44 days, 7 hours and 17 minutes earlier...
Squeal!
"I'm gonna be an aunt!" Elsa squealed as she embraced her sister. "I'm so proud of you Anna."
"Thank you Elsa." Anna cried as she continued to hug her sister. She had just announced that she was pregnant with her first child and Kristoff had just collapsed onto the floor.
"What happened?" Kristoff asked with a dazed look in his eyes as he sat up and stared at the commotion in front of him.
"Well Kristoff, my man." Nicholas said as he put a hand on his shoulder. "You're going to be a father."
"Oh...that's what I thought." Kristoff said with a laugh before he lost consciousness again. Nicholas just shook his head as the sisters giggled at Kristoff's reaction.
"Seriously?" Nicholas laughed as Kai and Gerda entered the room.
"Is everything all right your majesty?" Kai asked as he inspected the room. "When heard screams."
"Oh don't worry Kai. We were just over excited...because I'm pregnant." Anna stated happily to the servant couple. Gerda screamed in happiness as Kai just continued to share in shock at the princess. The last time that he and Gerda had handled the news of a pregnancy was when Anna was announced by Adgar and Idun, when they were still alive.
"My god...Congratulations Anna!...oh...I mean..." Kai stuttered realizing he forgotten his formality at the royals.
"Oh don't worry Kai. Just call me Anna from now on..." Anna giggled as she looked back into the mirror in by Elsa's desk. "Does this mean I'm going to get fat?"
"Well...yeah...I mean, it's a baby." Nicholas said with a chuckle as he walked over and cuddled Elsa. "So...celebratory party?"
"Actually, I would rather keep this a secret for now...especially after the events of the last months." Anna said thoughtfully.
"I have to agree with her as well." Elsa said. "We can announce it when it starts to get noticeable. Until then, we'll just be quiet...and Anna, please be careful. You have a child now...if I knew earlier I wouldn't have let you do half the stiff we did in the last few months, especially at the party two weeks ago."
"On stop worrying Elsa. I didn't get that drunk."
"You two fell off a wall. Luckily Elsa was there to break your fall, speaking of which, how's the arm?" Nicholas asked.
"It's alright. It doesn't hurt and Dr. Orberto said I can take the cast off in a few days...as long as Anna doesn't put me in another situation like that " Elsa answered.
"Why don't you just freeze a cast onto your arm? William told me that ice magic accelerates healing." Anna said as she sat down behind Elsa's desk.
"Hey. That chair is for me only." Elsa said as she grabbed Anna and tried to lift her. "Wow, you're heavier than before."
Anna reacted to that comment by ticking Elsa and dragging her down onto the floor.
"Girls, girls. Calm down..." Nicholas laughed. His attention was drawn back to Kristoff who was now groaning as he sat up again.
"You're not going to faint again...are you?" Nicholas asked as he helped the Lord up.
"Its alright. I still remember..." Kristoff said as he stood up and walked over to an an and hugged her. "Were going to have a baby...I'm so happy..."
"Aah...the tears." Anna laughed as she hugged her husband.
"Well at least we now know what really happened in that yacht trip a few months ago." Elsa said remembering the trip arrangement that Anna had planned as a sudden date for her and Nicholas.
"Wait...so you heard that?" Anna asked as her cheeks began to flush, her sister nodding in response. "Oh...that's embarrassing."
"Well, putting this aside...let's go into town for something to do. Say, why don't we tell Rapunzel and Lea about this as well. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to hear." Kristoff said.
"Alright. I'll write some letters tomorrow." Elsa said. "So...is it going to be a girl?"
"Oh please...let's not have this conversation." Anna said as she rolled her eyes. The topic of gender was not important at this moment...plus, she knew Elsa would be rooting for a girl while the men rooted for a boy. Simple logic. "Now, since I'm pregnant...that means we gotta eat. I need more energy."
"I'm afraid that means no chocolate then. " Nicholas said, shocking the princess. "Its not good to eat fattening stuff when you're carrying a child. You need to eat healthy, you know, greens, veggies..."
"Plewse don't torture me with that rubbish. I'm already going to be in pain in a few months..."
Later at night...
"You're sleeping with me tonight!" Elsa said as she pulled Anna into her bedroom.
"Ohoh. Is the queen suddenly excited at having a nephew?" Anna asked her sister as she sat on the bed.
"Or niece Anna. And yes. I've always loved children." Elsa said as she laid on the bed. She sighed when she saw that Anna was looking at her weirdly. "Well, I've loved children ever since the thaw."
"Okay then...so, what do you want to do tomorrow, and don't you dare say parental exercises, otherwise I'll burn down your study and the library." Anna laughed as she laid on her sister's back, thinking about how the future was going to unfold. She didn't know how long it took her to fall asleep, all she knew was she finally fell into a dreamless sleep, happy that everything was going to be just fine. They had no idea what was coming.
"Father? You wanted to see me?" Rapunzel asked as she entered her father's study. The king smile lightly at his daughter and her husband as he stolen up and approached her.
"Rapunzel dear. You've had first hand experience of the powers of magic right? I mean, you had magical hair, you lived with a witch, and then there's Elsa and Anna." The Coronian king said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Sight his act, Rapunzel immediately knew that something was wrong.
"Father. What's going on?" Rapunzel asked as Eugene looked between the two of them.
"Rapunzel dear...tomorrow at dawn, you'll be boarding The Cronus and heading to Willamette." The king said to both Rapunzel's and Eugene's shock.
"Father! What is happening?" Rapunzel demanded as she moved away from her father's hand.
"Dear, there are forces in this world that we barely understand. The magic that you have seen doesn't even scratch the surface of what magic can truly do." The king said. "As you're my daughter, it is my utmost priority to get the two of you to safety, no matter the consequences to me or your mother."
"NO!" Rapunzel screamed. "Corona is my home! If someone is going to threaten us, then I'm standing my ground. I'm not going to run away like some coward. If we die, we die together!"
"I was afraid that you would say that." The king said as he gestured behind her. Both Rapunzel and Eugene screamed as two guys held them back and injected a drug into their necks. A couple of seconds later, they were both on the floor asleep.
"Get them on the ship! Do not wake them till they are far enough from Corona." The king said as the guys nodded and carried them towards the ship. "The queen is going to kill me when she finds out."
"Sir, we are ten hours from Arendelle." The captain of the ship told General Steyton. The general nodded as he walked out of the brig and towards the king's quarters, the glow of the northern lights dancing off the waters reflective surface. Be looked around at the battalion that King William had ordered into this formation. Over a dozen naval ships with the combined firepower to take out a kingdom the size of Corona.
"General." King William greeted as he approached the general. "What's the latest update?"
"We'll be there in ten hours." The general replied. "Why exactly are we doing this?"
"Friends defend other friends, that, and Arendelle also has a defence contract with us. Plus, I thought you've been wanting a war for the last few years anyway." William said.
"I did, but only one that we could win...which is all of them." Steyton said with a sneer.
"Boy, arrogance will be your downfall. And remember, you'll be facing Lionheart here. He isn't exactly your average general." William warned as he looked out towards the ocean. "But hopefully everything will work out for the best. I mean, all we have to do is defend Arendelle, fight off Lecter's army, and protect Elsa and Anna. How hard could it possibly be?"
"Hans has the Concordus..isn't that what you said?" Steyton asked. "He has the power to raise the dead and perform black magic!"
"But he's a moron! Plus, the Concordus is only useful if you have the key for it." William said.
"I don't remember ever hearing about a keyhole on the book." Steyton said.
"There isn't. It's a magical key. An orb, silver and rocky. It was hidden in that abandoned castle past the bridge, and has been hidden there for hundreds of years. I seriously doubt anyone would have found it since no one in their right minds would go in there." William said.
"You did."
"Yeah...but I was keeping track of everyone. But anyway, that orb doesn't only act like a key. It is magical in its own right." William said as he leaned against the ship's banister.
"What do you mean?" Steyton asked.
"Have you ever heard of the Dark Falling?" William asked. The simple mention of these words seemed to drop the temperature around him, or maybe it was because he was the King of Ice and Snow.
"No...what's that?"
"This orb...it predates even Reimarch. Mind you, that doesn't mean that he has nothing to do with it. Anyway, centuries before Reimarch was born, there existed a clan...or more like an army that was known as the dark ones. For decades, these dark ones terrorized thousands of kingdoms. They killed people, plundered and pillaged the kingdoms. Even at sea you weren't safe. Anyway, soon after, a powerful sorcerer, I forgot his name, came into possession of several powerful charms and dark magical artifacts. The orb was one of them. So over the years, this sorcerer learned about all these forms of magic. Then one day, he went face to face with the dark ones. You can probably guess who won." William said.
"Of course the sorcerer." Steyton replied.
"Wrong! No one actually. Even with his years of training, he was no match for the dark ones. So, he led them to his own kingdom..."
"He was a king?"
"Yep. So, he led them to his own kingdom, the using all the incantations he had learned, he trapped them for eternity inside of a scepter..."
"The chimera scepter?"
"Exactly. He trapped them all in there. He then sealed it with a key...the orb of Legions. With this, he buried the two items in separate location. One was hidden in southern Europe, and the orb made its way into the hands of the king of a northern kingdom. Over the years, this orb was passed to many others. From royalty to commoners, from good to bad, from weak to powerful. It eventually ended up in the hands of Reimarch and being the psychopathic sorcerer that he was, he enchanted it with a unique charm...no...i don't know what charm he put on it! All I know was that it was so powerful that even the strongest sorcerers wouldn't go near it. They say that the charm can manipulate your soul and use your own emotions against you. But the true extent of the curse has never been revealed, mainly because no one had ever been stupid enough to touch it...and that's pretty much all I know about the orb."
"So what about the Concordus?"
"Well, when Reimarch made it, he locked it using the orb. In order to use it, you would need to have the orb. That same orb can also unlock the chimera scepter and release the dark ones...which people say, once released, will forever be indebted to the savior, whomever that may be."
"So...the Concordus is all part of a trio of hyper insane, magical shit, that will destroy the world if they're ever brought together..."
"Yes..."
"And one piece is in the hands of the brother of a deranged homicidal lunatic, the other piece is in an abandoned, haunted castle, and the last piece is god knows where!"
"Exactly!" William laughed.
"So everyday, there is a chance of waking up to insanity, chaos and evilness that could be released by anyone with a brain." Steyton said.
"Yes. But if you're stupid enough to release them, you probably don't have a brain."
"Haha. Very funny."
"Wind has shifted your majesty! Arendelle in nine hours!" The captain announced.
The next morning...
"Your majesty!" Kai nearly screamed through the door. "YOUR MAJESTY!"
"Huh...what?" Elsa groaned as she turned over and looked over to the door. She pushed her sister off her abdomen as Kai slammed on the door again.
"For goodness sakes Elsa! Wake up!" Kai shouted. This caught the queen entirely by surprise as she had never been addressed like that before by anyone...especially not a servant. Even Anna ended up waking up in shock upon hearing that.
"Kai!" Elsa shouted back.
"You can throw me in the dungeons layer your majesty! Right now we have a bloody problem!" Kai shouted. "Look out of your window!"
Elsa was supposed to shout back, but decided to humor him and move towards the window. What she saw outside nearly gave her a heart attack.
The fjord, and the ocean outside of it, was filled with ships...by not commercial ships, military ships! She counted three colors, Solarian, Coronian...and Southern Island.
"WOAH!" Anna screamed in shock seeing more than a dozen ships stationed outside of the port.
"Kai! What is this?" Elsa asked.
"I don't know. All i know is that they all arrived in the last hour! King William and a General...or prince...from the Southern Isles is here. They wish to see you immediately." Kai said.
Elsa just looked at her gaping sister.
"Uh oh."
15 minutes later...
"William? William!" Elsa shouted as she entered the ballroom. Inside was the Solarian king and his wife Queen Lea, as well as several other people dressed in military attire. "What is going on here? What is with all those ships?"
"Elsa. Anna. I need to speak to you in private...if thats alright." William said as he opened a small door to the side. Elsa looked at her sister who nodded in response as they follows the Solarian king and a general out of the ballroom. As soon as they were out, William shut the door and started.
"Elsa. Anna. I be frank with you. You are both in danger." William said.
"What?" The sister's asked in unison.
"What do you mean? The duke is dead and Hans is missing. Apart from those, we have no enemies!" Elsa said.
"I want you to meet someone." William said as he gestured to the auburn haired admiral next to him. "This is admiral Westerguard. He is a brother of Hans, but he escaped before he could be caught by Lecter. He is the one who's been supplying us with all our information."
"Princess Anna. Queen Elsa. I am a brother of Hans, but i am nowhere near like him or Lecter, as proven by the six of my brothers and my parents that Lecter had murdered to become king."
"What?" Elsa and Anna screamed in horror. They thought that Hans was murderous but this Lecter, he made Hans look as innocent as a rabbit.
"Yes. anyway, you two are in mortal danger. This is what we know up to this date from our contacts and our spies. Hans is alive. He sent Lecter a letter informing that he has the Concordus and was willing to use it against him and the southern isles...and the entire Europe actually. In response, Lecter has mobilized an army that is now being led by General Lionheart." Admiral Westerguard said.
"Who's that?" Anna asked.
"One of the most bloodthirsty, power hungry, merciless people to ever have been born. He has killed more people than your military ever had. He is known for his brute force tactics and lack of concern for his people and men. He has killed dozens of kings and queens as well...by himself." William filled in. By this time, Elsa and Anna were in shock.
"Anyway..." Admiral Westerguard continued. "...Lecter wants the Concordus, but if Hans learns to use it, he, along with everyone else, is screwed. That's why Lecter is using Lionheart. He needs him and his men to find Hans, kill him, and bring him back the Concordus. But they will still be defenseless against Hans if he used the Concordus, because arrows and cannons tend not to be useful against fire powers and curses. So, to circumvent that, he needs you and your powers. Your magic is quite powerful, and of course he couldn't get William because that's instant death for Lionheart and his men. You are Letter's only in hope for getting the Concordus, and he will go to Amy lengths to get it."
"But what makes him think that I would ever help him!" Elsa spat.
"You would do anything to ensure the safety of Anna...wouldn't you?" William asked. This stopped Elsa instantly...he was right. Her love and protection or Anna meant that she could also be used as a bargaining token against her.
"Of course, the general fielding this is Lionheart, and he never let's anyone live...so its only expected that once his mission is done, he would kill both you and your sister...and that's why we are here. We're here to intercept him and take him down before he ever gets anywhere near you." Admiral Westerguard said.
"But, you two will have to still be very careful. My advice is to never leave each others side because that is exactly what Lionheart would want. You stand united...you fall divided. He will play you, give false clues and attempt to get you on your own, because he knows that if he gets to Anna and you're not there, he has won...and he would have." William said. "Are you two okay?"
"I...I'm fine." Elsa said, thought truthfully she was far from fine. She looked at her sister who shared the same horrified expression she had. "We just need some time alone."
"Okay. We'll be in the town if you need us. I'm afraid that you will have to declare martial law in Arendelle until this resolves. This is for the safety of you two and all the citizens." William said, to which Elsa, hesitantly, nodded in response. She gestured for her sister to follow her as she walked out of the room and into the corridor.
"Your majesty? Is everything alright?" Gerda asked as she caught sight of the two sisters.
"Everythings fine Gerda." Elsa said. "Have you seen Kristoff or Nicholas?"
"I believe that they are in the gardens your majesty."
"Thank you Gerda." Elsa said as she and Anna walked to inform them of the chaos that was currently unfolding.
"Sir. We are at least five days away from Arendelle, assuming that this good wind continues to aid us." The captain said to General Lionheart.
"Excellent. Now if my predictions serve me correctly, I'm guessing that William and my other brother should have already set up shop in Arendelle...so...I want you to dock at Noruk. Understood?" Lionheart asked.
"Of course sir." The captain said with a nod.
"Oh William. I'm not going to be stupid enough to knock on the front door...nor the back. I'm going to take the cellar, stupid king." Lionheart laughed as he proceeded back to his quarters. Everything was so far going to plan.
Night time...
How Anna managed to sleep in times like this was beyond Elsa's comprehension. Elsa watched as the numerous guards from both Arendelle and Solaris, patrolled the grounds constantly. The entire kingdom was locked down even tighter than it was when the gates were shut. Elsa signed as she walked back over to her bed where Anna lay sleeping peacefully.
Elsa got into the bed as she was about to blow out the candle on her bedside table, but stopped when she looked at the strange orb that was on it. She picked it up and inspected it. She remember that Eugene had given it to her in Solaris during William's birthday. According to him, he had gotten it from the abandoned castle that they had gone into. Elsa turned it over in her hands as she looked at it. It was warmer than The surrounding table, even though it had been sitting on it for the entire day. She had forgotten to show it to William when she was in Solaris. Maybe she would show it to him tomorrow. With a yawn, she put the orb back down onto the table as she turned on her side and faced her sleeping sister. She drew her sleeping sister closer as she cuddled her and closed her eyes.
It took a while, especially with all the worries, but she finally fell asleep.
There will be a few differences between this story and the switch...in terms of formatting. First, the average chapter length for this story cod be anywhere between 3-5 thousand, compared to the switch (5-7 thousand). Why? I seem to find it easier to work with smaller chapters especially since I'm now writing these stories on my mobile, where shorter chapters are better. Now, this does not mean that the story will be shorter. It just means that the chapters will be shorter in terms of words...not content. I may end up submitting multiple chapters at once even...or may have a faster update rate.
Second, this story may not be as long as the switch. That's pretty much all.
Also, just in case you missed it! This chapter (and the following chapters till mentioned) occurs before the events of chapter 1.
Also, this story may (will) be a bit more violent than the switch. Anyway, updates for this won't be as rapid as the switch since I'm still working on the switch one shots as well...and maybe a few one shots that occurs outside of the switch AU.
-TacticX