviews as well as twenty plus faves and twenty plus follows! To everyone who has read this story so far and given it such support, I am truly humbled. I cannot adequately express how grateful I am for each and every one of you.
Now then, I'm sorry this took so long to get done, but life can be a really tough slog some days. I want you all to know that I will keep updating this fic, but I might be a tad slow about it, but I ask for your continued patience and support. However, I can keep all of you apprised of progress being made on each chapter (and to assure you all that I'm continuing) over on my Tumblr page, . Depending on the following, I may even give slight sneak-peeks into future chapters, provided my Co-writer agrees.
Also, just like my help on Sugar Queen, I read and appreciate your reviews. Please take the time to write them after you've read because it helps me know I'm doing well.
Also, slight mistake on my part last chapter. Yes, Lord Felix Réparez IS Princess Vanellope's advisor. I failed to clarify that adequately.
Additionally, if you guys start seeing what could be subtle and/or over the top references, please feel free to call them out!
Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let's get on with the show!
Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen are © of Walt Disney Animation
The Snow Queen's Knight
An AU Wreck-It Ralph/Frozen Crossover Tale
Written by
The Phantom Soldier
Co-written by
GND-KicaCris
Chapter 2: Interrupted Introductions
Elsa gaped in awe as the tall knight and the princess came closer. She briefly glanced at everyone's expressions, noticing the nervous and frightened whispers of the court, and gulped heavily while grasping her hands tightly. 'It's okay, it's perfectly normal for a princess to have a personal knight and to bring him with her...' she thought.
The closer they got, the taller the man seemed. 'It's for her security, right? Though it's not like we could attack her or...wait, do they...oh no, maybe they know about what I did last year...' she thought worriedly. Elsa began to feel anxious again just when the young princess stopped in front of her.
Princess Vanellope curtsied in front of the queen, flashing her a beautiful smile. Behind her, the mountainous knight dropped to one knee and bowed his ironclad head in a similar display of respect. All around them was silent, as though everyone was still trying to figure out just what was beneath the plates and mail the knight was wearing.
"A pleasure to finally meet you Queen Elsa," the princess said, her voice polite but seeming to be fighting a smile. "I hope you do not mind that I brought my knight along with me."
Elsa smiled back at the royal child but her brow was still furrowed with pent up anxiety. "Not at all your highness," she said as she eyed the knight and then immediately bowed respectfully to the child. "I greatly welcome you and your people to our kingdom. I'm so grateful for your visit. Was the voyage pleasant?" Her gloved fingers refused to be untangled from her own grasp.
"I think your sister is nervous," Kristoff whispered to Anna. "Look at her hands."
Anna elbowed her fiancé in the ribs to shut him up, following it up with a glare. "Well I would be too if I was in front of that man."
"Smooth seas and helpful winds the whole way here," Princess Vanellope said brightly, her smile as infectious as it was darling.
Though the Queen returned her smile, she still found her gaze drawn to the knight in front of her. She had never seen a man as massive as the knight in front of her. Not an inch of skin was showing on his body as he maintained his kneeling position in front of her. Eventually, Vanellope quirked her head to the side and followed Elsa's line of sight.
"Something wrong your majesty," she asked innocently, wondering why her knight was so interesting to the queen.
Elsa jumped a little, startled by the child's sudden question. "I uhm..." she glanced again at the large and still silent man. "May I ask, with all due respect your highness, is everything alright with your...knight?"
"Huh?" Vanellope asked, quirking an eyebrow up at the queen, looking between her knight and the monarch. "What makes you ask that?"
Elsa quickly tried to reformulate her words. She could sense that some in the room were tense from the knight's appearance, but she didn't want to sound disrespectful to her guests. "It's just...well he seems to be wearing such a heavy looking set of armor and I just thought...well since you're in the castle now, which is the most secure place in the kingdom, I don't think it's necessary for your knight to be clad and ready for battle." Her eyes softened as she looked at the helmet of the man. "I can assure you, Sir Wreckingham, Princess Vanellope is safe here in Arendelle...you have my word." She bowed her head and smiled nervously.
"Thank you Queen Elsa," came the metallic ring of the knight's voice. His helm turned to look down at the little princess. "See? I told you this was a bad idea."
"Ah shaddap ya big cry baby!" the princess rebuked, planting her hands on her tiny hips. "If you're so annoyed by it then ya can take your helmet off."
Elsa chuckled lightly, the display reminding her of the fights she and Anna had had when they were children. The crowd seemed to relax a little upon seeing the queen less nervous about the knight.
"It's really alright Sir Wreckingham, please do," she said encouragingly.
Without another word, the knight put his hands on his helmet and pulled it free of his head before tucking it under his arm. Once it was secured, he looked up at the queen with gratitude shining in his eyes.
To the queen's surprise, her heart skipped a beat and her cheeks took on a slight rosy hue. He was handsome in a very rough and masculine way, with a strong square jaw, a touch of scruff occupying his lower face and wild spiky auburn hair. He looked to be slightly older than her, but his brown chocolate eyes looked much older, almost weary with years of wisdom and yet his smile was as pure as the smile of the princess. She found herself unable to dart her eyes away from his, and she could clearly feel her heart beating near the top of her throat.
Now that his vision was unobscured by the helmet, Ralph could clearly see the queen for the beauty she was. A face like that of an angel, framed by her pale blond hair. Honestly, he couldn't bring himself to let his gaze travel any lower because he was enraptured by her beautiful blue eyes...Eyes that seemed to hold the promise of winter in the most comforting way possible. He was glad for the chainmail covering his chest, as he was afraid that otherwise his heart would surely have escaped if it weren't there.
"Heeeeey, he's not that bad looking," Anna whispered to Kristoff.
"Your sister seems to think the same," he said with a knowing smirked.
"What?! No way! Oh my lord Kristoff, she's BLUSHING! I have never seen her blushing," Anna squealed quietly, prompting Kristoff to cover her mouth his own large hand to keep her quiet.
The Queen and the Knight stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, trying to find something, anything to say. Finally, it was Vanellope who broke the silence by clearing her throat.
"So Queen Elsa...how often does your kingdom see any snow?" she asked innocently.
Elsa returned to reality with a jolt, completely thrown by the princess's question. "Wha- excuse me?" she asked as she shook her head and looked at the small girl with an eyebrow arched ever so slightly in anxiety.
Ralph immediately fixed the princess with a glare. "Vanellope, remember that we talked about this?" he asked, his tone holding an underlying edge.
'Snow? Is she referring to last year?' Elsa's anxiety began to build up again.
"I'm sorry princess, I misheard the question," she said kindly even as she forced a smile. "Except for higher up in the mountains, Arendelle won't see any snow until winter comes. Why do you ask?"
Vanellope looked crestfallen, kicking at the floor beneath her dress. "I guess it's alright," she said, with a bit of a pout on her lips. "I was just really hoping to build a snowman after we conclude the agreement, that's all."
Sir Ralph looked up at the queen with an apologetic smile. "Forgive her your majesty," he said softly. "Sometimes Princess Vanellope lets her excitement get away from her."
Elsa's heart twitched with guilt as she took in the child's pouting expression. "It's alright. You're welcome to stay here as long as you want so perhaps you may see the snow sooner than you expect," she said without really thinking.
"Did she just…?" Anna giggled.
"This is adorable," Kristoff had to bite his lip to not laugh out loud.
Elsa suddenly realized what she had said and fought the urge to clasp her hands over her mouth. "I mean," she blushed, glancing at the knight and then at the princess. "If you would like to, that is."
Ralph couldn't help but smile at her candor. "Careful your highness," he said. "Vanellope will take anything you say and run twenty leagues with it."
Elsa couldn't help it as her blush intensified and her heartbeat sped up while she nervously giggled back at his smile. How was it possible for a seven foot tall knight to seem so scary and yet act so gentle? Unbeknownst to her, her emotions were making the fingertips of her gloves began to turn white with frost.
"As-as our future allies, I-I just wish for all of you to have a pleasant stay in our kingdom," she stammered, forcing her eyes away from the knight and smiling gently at the young princess.
"Well thank ye kindly your majesty," Lord Felix said, completely oblivious to what was happening. "We aim to make our stay mutually beneficial while forging a long lasting partnership."
Elsa turned to look at the shorter man, half thankful for the conversation to be focused once again on more political matters. "Agreed Lord Réparez. "You really don't understand how grateful we are for you to have accepted to come and start the negotiations on such short notice. Since last year Arendelle has gone through a lot of changes and difficulties...but thankfully we have prevailed."
Lord Réparez looked ready to say something else to help move the political matters forward, when another distraction made its way into the throne room.
"HAVE THEY ARRIVED YET?! Have the guests arrived?!"
All eyes in the room turned to the source of the noise as Olaf the snowman came running into the throne room.
The court gasped and whispered around them as the four guests gaped at what looked like a talking snowman.
"Olaf!" Anna shouted while Kristoff slammed his palm against his forehead. In their haste to get as much as they could in order before the delegates arrived they had completely forgotten to tell Olaf to stay in hiding until further notice. The queen paled immediately and glanced nervously at her surroundings.
Vanellope's eyes locked onto the walking talking snowman like a star in the night. "Is...is that a talking snowman?" she asked, not daring to believe her own eyes.
Elsa breathed erratically, her anxiety rapidly taking over her and making her unable to say a single word.
"Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs! Oh Elsa you were right, they do seem like the kind of people who could give warm hugs, 'specially him!" The tiny snowman pointed with his wooden hand at the confused knight. "Wow! You're big like Marshmallow! Isn't he, Elsa?" he asked her innocently as he always did but Elsa only gripped her chest with her hands.
Kristoff was the first to react as he quickly walked over to Olaf and swiftly scooped him up as if he weighted nothing. "Wow," he said with a nervous laugh. "Sorry about this your grace, the kitchen boy, you know him, always playing with flour. This is not a good time Olaf pal." He faked a smile and began to back off with Olaf under his arm. "So very sorry, your grace."
"Wait wait wait!" Vanellope cried out, her eyes looking like the answers to all her prayers had been been answered at once. "How is he alive? His name is Olaf? When was he made? How is he alive in the summer? Can I have one?"
Anna came quickly to Kristoff's aid, blocking the view to hide the talking snowman in her fiancé's arms. "Uhm hi! I'm Princess Anna," she said, bowing awkwardly and quickly. "…and this is Kristoff and no, this is in no way a talking snowman." She faked another large smile. "'Cause that would be crazy and impossible, right? This little guy here is just a kid whole likes to joke around the castle, right everybody?" She looked around her and to her surprise the court nodded with her with matching nervous smiles. It was funny how everyone in the kingdom was used to the antics of the royal family.
Elsa, however, didn't notice. Panic had taken hold of her and her palms were now covered with frost.
Felix and the General looked at each other, knowing exactly where this was going. They both knew the Princess's eyes were too keen to miss something like a talking snowman. Felix stepped forward to try and help but was quickly stopped when he felt his wife's hand latch onto his shoulder. Looking up, he saw her lips curl into a smile that spelled seven shades of trouble.
Vanellope narrowed her eyes at the other princess. "Nice to meet ya Anna," she said, "but can I pleeeeeaaaase see that talking snowman, please?" She even batted her eyelashes and clasped her hands together to increase her cuteness.
It was now Anna and Kristoff's turn to panic, as they looked at each other not knowing what to answer to the younger and very curious princess. "I'm so sorry, your highness but you see, he's not-"
"Oh don't give me that!" she said, her brow furrowing in annoyance as she stomped a foot in petulance. "I noticed the little snowcloud floating above his head, y'know! You're gonna tell me THAT'S some kind of kitchen child hybrid or something too? I don't think so. Now let's see him!"
Elsa decided that this was just too much to handle. "Princess Vanellope!" Elsa suddenly snapped sternly, earning everyone's attention back to her again. Silence engulfed the throne room as the whole crowd turned to look at the monarch and then gasped in shock upon seeing her. "I beg your pardon princess, but-" she began with a quivering voice and fog coming from her lips as she continued to speak, "I'm truly sorry about this but I can assure you, there is nothing the be afraid of…" she was beginning to smile until Anna's voice brought her back to reality.
"El-Elsa...Elsa! Elsa!" Anna repeated urgently.
"What Anna?!" Elsa hissed, glaring at her sister, and that's when she noticed it; the floor beneath her feet was frozen.
Everyone's eyes were drawn to the floor, watching as the ice grew outwards more and more. From the other ministers present to the representatives of Sugarsia, everyone was silent as a tomb at the sight of Elsa's display.
'No! No! No! No! This can't be happening!' She looked at her gloved hands in horror. This had never happened before, her gloves were supposed to always restrain her powers. Why was this happening?! Why today? Why in front of these dignitaries? Flashes of what had happened a year ago spun through her mind and she suddenly didn't wish to look at the expression on the princess and her company's faces. The ice under her feet continued to grow as her emotions twisted and stormed inside of her. She could feel it, the powers inside of her roaring and demanding to be let go. 'No, not here, I can't let this get any worse!'
She turned around towards the doors and took a deep breath. "I'm truly sorry about this but I'm afraid I must…tend to something...if you'll excuse me..." She didn't wait for anyone to respond as she strode with hurried steps and left the room with tears streaming down her porcelain face.
The throne room was silent for a moment before Vanellope snuck behind Anna and Kristoff. "AH HA! I KNEW IT WAS A TALKING SNOWMAN!" she crowed triumphantly.
Olaf escaped Kristoff's hands and jumped down, wrapping Vanellope up in a hug. "Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" he said in his trademark greeting.
Vanellope was happy to return the hug. "This. Is. AWESOME!"
"OLAF!" Anna hissed, not at all pleased with how things had just gone.
Olaf and Vanellope both looked up before looking back at each other. "RUN!" Olaf yelled, and Vanellope didn't need to be told twice. Holding his stick hand, the two took off as fast their legs could carry them.
"YOU TWO GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!" Anna shouted, stomping her foot in outrage before taking off in pursuit, dragging Kristoff behind her.
The ministers, unsure of how to proceed, decided to retire from the throne room in a dignified manner, silently agreeing that the rest of the negotiations would take place later. For a moment, Genral Calhoun, Lord Felix and Sir Ralph were left alone in the silence. Ralph took a moment to look at Calhoun and Felix, heaving a long-suffering sigh even as he formed a tired smile. "What's the score this time General?" he asked.
Calhoun blew a bang out of her eyes. "She lasted all of two minutes this time," the general said with a chuckle.
"Jeepers," Felix said, pressing a handkerchief to his forehead to dab away the sweat. "I hope we haven't jeopardized the trade agreement. And it looks like Queen Elsa got spooked by something other than just a magic snowman."
"I don't know about that," Ralph said. "But you guys go tie down the princess before the redheaded one finds out how bad of an idea it is trying to murder her."
"And what about you, Sir Ralph?" Calhoun asked, a hint of a grin tugging at the corners of her lips.
"I'm...gonna go find the queen and apologize on Vanellope's behalf," he said, putting his helmet back on and heading off in the direction he had seen the Queen leave in.
-X-X-X-X-X-
Elsa ran as fast as her legs could take her, the walls around her freezing with every step she took. A couple of guards saw her and immediately stood aside, not wanting to be frozen in another one of her outbursts. They cared for their queen and would do anything to protect her, but they had also learned to be very careful with her whenever she was in a volatile emotional state.
At the end of the hall, one of the guards promptly opened the door to the library and signaled the queen to enter. She instinctively did as signaled and the guard quickly closed the door behind her.
"It's another of those days for the queen, uh?" the guard mumbled lowly to his partner.
"Seems so. Better leave her alone so she can calm her powers down." His partner nodding firmly, they resumed their guarding stances, completely unaware what was heading their way.
-X-X-X-X-X-
"We've gotta find them!" Anna hissed to Kristoff, the pair checking every door up and down the hallway as they looked for the ersatz princess and their snowman friend.
Kristoff looked over his shoulder at the redheaded princess. "Anna, why is this such a big deal? I mean, how else was the kid going to react? From what Elsa told me, you would always give Olaf a hug when you were kids."
"That was different you lunkhead! This is a living Olaf!" She continued opening and closing doors left & right. "God knows what trouble they're going to get into and then Elsa will get blamed and we'll have a war on our hands and then we won't be able to get married because you'll get conscripted and then I'll have to be a war widow and then I'll never get to have beautiful blond-haired babies who call me 'mama' and love me just the way I am and..."
Kristoff grabbed his bride by her arms, shaking her slightly. "Anna! ANNA! Breathe!" he commanded.
Anna forced herself to breathe, trying to calm herself down. Just as she started to see straight again, she heard an amused chuckling. She and Kristoff turned to see Lord and Lady Réparez walking towards them.
Anna reacted first. "Lord Felix, General Réparez," she said while trying to smile sweetly. "Shouldn't you be uhm, waiting in the throne room?"
Lord Felix smiled at her. "No Sirree your highness," he said cheerily. "We've come to help you find the princess and your snowman friend!"
The General laughed wryly. "For all the good it will do us," she said with a smirk. "That girl can't be found if she doesn't want to."
Anna's shoulders sagged at that claim, knowing just how pointless the search was because of the palace's size. She had hidden in hundreds of spots and knew that she had only scratched the surface. "But-but how will we-?"
"She'll come out of hiding when she's good & ready," the blond officer sighed. "Until then, mind if we ask about that ice formation in the throne room?"
Anna and Kristoff both stiffened at that question, beads of sweat forming on both of their foreheads as they worried about completely ruining the trade agreement.
Luckily for them, Lord Felix noticed their discomfort and gave them an apologetic smile. "Please forgive my wife, your majesty," he said. "Believe it or not, we're just worried about Queen Elsa as much as we are Princess Vanellope. Was some kind of witch trying to freeze the Queen in place?"
The couple relaxed at the ambassador's admission, but tensed slightly when he asked about a potential witch. For a moment, the hallway was silent as the grave until Kristoff began rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, not a witch exactly..."
Anna lashed out and punched him in the arm. "Shutup you idiot," she hissed.
Kristoff rubbed his arm, feeling a bruise forming beneath his sleeve. "Look we may as well be honest with them," he defended.
Anna sighed, knowing deep down he was right. She turned to face the two representatives again. "It wasn't a witch," she said quietly. "It was...my sister."
General Calhoun arched an eyebrow at the admittance. "Your sister can control ice?" she asked.
"Something like that, yeah," she replied, her heart already feeling like it was being squeezed.
The Lord and General looked at each other and then back at the couple in front of them. General Calhoun leaned over against the wall, looking the two over with the hint of a smirk on her lips. "Alright kids, you have our attention," she said, as though they were having a polite conversation at dinner.
Kristoff and Anna couldn't believe how nonchalant they were about the whole thing. They were acting as though this was common place. But rather than ask about why they were taking it so well, Anna decided to just start from the beginning. "Well, I guess you could say it all started when Elsa and I were kids..."
-X-X-X-X-X-
Ralph found himself wandering through the halls of Arendelle's palace. As he followed the odd trail of frost that he could only guess the Queen had left behind her, he found himself admiring the works of art hung along the walls as he did so.
'Clyde would love to see all of this stuff,' he thought, thinking of his old friend back in Sugarsia.
He continued walking further and further, nodding to passing guards as he did so, who, either from fear or knowledge of the visiting dignitaries, made no effort to stop him. When Ralph found the trail of ice leading into the room ahead of him, he stopped just short of entering, staring down at the guards in front of him.
"Is Queen Elsa in there?" he asked, trying his hardest not to sound threatening.
The guards nodded crisply, looking as though they were trying to summon the courage to turn him away.
"I'd like to apologize on behalf of my princess's behavior, so if I could, y'know?" he said, sounding unsure.
The guards looked at each other, wondering what they should do. Finally, either from accepting his explanation or just by realizing they couldn't do anything to stop him, one stepped aside and the other followed suit. Ralph nodded his thanks to them and slowly pushed the door open to see how distraught the Queen was.
-X-X-X-X-X-
"Argh! What in the world just happened?! And why did it have to happen TODAY?!"
Elsa was pacing the room frantically, her palm pressed against her forehead before she looked down at both of her hands with glaring frustration. "Now they will never trust us because of this godforsaken curse! She took off one of her gloves and threw it at the nearest book shelf, a bit of her residual power causing a small patch of frost on the wooden piece. The walls of the library were completely covered in frost as well, giving testament to the level of anxiety the Queen was feeling.
"Everything was going just fine! But you let your emotions run freely and this is what happens!" she spat as she chastised herself, throwing the other glove to the floor and causing the ice under her feet to grow even more. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She held her hands against the sides of her head as tears began to form in the corners of her closed eyes.
"Uhm...Queen Elsa?" Ralph asked cautiously, poking his helmeted head into the room, taking notice of the frost covered...everything.
Elsa yelped and backed instinctively towards the curtains. "Wha-who is it?" she yelped as she hurried and hid behind the translucent drapery.
Ralph took a deep breath, fearing that he had frightened her. "It's uhm...It's Sir Ralph of Wreckingham your majesty," he said tentatively. "I'm sorry to intrude upon you like this, but I wanted to come and uhm...apologize."
Timidly, she barely poked her head out from the curtain. "A-apologize?" she whispered, sounding unsure. "What would you have to apologize for, Sir Wreckingham?" She was perplexed by the enigmatic knight's curious behavior.
He decided to take a chance and fully entered the library, closing the door quietly behind him. He took a moment to marvel at the sheer amount of ice covering the walls and floor, utterly amazed by the beauty of it all. Shaking his head from his stupor, he pulled his helm off once more and stared earnestly into her icy blue eyes. "Well I...I wanted to apologize on behalf of Princess Vanellope," he said quietly. "I'm sorry about her poor behavior just now."
"What?" Elsa slowly stepped out from behind the drapery, her arms wrapped protectively around herself. She frowned in confusion at the knight. "But she didn't do anything wrong, good Sir." Why was he saying such nonsenses? Why wasn't he more concerned about her powers?
Ralph rubbed the back of his neck with a massive hand. "She's a bit spontaneous and hard to control sometimes, but she means well," he said, looking down at the ice covered floor. "I think she just saw the talking snowman and her little heart leapt for joy."
Elsa's eyes went wide in surprise. "Joy?" she echoed quietly. She then remembered clearly the face of the little princess and how delighted she seemed with Olaf. She hadn't been scared of him: she had seemed bewildered at first, yes, but then she was smiling brightly. "I-I...it's fine...was she...scared after I left?"
Ralph could sense that something was worrying her, but he couldn't quite figure out what. "Not that I could see," he said casually. "From what I saw, your sister took off after both of them while Vanellope and the snowman were hugging. But Vanellope seemed pretty happy the whole time."
Hearing that made Elsa sigh with relief, feeling like she could collapse into her favorite reading chair. "Oh thank God...I thought I had scared her," she said as finally left the curtains completely, wringing her hands anxiously. If the princess hadn't seemed worried about the display of her powers then perhaps there was some hope for the agreement to still go on, though she wasn't so sure about the councilor and the general.
"I would like to also give me apologies to the princess and her party. I didn't mean to...well..." She suddenly noticed how he was looking so intensively at the frozen furniture and felt ashamed. "Please I beg of you, on my behalf, to express my deepest wishes to still continue with our negotiations despite...all this." She swept her arms around her, signaling the frozen room. "I'll understand if you wish for someone else to do this with the princess. My advisors are very trustworthy and I assure you, they will treat her with respect." She turned around and looked out the window sadly, expecting him to take her offer.
Ralph smiled at her in a way that bespoke understanding. "Your majesty, if I know that little girl at all, I know she'll probably still want to conduct this agreement with you after she's done hugging that snowman," he said kindly. "She's not one to really shun people."
Elsa looked at him over her shoulder, her eyes brimming with deep worry. "But...what about Lord and Lady Réparez?"
"Yeah, them too," Sir Ralph shrugged, looking completely nonchalant about the whole thing. "They're not the type of people to turn away from a new partnership either."
Elsa half smiled at that. Perhaps she had chosen the right people to form an alliance with after all. "Thank you...Sir Ralph. You don't know how glad I am for this partnership."
Ralph offered her another smile. "Yeah well, knowing Vanellope, after she spent nearly two weeks aboard the Jawbreaker, she just wanted to get out and have some fun. Believe me, she may be young but she wants this trade agreement too."
Elsa's smile widened a little more, but her curiosity was starting to get the better of her. Why was she feeling so comfortable talking with this knight? "That makes me very happy to hear," she said as she smiled sincerely at him, her eyes shining like two sapphires in the darkness.
'Well she seems to be relaxing,' he thought with a smile.
After a few moments of silence, Ralph decided to address the elephant in the room. "Uhm...your majesty," he said tentatively. "I don't want to intrude, but is all of this ice from...well, you?"
The queen dropped her smile blushed in embarrassment. "We-well," she stammered as a few pieces of ice fell from the ceiling. She hung her head low as she decided to just tell the truth. "Yes...I'm afraid it is." She hugged her middle and hid her hands. "It's a curse I was born with." Her eyes took an interest on the floor, unable to look him in the eyes.
She was expecting him to gasp or be horrified at her admittance, but he simply gave her a calming smile. "Would you believe me if I told you I understand?" he asked.
Elsa raised her head to look at him through incredulous eyes. "You-you do?" her brow furrowed in confusion.
Ralph decided that the best way to show her how much he understood was through a demonstration. "Your majesty, if you would be so kind, could you open up the doors to that balcony, and then make the hardest wall of ice you can on the balcony?" he asked. At seeing her look of confusion, he simply smiled. "I know that sounds strange, but believe me this has a point."
The queen cocked an eyebrow and after thinking about it for a few seconds she decided it was better not to offend him and just go with whatever he was trying to demonstrate. After all, he too was an honored guest. Besides, she was curious. "Alright," she shrugged and opened the doors of the balcony wide. She looked back at him one last time. Taking a deep breath, she opened both of her palms to produce a strong but short blast of ice. A wall of ice grew tall in front of her in just a few seconds.
Ralph gaped as the ice and frost swirled around the block of ice and made it much thicker, taking on a bluish tint and noticeably more resistant looking. Elsa leaned closer to inspect the surface and proudly confirmed that this block was as hard as the ice in the walls of her ice castle. "Okay Sir Wreckingham," she said as she turned around and looked at him with a doubtful expression, "this is my most resistant type of ice." She still wasn't sure where he was going with this.
Ralph looked at the wall of ice, thoroughly impressed by it. Still, he set his helmet down and began pulling off his metal gauntlets. When he had successfully pulled his hands from them, Elsa couldn't help but marvel at how large his hands truly were. If anything, they looked bigger outside the gauntlets, worn and heavily calloused, but no less strong. Ralph looked at her with a bit of a world weary smile. "You may want to step back a bit," he cautioned, Elsa doing as he instructed.
When he was reasonably certain she was far enough away, the Knight pulled his right arm back as far as it would go before sending a massive fist flying towards the wall. Before Elsa's eyes, the nigh impenetrable wall of ice shattered into snow and crystalline shards, as if they had been naught but glass, and all from Sir Ralph's bare fist.
Elsa gaped, her eyes as big as dinner plates. Her ice was known for being even stronger than stone and yet this mysterious knight had successfully turned it into dust and sparkles. "How-how?!" Her brain just couldn't process just how strong he was.
Ralph flexed his fingers before looking back at the queen. "You're not the only one who was born with a 'gift', your highness," he said.
It suddenly hit her, his significantly larger hands, his sheer size and inhuman strength. "You too?" she gasped. Could it be that this man was also cursed just like her? She had to know more.
"Born or acquired?" she questioned, even as the corner of her lips curled into a curious smile.
"Born," he said simply. "Something of a family curse. My father had them, and so did my gran'da. What they're from we never knew, but we've used them all the same."
Elsa's amused smile grew larger. "I can't believe it," she chuckled lightly. She wasn't the only one after all and the notion made her...happily excited for some reason. "Well I bet yours comes in handy with your profession." She tried to lighten the mood with some levity.
Ralph laughed at that. "Actually, this one it hasn't been so much," he chuckled. "My last one on the other hand..."
"What about it?" He had earned her full attention and curiosity now.
"I wasn't always a knight your highness," he said slowly. "As a matter of fact, I've only been Vanellope's knight for the past two years. Before that, I was what you'd call a mercenary."
Well this knight was indeed full of surprises. "A mercenary?" she parroted, unsure she had heard right. But that couldn't be right: how could a ruthless and merciless mercenary become a knight? It didn't make sense. They didn't share the same codes or values. Sir Wreckingham seemed fearsome indeed but Elsa just couldn't see the mercenary in him.
"Pardon me Sir Wreckingham but I find that difficult to believe," she stated as she walked toward a nearby large couch.
Ralph shrugged his shoulders. "I'm afraid it is true your majesty," he explained. "Before Vanellope dubbed me as her knight and protector, I worked as a mercenary with a specialty in taking down castles, fortifications and protective walls. While I know I've never killed anyone, I still did a lot of work like that. Even before I met Vanellope, I did try to serve in General Calhoun's Army, but she and I didn't really see eye to eye..."
The Queen found that explanation making much more sense, but her curiosity was growing more and more. "Really? Seems to me that you have one interesting story, Sir Ralph," she said with a grin. Unbeknownst to him, Elsa loved stories about knights.
Ralph's smile perked up at her sudden interest. "Would you...would you like to hear it?" he asked, suddenly feeling very shy.
There was something about him, something that made her feel comfortable. He was a foreign knight who she had just met that day and yet, she felt completely familiar with him. "Well you've piqued my curiosity," she said as she took a seat on the couch, fixing her long purple cape to the side to look more regally. "It simply wouldn't do to leave me wondering about it. I would love to hear the rest of your story."
Ralph seated himself on the rug, stretching out his heavily muscled legs. "Well, I guess to put the whole thing into perspective, it all started one day after I'd returned from a contract..."
-X-X-X-X-X-
Alright folks! That's it for this segment! But get ready because we're going into heavy backstory territory next round, wherein I retool the story of Wreck-It Ralph to fit with my universe. Fret not dear readers, for this will still present a funhouse mirror parallel of the film's story, just set in the world and period I've crafted (and give or take a few removed elements). However, there will be no tinkering with Frozen's storyline as this story heavily relies on it.
Again, please leave thoughtful reviews. I appreciate your input, reactions, thoughts and conjectures!
