tibetan mastiff: You are a genius. I'm actually going to work that into the story at some point. XD

Company of a Pirate

Chapter Four

By LoveMeNever

Anna skipped through the castle halls happily humming to herself. Things were great; she had Kristoff, Sven, Olaf to keep her company while Elsa worked, Arendelle accepted her sister for the most part, and she was finally able to venture out past the castle walls.

Lately Anna noticed that her sister seemed to be preoccupied constantly whether she was working or not. Elsa would be in a trance and start blushing. Like now, Anna peeked into her sister's study where she sat smiling softly to herself.

'This is too great of an opportunity to pass up!' Anna grinned evilly and quietly entered the room.

Elsa didn't suspect a thing!

"Elsa!" She yelled into her sister's ear. Elsa jumped and literally froze the top of the desk. Anna laughed, "What are you thinkin' about?!"

"Anna! Haven't I told you to stop sneaking up on me!"

"Actually no, because it's never worked until now! You're so jumpy!" Anna faked a hurt look when Elsa smacked her arm.

"It's only because my sister is constantly trying to scare me." Elsa defended.

Both had a brief stare down before they broke into light laughter. It was so relieving to laugh with Elsa, there was a time when Anna thought she would never hear her sister happy again... or even see her for that matter.

Then she remembered why she decided to interrupt Elsa in the first place. "Soooo, what were you thinking about?" She giggled at the mortified expression on Elsa's face.

Her sister stumbled and stuttered her words trying to come up with an answer.

Anna silenced her sister. "Was it..." She pretended to be deep in thought, "a guy?!"

Shock was prominent on Elsa's features. "W-what?! No! I don't-"

"Don't think about loooooove?" Playfully Anna formed her lips in dramatic kissing. The blush she received was totally priceless. "Aweee! You do! That's totally what you were thinking about!"

"Anna! I do not think about... that!"

"You so do!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

Elsa sighed in defeat at her sister's behavior, they both sounded like children! Still, it was something she missed out on for years so she could let it go this once. "Go bother Kristoff or Olaf, I have work to do." She closed her eyes and dismissively waved her hand.

Anna huffed in frustration. "I will find out your secret!" She slowly backed away to the door and pointed to her eyes and then to Elsa in a 'I'm watching you' sort of way.

A chuckle escaped Elsa's lips. She was not about to tell her sister what was on her mind, rather, who was on her mind. She had pressing matters to deal with like hiring new staff, meeting with councilors to discuss new laws, planing to increase manufacture, and she was distracted by Lucia.

It had to stop, she had to get Lucia out of her head, but deep down she didn't want too.

There was a certain dangerous and thrilling aura to the captain but Elsa could tell she was also gentle and kind. Or she was to Elsa, at least.

The captain's accented voice, carefree attitude, curvy body, and beautiful features were burned into her mind. Any time she was bored or felt stressed out Elsa would picture Lucia and everything would be okay. It used to be that if she visualized Anna or her parents that she could calm down but now all she saw was Lucia.

Elsa didn't understand it; the strong attraction she felt towards the woman. It was instant, the moment they met.

Like Anna and Hans, she shuddered at the thought of that. That's what scared her as well, she couldn't let this be another Hans situation.

Things were already dicey with Oslon's letter revealing that Lucia might be a pirate, what if Lucia was using her to hide from Oslon? What if she was indeed a pirate? Would that change the way she felt about her? What if she was plotting to steal everything from Arendelle?

'Ugh, too many 'What if's' I just need to calm down.' Elsa leaned back against her chair in a very un-Queenly manner.

"Your Majesty..." Elsa sat up straighter and regarded Kai with a half smile.

'So much for relaxing.' "Yes?"

Kai bowed now that he had the queen's attention, he hated interrupting her peaceful moment, she had so few now with her duties. "The decorators for the Summer Ball have arrived and seek your council in regards to colors. They await you in the ballroom, Your Majesty."

Elsa sighed, she almost forgot about the ball. "Of course, I will be there in a moment."

"Cap'n?"

Lucia looked up from her desk, she had been pouring over maps and charters for hours, John stood at the doorway with a glint of annoyance. "Aye? What is it?"

He stepped further into the room and shut the door behind him. Lucia started to worry at his secretive demeanor, there was something bothering him. Being her First Mate on the ship she trusted him with her life, they practically grew up together as well.

"The crew's growin' anxious. They want to know what con you're playin' with the royals." He crossed his muscular arms over his chest. He wore a button down shirt with it hanging open revealing a tattooed chest.

Lucia smirked, leaned back in her chair crossing her arms, and kicked up her feet on the desk. "Tis' a dangerous game with the Queen having... powers."

John nodded but he still lingered.

"Is there anything you be needing to say, mate?" Lucia started playing with her dagger twirling it around in her fingers.

"Aye..." John eyed the dagger wearily, the captain was known to have a short temper, "there be talk that you're getting cozy with the royals."

The dagger embedded itself in Lucia's desk. She glared at John, "Who has started this mutiny?"

"I'm not sure Cap'n. I will find this bilge rat and he will be punished!"

"See to it that he does."

John left the captain's quarters leaving Lucia to her thoughts. She scowled at the wall, 'Cozy with the royals?' she could admit to herself that she didn't find the Princess or Queen to be like other royal families or nobles. In all truth she was not planning to con them, but now with the pressures of being a captain of pirates, her hand was being forced.

She had a reputation to live up to after all.

'I don't want to betray her... wait, what?' She shook her head, she couldn't think like that. She was a pirate! A fearless captain! There's no way she had feelings for a queen she's known for all of a week!

She took a swig of rum then stepped out onto the deck of her ship. The crew was taking a break from repairs, she could hear them shouting below decks, they were probably playing a game or something equally exciting.

The captain enjoyed a good game of poker every now and then but she was in no mood to go join them. Instead, she decided to go for a walk in the town square.

John was at the helm of the ship keeping watch. "John! You're in charge while I'm away." Lucia stepped off the gangplank and into Arendelle.

It was sunset and the streets were crowded with people trying to go to markets and shops before they closed. A few children ran past the captain giggling and playing together, she smirked at them.

Lucia heard a bell ringing up ahead; she heard the town crier before she saw him. "The Summer Ball is in two weeks! Her Majesty The Queen will be sending out invitations tomorrow afternoon!"

'Hm, Summer Ball? All the attention would be on the ballroom...' The captain grinned to herself a plan already swimming around in her head.

"Captain Lucy Luce!" Anna squealed and practically jumped on Lucia.

"Isn't it a bit un-Princess like to attack people." Lucia gave Anna a playful expression. Anna made a 'pfft' sound and then grabbed Lucia's black hat placing it on her own head. She attempted to stand tall with her hands on her hips mocking Lucia.

"You know you act just like a pirate!" Lucia winced and altered her stance.

"I'm insulted!" She said sarcastically while taking her hat off Anna's head. "The Queen busy today?"

Anna grinned knowingly, "Yep! Buuuuut I came to invite you to dinner on behave of Elsa!" She winked at Lucia.

"Did you now?" Lucia raised an eyebrow, she half expected the princess to forget about the promise made the night on the ice.

"Yep! And before you try to make an excuse that your crew will be eating gross food the castle sent them a nights meal!"

"Oh, my thanks then." That must have been what all the holler from the crew was about.

Anna grabbed the captain's arm and dragged her to the castle. Lucia noticed well dressed people walking around the castle holding up different materials to windows and comparing them to curtains. They talked in hush voices.

"Castle makeover?" Lucia asked Anna.

"It's for the ball, the decorator's got a little carried away and started to inspect every corner of the castle." Anna smirked remembering her sister trying to dissuade them from ordering new tile for the throne room.

"Those scallywa-... decorator's seem a little intense!" Anna eyed Lucia suspiciously but she was distracted by the amazing smell of the food.

The princess' stomach growled. "Time to chow down!"

'Saved by food, heh.' Lucia visibly sighed in relief when Anna bolted towards what she assumed was the dining room.

The size of said 'dining room' was possibly bigger than the local tavern. The table was clearly meant for a much larger crowd, Lucia wondered if the two sisters ate here every night.

Elsa was at the head of the table talking to Kristoff who was seated at left side. He was explaining how much trouble he had on his last trip which involved a pack of wolves chasing Sven, the ice almost being thrown off the sled, and then it started to rain on top of all that. Elsa frowned when her sister sat down roughly and almost fell out of her chair.

She heard Kristoff laugh but there was another voice as well. Lucia sat down in the chair on the right side of the table. Elsa immediately felt her cheeks get hot. Did Anna invite her? Not that she had a problem with it, she just didn't remember her sister saying anything about it.

"Lucia! Anna didn't-ow!" Elsa gave her sister a sharp look when she felt her kick at her leg.

Lucia chuckled at her. "Anna didn't what?" She raised an amused eyebrow.

Elsa cleared her throat before sending another glare to her sister who was trying to act as innocent as possible. "Ah... never mind." She blushed at the attention she was receiving from the captain.

'Pull it together! You're a Queen act like one!' She just stared at her plate, refusing to meet Lucia's eyes.

"Elsaaa!" Anna whined.

"W-what? Did you say something?" Elsa realized she must have missed whatever Anna was trying to say. She heard a soft snicker come from her right.

"I said, isn't it great that Lucia could join us?!"

"Y-yes it's great." This time Elsa peeked over at Lucia, their eyes met, and she looked away again feeling her heart quicken.

"Thank you for having me, Elsa." Lucia smiled softly, Elsa heard it rather than saw it.

She didn't trust that she could form coherent words if she had.

Anna gave her sister an exasperated expression and Kristoff looked between the sisters confused. Elsa wondered why her sister was looking at her like that. Like she was up to something and Elsa wasn't playing along according to plan.

"Ahem... so Lucia! How about you tell us a little something about yourself?" Kristoff broke the awkward silence that was starting to form.

"Care to know anything in particular?" Lucia winked at Elsa who looked at her at the wrong time.

'She is so doing this on purpose.' Elsa concluded. She took a breath and realized she couldn't stay silent this whole dinner. "Tell us about Oslon. We're close trading partners but I've never been there."

Kristoff, Anna, and Elsa listened with interest. "Well, I've spent most of my life on ships but what I remember about Oslon is its a huge city. The streets are busier than Arendelle's! It's on the coast so the climate is very tropical and other than that there's not much I can say."

"So you spent your whole life on ships?! Were your parent's sailors?" Anna put her elbows on the table causing her to receive stern eyes from Elsa. She rolled her eyes.

"My mother died in child birth and so I had to stay with my father who was, ay-yes, a sailor. That is before he started playing the diplomat."

Elsa was about to give her sympathies but Anna beat her to it.

"You never knew your mother?! That's horrible!" Elsa was surprised to she Lucia laugh, like actually, laugh.

"I never knew her so nothing to miss, right?" Lucia poked at her food, she knew she sounded pretty cruel, but it was true. Everyone seemed shocked.

Elsa had to admit she was at a loss, here she lost both her parents at once and Lucia acts like not having a mother was not a big deal. Instead of lingering on the subject she decided to ask a different questions, totally unrelated to family. "...How long have you been a captain?"

Everyone brightened up a bit. Lucia's eyes twinkled in such a way that made Elsa so glad she asked that question.

"I've been captain for about three years! My old cap'n, eh, captain..." Lucia coughed to cover her mistake, "he left me in charge when he... retired." She chose her words carefully.

Elsa smiled, "I see, you must be very good to be appointed captain so young."

"Oh I'm extremely good." Lucia winked causing Anna and Kristoff to laugh but Elsa struggled to compose herself.

"What's the funniest thing you've seen in your travels?" Kristoff inquired like a small child excited about a new toy.

"Hmm... ah! I was making a delivery to Weselton." Everyone exchanged knowing looks, this had to be good. "My second in command, John, came with me to meet with the Duke. His daughter burst into the meeting still in her morning gown, the wind from the open window pulled her gown over her head and she started running around like a headless chicken! John must have turned ten shades of red, I couldn't stop laughing as the Duke with his flapping hair ran after her in the room. She probably bumped into every wall, door, desk, and chair before finally just ripping the gown off!"

Anna, Kristoff and Elsa laughed hysterically. Lucia joined them momentarily before finishing. "The poor girl slept in nothing but the gown." That comment sent Anna falling out of her chair.

Elsa's face turned red from laughter and embarrassment for the girl's sake. Kristoff was now laughing awkwardly.

"That's awful!" Elsa managed to calm her laughter.

Lucia chuckled. "It was hilarious though! It's to bad I couldn't get all their treasur-ehm, treasured delivery to Oslon on board my ship." She winced. No one seemed to pay it any attention.

Elsa felt a little envious, Lucia had seen so many things in her lifetime... Elsa only daydreamed about life outside her room for years. All the whilst Lucia was actually experiencing it. Elsa didn't notice she was staring dreamily at the captain.

She was laughing softly at something Anna and Kristoff were fighting over. The captain's laugh was so smooth and her smile, Elsa could have melted, she was absolutely beautiful in every way.

For a moment Elsa dreamed about capturing the captain's lips with her own. 'Control yourself!'

She snapped back to reality and tore her gaze away from the distracting captain.

They finished eating there dinner with Lucia asking questions about their life. Anna was eager to tell her all about the events of 'The Great Thaw', Elsa was worried of what Lucia might think of her. If she was thinking anything negative she didn't show it.

"Goodnight Elsa! I hope you'll come visit the castle more often Captain Lucy Luce!" Anna and Kristoff made their way down the hall to say goodnight to each other in a more personal way.

That left Elsa and Lucia standing awkwardly in front of the castle doors. Elsa could have killed her sister for leaving her alone with the captain.

"Um..." She began but couldn't find the words.

"Thank you for inviting me to dinner, my Queen." Lucia curtsied.

"It was my pleasure." Elsa smiled sweetly at the captain.

Lucia seemed to hesitate. "I don't think your a monster, by the way."

Elsa tensed, she wasn't expecting the captain to say that but she couldn't lie to herself; a weight was lifted. Like that was all she needed was Lucia's approval.

"Thank you, captain."

Lucia put her hat back on after taking it off to curtsy, she winked and tipped it towards Elsa then left the castle.

Elsa walked back to her room with a smile on her face.

Thanks for reading! :D