Young Prince Revel Handler Sperezei was bored out of his skull.
He didn't think that visiting another country would be so boring. He had pleaded, cajoled, negotiated, and finally bawled to get his father to bring him along to the annual Spring Trade Summit, which was in Arendelle. He thought it would be exciting—it was his first trip abroad!
"I'm twelve years old, Father," he declared in his piping voice confidently. "I can handle it."
But he didn't count on was seasickness. The hours he spent retching in his little room on the ship was something he wouldn't wish on his older brother Prince Adrek, who was a pain in the arse sometimes. He cheered himself up with the thought that Arendelle might be fun. During his lucid moments, his father told him that Arendelle was home to Europe's best chocolate, and that it had two young princesses aged seven and four years old respectively. He wasn't interested in the princesses (in fact, he hoped to avoid them since they were rather young and would probably be pests), but the former had cheered him up considerably. Chocolate was always a good thing, even for a boy on the cusp of young manhood.
But no, apparently fate had other plans for him. Once they had arrived in Arendelle and were lodged comfortably in the castle, his father and older brother began conducting their business, leaving him alone.
"Arendelle sucks," Revel mumbled as he wandered the castle halls. "Father couldn't even bring me chocolate because he's busy with 'business'," he scowled, making air quotes.
"Arendelle does not suck!" a voice behind him cried out defiantly. Startled, he spun around to see a young girl with platinum blonde hair and glaring blue eyes, her hands on her hips, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. "You take that back!"
"Oh yeah? Why'd you say that?" he countered.
"Because I said so. I am Princess Elsa of Arendelle, and it is my kingdom that you're insulting, you…you…meanie!" She stamped her foot for emphasis. He blinked—did frost just come out of her feet?
No matter. Oh, boy. Curse his rotten luck, he just had to insult the daughter of their hosts. As much as he wanted to argue with her—he was practically spoiling for a fight just to make things interesting, and he had planned to pick one with Adrek. However, picking one with a seven-year-old was just sad. The prince could practically hear his father admonishing him that he was old enough to know the best course of action: apologize. But oh, pride can be such a jagged little pill to swallow.
He managed to do just that and forced himself to bow before the young princess of Arendelle. "My apologies, Princess Elsa," he said stiffly through slightly gritted teeth. "I think you caught me at a bad time."
Princess Elsa tilted her head curiously, her anger forgotten. "Bad time?" she echoed.
"I was told Arendelle had the best chocolate, and I've yet to find out," he admitted, wincing inwardly at how childish it sounded. He had always believed that honesty was the best policy, but blurting the first thing that came to mind had gotten him in trouble in the past. Plus, admitting that just didn't sound cool.
It didn't look like it mattered to the young princess, though. "Well, why didn't you say so?" she asked, grabbing his hand. "Come on, I know just the place to get it."
Revel allowed himself to be dragged by Princess Elsa for a minute, until he fell into step beside her. Even then, he didn't let go of her hand, which felt strangely cool to the touch. He observed her determined expression with growing amusement, interested at where things are headed. "Where are we going?" he ventured, raising an eyebrow.
"Kitchen cellar. That's where Gerda keeps the best stuff."
"Gerda?"
"Head housekeeper. Don't worry, we won't get into trouble. She's with Anna right now."
"And who is Anna?"
"My sister. It's her naptime," she explained. "Anna's pretty hard to put to sleep, so we've got time to raid the best stuff."
"Raiding? That doesn't sound like something a princess should do," he said skeptically. Princess Elsa waved a hand in dismissal.
"You'll see what I mean once you taste it. Besides, you insulted my country's honor. You're going to eat your words, with the best chocolate you've ever tasted," she promised, tightening her grip on his hand as she continued to drag him with her.
"Hey, I already apologized," he protested as they descended what looked like the servants' stairs. He almost ran into her when she suddenly stopped and shushed him. She peeked from the corner and he mimicked her action, craning his neck to see a servant going out of the kitchen.
"Okay, coast is clear. Move!" She pulled him along with her, grabbing the keys that hung nearby to what he assumed was the kitchen cellar. Working quickly, she unlocked a door and shoved him inside before closing it behind her.
"So…this is where Gerda keeps the best stuff?" Revel asked, looking around. The kitchen cellar wasn't anything special—it was a large, cool, dry room, with windows at the top to let sunlight in. Foodstuffs were arranged neatly in shelves and cabinets, and there was a large table in the middle. A beam of sunlight poured in from the windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing lazily in the air.
It suddenly occurred to him that Elsa was gone from his side. "Princess Elsa?" he called out, his eyes darting around for any sign of platinum blonde hair. "Where are you?"
"Here!" She popped up from behind one of the shelves, her arms laden with boxes. He met her at the table where she laid out the boxes neatly with a flourish. "I give you the best chocolates in the entire world: Elizabeth's Arendellian Chocolate Truffles."
"Elizabeth?" Without much ceremony, Revel ripped a box open and pulled out the goods. The rich scent of chocolate wafted up his nose, and he breathed it in appreciatively. Oh yeah, Elsa was right—this is the good stuff. But he could see Elsa frowning at him from the corner of his eye. "What?"
"You're leaving a mess," she pointed out. Revel suppressed a chuckle, popping a truffle into his mouth. For such an adventurous little girl, it looked like she was a stickler for neatness. She still managed to look immaculate despite the shenanigans she just pulled. He had no trouble believing she could get away with anything with that ability. "Fworry," he mumbled, his mouth full of chocolatey goodness. "Oh wow—you're right, this is good," he admitted, swallowing. "With chocolate this good, I have no problem taking back what I said about Arendelle."
"Told you so," Elsa said smugly in a sing-song voice. Revel couldn't help but think how cute she looked, grinning at him crookedly. Her mischievous expression made him wonder what sort of sister she was—once her younger sister got a little older, Elsa'll probably get them into stuff like this, he mused, popping another truffle in his mouth.
"Oh yeah, you never told me your name," Elsa prompted him, daintily biting into a chocolate bar.
"Sorry." Clearing his throat, Revel stood up and bowed the way his tutor had drilled him. "Prince Revel of Asham, at your service, Your Highness."
Elsa giggled at his show of gallantry. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Prince Revel," she returned, standing up to dip into a perfect little curtsy. He laughed at the sight of the prim and proper little princess who stood before him now—such a marked contrast from the hoyden that dragged him in the kitchen cellar to raid for chocolate. "What's so funny?" she asked.
"Nothing," he denied. Elsa raised an eyebrow at him, making him laugh harder. "I'm laughing because I had fun with you today, Elsa," Revel assured her, still smiling slightly. "Arendelle doesn't suck—not with you in it."
Elsa nodded sagely. "Of course," she agreed. "Why are you here, anyway?"
"Well…" With that he launched into a retelling of how terrible the journey to Arendelle was for him. Elsa made a face in sympathy when he mentioned how seasick he was.
"Ships don't sound fun. I'm never getting on a ship," she declared as she cleared away the boxes from the table, dumping them behind a dark corner. Revel shook his head.
"When you become queen, you might have to. It'll be part of your duty to meet with other rulers to trade and stuff," he pointed out.
"Well, I—" she cut herself off at the sound of faint voices from the other side of the kitchen cellar door. "Uh-oh. We'd better hide," Elsa said, grabbing his hand. She dragged him behind a shelf near the stairs as the door opened, and a woman of late middle age came in, mumbling something. "Come on, let's go!" she hissed, darting toward the door quickly. Revel had no trouble keeping up with her since he had longer legs, but he was hard-pressed to follow her—she was really light on her feet.
They retraced their steps back to the hallway where they first met. "Whew, that was close," Elsa breathed, sagging against the wall and fanning herself with her hand. Revel thought it was weird—her bangs were moving, as if her hand really was generating wind. Must be wind from an open window, he thought. It was still strange though—he didn't feel any wind at all. Putting that out of his mind, he smiled at her and nodded.
"That was fun, Princess Elsa. Thanks," he said, grinning at her widely. He had no doubt she will become a great queen someday. She was cunning and resourceful, and she had no problem at all making him her co-conspirator in their recent adventure. That meant people will undoubtedly be loyal to her.
"No problem. Just be sure to tell your friends about Arendelle, okay? It doesn't suck," Elsa said, poking a finger on his chest.
"Deal."