The Red Crocus (Chapter 4)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In this chapter we start to see the plot develop. The first three chapters established the characters and setting.
Special thanks to my betta who wishes to remain anonymous.
Elsa slowly opened Anna's door and eased the serving cart thru the threshold. Her sister was a heavy sleeper, but she still didn't want the rattle of the cart to wake her up and ruin the surprise. After quietly closing the door Queen Elsa pushed the cart over to the side of Anna's bed. The blonde first set a huge glass of chocolate milk on the night stand and then lifted the metal lid off of the plate. Elsa cringed as the bottom of the cover tapped the edge of the plate filling the quiet room with a soft ringing sound. Anna stirred for a moment and then continued to snore. Elsa then picked up the plate and held it right under the sleeping red head's nose. After about twenty seconds the smell of a ham and cheese omelet along with a mixture of fried potatoes and onions caused Anna to stir and open one eye to see her sister sitting on her bed next to her holding a plate smiling.
"Elsa!" Anna exclaimed cheerfully.
"Good morning my little princess." Elsa said as she leaned in and kissed the girl's forehead and continued as she handed the plate to Anna who was eyeballing the ham and cheese omelet (her favorite breakfast). "I decided to take the day off and I was wondering if you would like to spend it with me."
"Yes!" Anna said as she threw her arms around her big sister. "We haven't spent any time together in weeks."
"I know. I'm sorry Anna. Things have been very hectic given the state of the economy recently, but none of that matters today."
It matters to our people Anna thought and then dismissed. She was going to spend the day with Elsa and NOT be little miss negativity.
"So what is this I hear about you coming in on foot at one in the morning last night" Elsa said with a smirk using an authoritative voice while Anna started cutting into her breakfast with a knife and fork.
Before the younger sister could answer Elsa noticed the bandage wrapped around her left forearm and almost shouted out of alarm while grasping the girls elbow. "Anna what happened?!"
Shit, Shit, Shit… come on Anna think of something The Princess thought and then faked an embarrassed face. "I uh… I got really plastered last night and fell in to into a suit of armor when I got home".
Elsa's gasped in shock and then started to scold her. "Anna that was an extremely irresponsible thing to… No, this is my fault; I shouldn't have been neglecting you. Nonetheless, you are not to do something so reckless again." Elsa finished with another hug, and then spoke with a softer tone. "Oh Anna I couldn't bear the thought of something happening to you. So please don't put yourself in danger like that."
"Shit you should have seen what I was really doing last night then." Anna thought and then said grinning "Ok, I'll be more careful when I come home drunk."
"Anna, I will not hesitate to reprimand you." Elsa said in her 'Queen' voice.
"Reprimand how?" Anna asked with a mouth full of omelet.
"Do you remember the incident with the representative from the Ottoman Empire and a certain Princess riding a horse thru the castle last year?" Elsa asked with a raised eyebrow.
Anna thought about for a second as she swallowed. Her eyes went wide as she realized what Elsa was getting at. "You wouldn't". She said with a pout.
"I most certainly would, if it meant keeping you from being too reckless."
If you only knew. Anna thought.
"But this is our special day, so we won't be dwelling on any of that unpleasantness." Elsa said with a softer voice and smile
"OK" Anna said as she leaned in to kiss Elsa's cheek. Pulling back Anna noticed the untouched newspaper sitting on the bed next to Elsa, and could read the headline 'THE RED CROCUS SAVES THE ARENDELLE TREASURY FROM MASKED CROOKS, ROYAL INCOMPETENCE IS BECOMING EVEN MORE OBVIOUS."
Damn it Vicky, do you have magic eyeballs floating in the sky watching everyone or something. My uniform isn't even dry yet and you've already got a fucking article in the paper. Anna thought.
Knowing that her sister would pick the paper up and start reading it any second, and thus ruin their special day, Anna had to think fast again. She picked up her glass of chocolate milk and took a large gulp.
Man I wanted to drink this. She considered for a moment and then 'accidently' spilled it all over the bed and offending paper.
"ANNA!" Elsa shrieked as cold milk hit her thigh.
"Sorry" Anna offered sheepishly.
Elsa jumped off of the bed as the milk covered everything, including the breakfast they were supposed to share. At first the Queen was mad but the moment she saw the sad look on Anna's face she took a deep breath and sighed. Elsa can't stay mad at her baby sister for very long.
"Really Anna, you are so clumsy. I guess we will have breakfast in town." Elsa said in a shake of her head
"So we still get to have our special day?" Anna asked
"Of course we do, now get dressed and meet me down stairs in ten minutes" Elsa said as she went to pick up the paper she was planning to read. Seeing it covered in chocolate milk she dismissively shook her head and left it there for Anna (or more likely Anna's maid to dispose of.)
As Elsa walked out the door and shut it behind her Anna quickly walked over to her closet and opened it to reveal her spare Red Crocus uniform and prepared to put it on under a tan winter dress.
Hmm, maybe I should take a day off to. Anna debated with herself as she started to slip out of her night gown and then made a sad realization. Crime and suffering doesn't get the day off, so neither do I.
…..
It was such a lovely day that the two of them decided to walk into the town in lieu of a carriage. The sisters walked down Main street holding hands, and both were smiling until they reached the 'Vaffel Hus', a cafe where they had planned to eat breakfast and noticed a sign on the door that said 'Out Of Business'
"Well that sucks" Anna said with a frown.
"Probably a lack of customers" Elsa commented.
"I guess we could always try the 'Internasjonal Hus av pannekaker' Anna optimistically proposed.
"That's three miles from here."
"We could take a taxi carriage."
"Anna, we are royalty. Certain things are beneath our station." Elsa explained
"That's a bit conceited, don't you think." Anna responded with a concerned look.
Elsa sighed, and then placed her hands on Anna's shoulders. "Anna we are the ruling family of Arendelle, we are expected to keep an image. It's not about being better than anyone else." Elsa was sometimes annoyed with Anna's tendency to not act like a royal; but she also knew that if anything ever happened to her, Anna would not become a tyrant when she took over.
"Ok, maybe we can find a McDon…" Anna couldn't finish her sentence because the noise of people shouting could be heard from across the street.
"Fuck you, ten Speciedalers for a can of peas." One disembodied voice shouted.
"Goddamn crook." Another called out.
"VAT DID YOU CALL ME!" an enraged and insanely large Finnish man said loud enough for everyone to hear.
Elsa grabbed Anna's hand and quickly pulled her away from the scene, fearing for her little sister's safety.
After a few minutes they walked by a woman on her knees in front of a well-dressed man outside of an apartment complex.
"Please sir I just need a little more time to come up with this month's rent." The woman pleaded.
"Overdue is overdue." The well-dressed man said with disinterest
"I'll do anything." She continued.
A glint appeared in the man's eye. "Anything?" He said with a leer and then reached down to squeeze one of the woman's breasts. She silently nodded and started to cry.
"I'm going to go kick his ass" Anna said as she started to clinch her fist, her blood was boiling and she was shaking with rage.
"No Anna, that won't solve anything, and at least she will have another month." Elsa said pulling the redhead into a hug. "I know it's hard to see things like this, but life isn't fair; and princesses don't go around kicking people's… Anna, language."
"Let's just go" before I draw my sword and disembowel this son of a bitch. Anna said and then thought.
He would be receiving a visit from the Crocus one night very soon.
Elsa pulled Anna in close, placing her arm around the younger woman's shoulders. As they walked along the side walk, the Queen started to realize that something drastic had to be done before Arendelle tore itself apart.
After another ten minutes of walking the sisters came upon a man and his wife, along with their five year old son (who was bawling his little eyes out) standing in front of a horse cart filled with wheat; he was holding an axe and threatening to kill what Elsa recognized as the Duke of Meadowfield (one of her vassals) along with two of his own personal guards. The noble was wearing a ridiculous purple suit with an oversized white cravat and a gold sash across his chest. The ensemble was topped off with a sword of polished silver that never had, or would, see battle.
"The law of 'Irrumabo, I Dives Sum' is clear, now stand aside peasant."
Elsa looked to Anna and spoke "I'm sorry, but I have to deal with this." And then walked towards the cart of wheat
As Elsa went forward, Anna muttered "So do I" and stepped backwards into the shadows.
"THIS PEASANT WILL TAKE YOUR GODDAMN HEAD OFF!" Elsa heard as she approached the scene.
A crowd of people had already formed a ring around the farmer's family and the Duke, booing and hurling insults at the nobleman and his two guards.
The crowd created a gap within its ranks for the Queen to walk thru and then became silent when Elsa commanded "stand aside."
As she approached, the farmer immediately lowered his axe while the two guards sheathed their swords. The Duke then walked around from the two guards he had been cowering behind and gave a slight bow. "Your Majesty, I'm sorry that you have been involved in such a petty matter."
Before Elsa could respond to the Duke, the farmer spoke in a distressed tone. "Please Your Majesty, He is trying to steal my wheat. This one cart load is all that my field produced this season; I must sell it to provide for my family this winter."
"Silence dog" the Duke spat out at the farmer.
Enraged the farmer raised his axe and started towards the duke screaming "I WILL SILENCE YOU!"
In an instant the axe was covered in ice so cold that the farmer dropped it reflexively, while the two guards noticed that their swords were frozen in their scabbards.
"There will be no more violence from either party, is that clear." Elsa stated in her Queen voice.
Both the Duke and the farmer lowered their heads and said "yes, Your Majesty." The Duke then lifted his head and spoke. "If it pleases Your Majesty, I have invoked my rite of 'Irrumabo, I Dives Sum'. It allows a noble to confiscate the possessions of a peasant in times of need."
Elsa face took on a look of disgust, "It certainly does NOT please me, Your Grace; and I do not need you to explain the law me."
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. Your wisdom on these matters is obvious and well known. I meant no disrespect or insolence." The Duke said with another bow. Elsa could see that the nobleman was well versed in the art of brown nosing, and it sickened her.
"I forgive your trespass." Elsa said with an air of disinterest and then looked at the farmer with sadness in her eyes, she hated herself for the decision she was about to make. "Good sir, the law of 'Irrumabo, I Dives Sum' is an antiquated relic from a different age, however it is still valid. I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do." The Queen then turned away; she was too ashamed to look at the man and his family.
"You heard her, take the wheat." The Duke said to his men as the crowd started jeering.
As the first guard reached for the handle of the cart a black boot went across his head, leaving the guard on the ground twitching; needless to say he was out of the fight. The crowd gasped and then cheered as the Red Crocus landed with a somersault on the ground with her sword in hand pointed at the other guard.
"There is something I can do about it." Anna spoke in her gravelly voice, giving emphasis to the word 'I'.
The guard went to draw his sword, preparing to engage the hero in combat… until it dawned on him that this was the Red Crocus and not some scared farmer holding an axe. The guard looked over to the Duke and said "Fuck this shit, I quit." The guard then quickly turned tail and ran in the opposite direction.
The crowd started to chant "Crocus! Crocus!" as Anna walked towards the now trembling duke pointing the tip of her saber at him as her teal eyes burned with righteous anger.
Elsa's own Royal Guards had made it to the scene along with the City Watch by this point; Elsa raised a hand to hold them all back. She had no choice but to have the vigilante arrested when it was over, but as long as he didn't kill or severely injure the man; she would enjoy watching the pompous Duke be humiliated.
As Anna closed the gap between the now petrified Duke and herself, she continued in her vocal disguise. "What kind of man takes food from the mouths of a family of innocents?" With a flick of her wrist, Anna's saber sliced the cravat from his neck without leaving as much as a scratch on him.
The Red Crocus spoke again. "You think that your title gives you the right to take what another person worked to obtain." Another slash from her saber sliced his sash in two; as it fell to the ground everyone could see that the purple suit under it had not even been nicked.
Elsa looked at the confrontation with silent shock, along with everyone else; she had not thought it possible for anyone to be that skilled with a sword.
"I see that you are armed, Your Grace. Draw your blade and attack. If you can defeat me, the wheat is yours."
The duke started to stammer, and in turn Anna shouted in her rough voice "I SAID DRAW YOUR SWORD COWARD!"
The nobleman withdrew the silver plated rapier and trembled as he attempted a pathetic lunge. Anna kept eye contact with the duke as she easily deflected the attack with a circular parry that ended with the Duke's sword being flung from his hand. Everyone watching (including Elsa) gasped as the Red Crocus jumped in to the air performing a flawless pirouette and then came back down to slice thru the Nobel's belt; his pants fell to his ankles leaving the Duke in his boxers (that totally had hearts on them).
To finish up the Dukes humiliation Anna landed a kick to the man's stomach; not hard enough to damage him, just enough to bend him over. With an insane amount of speed Anna drew her sword back and whacked the Duke on his back side repeatedly with the flat of her blade while shouting with each strike "DON'T STEAL FROM THE POOR!" over and over again. The crowd as well as Elsa's guards and City Watchmen all started to laugh.
After the tenth swat Anna left the duke crying and shaking on the ground with his pants around his ankles while she sheathed her sword. Elsa saw this as her opportunity to order her men to arrest the small man in black, a commoner who had the audacity to wear the part of the royal crest as his personal logo (well that is the assumption that the Queen was working with.). Elsa and the Red Crocus made eye contact for a moment. There was something familiar about those teal eyes, but the Queen just couldn't place it. Just as the monarch was about to give the command to apprehend the vigilante, the masked hero gave her a slight tip of her hat to the Queen with a smirk.
Cheeky bastard, the cotton top thought as the Hero's grappling hook almost magically appeared in hand and shot out with lightning quick speed that was only exceeded by how fast the Red Crocus swung away. The Watchmen and Royal Guards never had a chance of catching her. Elsa let out a huff and frowned in irritation as the crowd chanted the name "Crocus!" over and over. That frown turned to a slight smile as she saw the farmer and his family pulling their cartload of wheat down the road, they were at least a quarter mile away.
Elsa then jumped in shock as she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned to see Anna standing there in her tan dress and white cloak with not a hair out of place. The Princess was holding a huge apple fritter that had a bite taken out of it.
"What did I miss?" Anna said with a mouth full of fritter.
Elsa just pulled the girl into a hug and kissed her cheek.
"What was that for?" Anna asked.
"For being you" after all of that stress Elsa was glad that she could count on Anna to make it better.
….
After the incident with the farmer and Duke, Elsa took Anna to her ice castle on the North Mountain via a magical ice Pegasus and spent time with her, Marshmallow, and the snowgies. They had a snow ball fight that Anna won when she realized that the snowgies made perfect ammunition. Afterwards they built a bunch of snowmen and then went home. Elsa had been smiling the whole afternoon until they reached the castle, and then reality came crashing down upon her.
The Pegasus touched down and dissipated into a thousand snowflakes in the courtyard. Before Elsa could say anything Anna had her in a huge bear hug and said "That was the best day ever."
"I'm glad we could do that Anna. If I didn't have so much on my plate we would do that every day."
"I know" Anna replied with a kind smile
"I have to attend to a few things before dinner, oh and I have something important to tell you then."
"What, tell me now" Anna said being her impatient self.
"Dinner" Elsa repeated and tapped Anna on the nose
"OK, I guess I'll see if reindeer boy is running around and kick his butt for a little bit."
"Uh, I'm sure he is. I will see you at dinner" Elsa said excusing herself with a final kiss to Anna's forehead before she let the cat out of the bag and then thought to herself "Good, only two more headaches before the day is done and then went to her study.
Once she walked thru the door Elsa pulled a rope on the wall. Five minutes later Gerta came to the door and curtsied. "How may I serve you, Your Majesty?"
"Gerta please come in and close the door. I don't want this to become common knowledge until the time is right." Elsa said, not wanting to drop two bombs on her little sister in one night.
The recently promoted House Karl (Kai of course is now Anna's personal manservant) did so and stepped forward. She could see the look of anguish on the young monarch's face.
"If I may be so bold to ask, what troubles you my Queen?"
"Please sit down Gerta" Elsa said gesturing towards a chair in front of her desk.
Gerta did so; now knowing that something was wrong.
"Did you hear about what transpired in the town today?"
"Yes, Your Majesty"
"Please don't call me that right now, there is nothing majestic about what I am going to do. If Arendelle wasn't on the brink of collapse I wouldn't even think about doing this" Elsa said holding her head in shame.
"Whatever has to be done, we know that you are doing it for the greater good of the kingdom." Gerta said trying to reassure the young woman.
Elsa chuckled bitterly. "Not this they won't… Gerta I need you to plan a ball, an extravagant one."
"Of course, my Queen. What will be the theme?"
The Queen then lifted her head and put on a fake smile so she wouldn't burst in to tears. "We will be honoring our two newest allies and trade partners… Weselton and the Southern Isles."
THANK YOU FOR READING AND FOLLOWING. PLEASE REVIEW even if it's to tell me I suck.