A MATCH MADE IN ICE
Chapter two
The red headed, curly haired princess was standing at the right of the throne of King Fergus, her father. To the left, was another throne where her mother was sitting, and beside her mother were her brothers, all standing like the proper prince they were, and yet on their faces were the hidden aura of mischief.
"I really don't see why we should make a big deal out of this royalty from Arendelle." Merida asked her father who looked at her and chuckled.
"Well, the Queen was your mother's friend, I think they were the best buds when they were young, they were practically like sisters." he laughed, "As a matter of fact, I thought they were romantically involve back then!" he said this quite louder than supposed to.
"Fergus!" The Queen said in reprimand.
"Sorry honey," he said before turning back his focus on his right then winking at his daughter, which caused Merida to roll her emerald eyes.
They're impromptu conversation was halted by the announcement of the arrival of their special guest and participant, the Queen of Arendelle.
"Her highness, the Queen of Arendelle, Queen Elsa!"
The crowd that had came to the castle had their eyes at the open door. The first sons of each clan, their fathers and forefathers, mothers, aunts and uncles, all present and wondering what it was that made the Queen delay the competition. Princess Merida shared the same question, but her expression was different from the rest. While everyone looked puzzled, she was amused, never had her mother took part in the competition. To the Queen, there shouldn't be one in the first place, and that she should just marry whoever it was that they chose for her, but Merida knows she was different from other princesses, she's not one to bow or back down.
So when the Queen of Arendelle entered, in her form fitting, sparkling sapphire dress, complete with sky blue cape, her wavy platinum, blonde hair, untidily tiwsted into a braid, her bangs freely moving on her face, her well sculptured eyebrows raised in a gesture of challenge, her sparkling blue eyes almost cruel, and her smile almost a grin, Princess Merida knew that the spawn of this woman would be no match for her.
Merida thought, no man in their right mind would grow balls for having a mother that looks like the evil-incarnate, and then, whoa... she is so young, what? Am I competing with a ten year old prince? Then she remembered what her father just said. "She's the Queen? For real?" She asked indiscreetly which caused her mother to look her way.
"Merida!"
"Well... Just wondering, father said she was your best buds when you were young," She smiled sweetly, "And as we can see, she," She said pointing a finger at the Queen who looked bemused at her action, "...is young while you...,"
Queen Elinor sighed and faced Queen Elsa, "Forgive her Queen Elsa, I am way up here," she said putting her hand at the level of her head, "...with her antics. I seemed to fail in training her to be the proper princess that she should be, compared to your dear mother..."
Elsa chuckled, "I don't think you had it different with mother," she said then looked at the King and bowed, "I am honored to be a guest to your palace King Fergus."
The massive King belly laughed and stood, "Oh dear Elsa, it is so nice to see you again. You remind me so much of your mother!" he said opening his arms to the regal Queen.
While her parents and the Queen were exchanging pleasantries, Princess Merida found her attention on the man wearing a toga and following the Queen. From her point of view, he looks much older than the Queen so he cannot be the prince, and the guy beside him looks so scared that he must have pissed himself, so she doubts he is the prince as well. Looking beyond the two men, she saw no one.
"Where is your son?" She asked.
The question caught Elsa's attention so she turned to look at the princess, "Whatever you mean by my son?"
"Well, isn't he going to enter the comptetion?"
"He?" Elsa asked again, getting what the princess was driving at.
The bubbly, strong willed, red headed princess looked at her parents, "I'm so sorry for intruding but," then she faced the Queen again, "You were here to enter your son into the competition, andif he wins, he gets my hand in marriage. You were aware of that isn't it?"
"No and yes," Queen Elsa said grinning.
"What?"
"No I'm not entering any son, and yes, I am aware of the competition rules."
"What... why?"
"I'm entering the competition myself..."
Merida's eyes widened, "WHAT?!" her mouth was locked in an open position as if it was frozen like that. Queen Elinor for the first time laughed heartily, not minding if what she did was not so Queenly, and the King for the first time as well, was stunned to silence.
"You should try adding more words to your vocabulary dear," Queen Elinor said to her slack jawed daughter before laughing out loud again.
XXX
"What were you thinking mother?!" Princess Merida was pacing back and forth in front of the dining table. The Queen of Arendelle decided to forgo eating for the needed sleep, since the start of the competition will be tomorrow. She stopped and faced the older woman, "You actually told her to compete?!"
Elinor wagged a finger in the air, "I didn't told her, I invited her to be our guest, and if she wanted to participate in the competition, now it is up to her if she would or not."
Merida's eyes widened, "She's a woman for god's sake!"
"Look who's talking," The Queen retorted.
"But she's a Queen!"
"And you're a princess,"
"Mother!"
"Merida!"
"I don't want to break her bones! Besides which, is she a witch or something?"
One dark brow rose, "What are you saying?"
"Well, she can't stay looking young without being a witch! Did you hear that woman who actually turned into ash after a long hair was cut? She ended up to be a witch!"
"Why would you think that? Has anyone gave you that preposterous idea?"
"It was in the news!"
"I'm not talking about the witch, I was talking about you thinking Elsa was a witch."
"She's your best buds mother! And look at you? You are grey and wrinkly..."
"I am so not wrinkly!" The Queen bellowed.
"Well whatever, but she looks..."
The older woman looked at her husband who shrugged his shoulders, meaning, he's not getting in between. "She isn't my friend, she is Selene's(1) eldest daughter."
"Selene?"
"The former Queen of Arendelle. She and her husband died in a ship."
"Someone killed them? An arrow to the heart!" One of the triplets said grinning.
"The ship sunk," Queen Elinor said after taking a deep breath.
"Someone shoot a cannon ball on the ship and made it sink?" Another of the triplets,
"The ship crashed..."
"I thought it sunk?" The third of the triplets,
Queen Elinor stood, "The ship crashed on an iceberg and then it broke in two before it sunk (2),"
"The captain must be watching someone making out at the deck..."
"NO ONES WATCHING ANYONE MAKE OUT! NO ONE SHOOT ANYONE AND THERE WAS NO CANNON! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Queen Elinor just had it.
"Why are you so edgy right now honey?" The King asked suddenly.
"Ahhh!"
Merida shook her head, "We're getting off topic,"
"Look Merida," Queen Elinor said after composing herself, "I made an invitation, I sent it to you to read, you sent it anyway without even a browse," she sighed for the hundreth time that day, "Besides, she isn't your ordinary Queen, she can take care of herself in the competition."
"She is THE QUEEN,"
"You've said that already, weren't you the one who keep spouting about fairness in treatment? That a women could enter the competition and not just men?"
"I said no such thing mother! I said I should compete for my own hand! And she's a woman!"
"What is the point of all this Merida? You're a woman too!"
"Are you going to marry me off to her if she wins?"
Elinor grinned, "Are you saying you have no chance winning against her?"
"Oh," King Fergus and the triplets looked at the princess, all waiting for her answer.
"I'd beat her!"
"Then what are you worried about?"
XXX
The first game in the competition was Pole vault. The rule of the competition was simple. There are five mud puddles of different sizes, and the participant will use a pole to cross these muds, the one who crossed all the muds without getting wet continues on to the next round, and those who didn't will be eliminated.
There were ten participants all in all, and each participant, except for the Queen of Arendelle had brought their cheer squads – their family.
Seven out of ten crossed all muds, including Queen Elsa and Princess Merida. Base on the distance of jump, Princess Merida was ahead by a hair.
The next game was wall climbing. King Fergus had built an enormous wall with hollowed rocks which the competitors will use on their ascent. The first six competitors who gets the highest mark continues. Princess Merida was miffed when Queen Elsa actually outdone everyone, including her.
The third game was Jousting.
The six players that had successfully continued antered the arena in their horses and jousting uniforms. The Queen and the Princess riding side by side and the male participants riding behind them in pairs as well. The competition will start by each of them drawing a ball containing their opponents name, hence, they all will face each other at least once or they could fight the opponent twice.
"You think you have what it takes to take down this men on a Jousting competition?" Merida asked grinning.
"I am not made of glass princess," Queen Elsa simply retorted before clucking her tongue and urging her horse to a trot.
"Touchee," Merida said bemused, she followed the Queen though.
XXX
The Dunbroch Princess was on the sideline watching. It was a bummer that she had to face an opponent twice, hence didn't have the chance to cross lances with the Arendelle Queen.
Queen Elsa at first, looks fragile, she was so white and she seemed to be cuddled inside her castle. Her skin looks pristine unlike hers, she was tanned from playing and gallivanting under the sun all day, every day. Her hands were calloused from Archery, Jousting and other form of games Royalties plays. While her red hair had darkened from sun exposure and was mostly unkempt, the Queen's looks so soft and it glitters when hit by the sun, and no matter how messy she made her hair, she still looks regal... just like her mother. But her moves while she competes shouts POWER, all raw and dangerous.
She must be crazy, but she thought there was something in her that wasn't there before. (3)
The man Queen Elsa was competing with was a giant of a guy. He was the biggest in the competition, and Merida was scared for the Queen. She had crossed lance with him before, and he was not an easy opponent. They had used all the rounds and still ended up in a draw, making him her final opponent, beating him over Archery – her specialty.
The taller woman took a deep breath when the male competitor had hit the Queen's armor straight to her chest. Queen Elsa was almost thrown back from her horse if not for her feet tied t the horse's stirr up pretty well. She remained dangling on her side while her horse galloped towards her end of the arena, and a sigh of relief came forth when the Queen straightened herself and shook her head. Her head protector off and on the ground at the center. Princess Merida wanted to run towards the Queen and offer her own helmet or a crazier thought, offer to finish the job for her, but she schooled herself and decided to just continue watching.
If Queen Elsa gets hurt by this man, he will pay later on.
The competiton ensues, there was something different about the Queen... and about the air. It suddenly became steely, cold...
The horses once again galloped to meet halfway, both participants had their lances up, ready to strike thier opponent. The big guy leaned in ready to make a winning blow, but everyone gasped when the Queen met her opponent's thrust and unhorsing the big man.
Merida's jaw dropped wide once again.
Steely silence followed as the spectators awaits the outcome of the game. Yes, they know the Queen won, but the question was: Is the guy alive?
-End Chapter Two-
I was supposed to continue but thought against it. So How do you like Merida and Elsa hm? LOL. Zaki... I'm sure this will be a short one! To Anna and Elsa Shippers, sorry, I just can't get myself to write a love story between sisters, I have a sister and I can't see myself falling in love with her, though I love her dearly.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against incest shippers (I like watching Candy boy!), I just can't get myself to write sister love like I can't get myself to write hetero pairing now. LOL.
I'll update again tomorrow when I have time (I want to finish this ship fast so I could move on to another with clear conscience).
1 I don't think Queen Elsa's mother or father were named in the movie
2 Reference reference, (Guess where?)
3 Another reference, rephrased (Want to guess where again?)