Authors note: Welcome to another chapter of The Mermaid story, the last time we left off at the ship. Would the rest of the days be peaceful and calm? We shall see.
Again I thank my beta writer for the wonderful work done. Thank you so much and please accept his cake (Holds out cake)
Any way, please enjoy the this chapter and review when done. :)
It was a balmy summer evening as Hans tossed and turned in his cot, unable to sleep. To make things worse, it had been eerily silent for a good part of the night, and it unnerved him quite a bit. As far as he knew, his fellow sailors were never quiet, even when fast asleep. Some snored, some whistled, and some even talked in their sleep – so loudly in fact, that he could hear them from his secluded little cabin; so for the ship to be this silent was a red flag that something was wrong, very wrong.
As he exited his room, Hans could hear hushed, unfamiliar voices speaking harshly. A wave of dread washed over him. Pirates! Pirates had infiltrated the ship. But where was the admiral? The crew? Fearing the worst, he stealthily tiptoed his way to the upper deck, barefoot; and what he saw chilled him to the very core.
Under the cover of darkness, pirates had indeed taken over the Queen Elizabeth and captured the crew while their guard was down. The sailors along with the admiral had been lined up and shackled together as their captors, armed to the teeth, circled around them, reveling in their victory.
As frightened as he was, Hans knew that it up to him save Admiral Roaldsen and the crew. If he did not act soon, they could be killed, or worse, sold into slavery. However, he was sorely outnumbered, and in no position to engage them in a fight. For now, his only option was to escape into the sea, and hope that Elsa would be there to help him defeat the pirates and recapture the ship.
He slipped away to the railing as quietly as he could, hoping that the errant barrels, crates, and coils could provide ample cover to avoid detection. As he did so, he noticed that Roaldsen had spotted him.
"I'll be back," he mouthed as he hopped over the railing.
"Hey! You there!"
Unfortunately for Hans, the pirates were a lot more perceptive than he gave them credit for, and one of them had noticed him. Thinking quickly, he dove into the sea, swimming downwards to avoid the bullets that were being fired at him.
He kicked at the water, allowing the currents to pull him further away from the ship. But even then, Hans knew that he could not get very far; he could already feel himself getting lightheaded from lack of oxygen. Then, all of a sudden, he felt someone tug at his hand. Despite the sting of seawater, he opened his eyes to see Elsa pulling him to safety.
"Hans, what's going on?" she asked him once they resurfaced a good distance away. "Who were those people, and why were they after you?"
"Pirates…" he wheezed, "Pirates… They… …captured the Queen Elizabeth! The crew… …they're in grave danger… We have to go back!"
Elsa looked at him as if he had grown two heads. "Are you crazy!?" she exclaimed. "They were shooting at you with those gun things that hurt people."
"And they'll hurt a lot more people if we don't do something," Hans implored, tears streaming down his face. "Please Elsa, if we don't act now, they'll– they'll–" He hiccupped, unable to finish his sentence.
Elsa felt her heart break upon seeing her friend's distress. It was clear that Admiral Roaldsen and the crew of the Queen Elizabeth were very important people to the redheaded prince; so much so that he would even risk his own life to save them.
"Alright, I'll help," she relented, knowing that she could not dissuade him from undertaking this suicide mission. "What's your plan?"
The pirate captain grinned lewdly as he watched his growing pile of loot. His crew was in the process of divesting the Queen Elizabeth of everything valuable- gold, provisions, weapons, ammunitions, and most importantly, new slaves to be sold to the black markets of the Barbary Coast. Should all go well, he would be sailing home with a king's ransom in fortune.
Just then, frightened screams could be heard from among his men.
"It's snowing!" they howled, frantically pointing at the sky. "It's snowing in summer!"
"A bad omen, indeed!" cried an older pirate, recalling the dire circumstances of The Year Without a Summer. A soon as he spoke, the mild snowfall had transformed into a freak blizzard with whiteout conditions.
Taking advantage of the mass hysteria that followed the blizzard, Hans quickly boarded the ship. Ever since he received that kiss from Elsa, the cold no longer bothered him, and thus he was able push through the snowstorm. With quick, decisive steps, he hurried towards the holding brig where he found Admiral Roaldsen and the crewmen of the Queen Elizabeth shackled together as they huddled nervously, awaiting their impending doom.
"Hans!" they cried, happy and relieved to see him. "When did you–? How did you–?"
He motioned for them to be quiet. "It's a long story," he replied, "I'll tell you later." Reaching into his pocket, he took out an ice jar and emptied its contents onto the door lock and the prisoners' chains. Within seconds, the sturdy metal turned brittle and shattered under the extreme cold, freeing the prisoners.
The sailors gaped at him in shock. "What on earth was that?" they asked, "Wherever did you find such a substance?"
"No time to explain," Hans whispered urgently, "Now hurry, arm yourselves! Time is of the essence, we need to act while the enemy morale is low."
"You heard him, men, let's go!" said Roaldsen, looking at the prince with swelling pride, "For God and country, let's beat those ruffians and take back our ship!"
"AYE!"
Confusion reigned out on the upper deck as the pirates struggled against the raging snowstorm. They scrambled and slid on the slippery floor as they tried to take cover from the howling winds and frigid temperature. At the same time, the captain was barking orders, desperately trying to regain command of his men, but to no avail. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the mysterious blizzard stopped and the ice melted and vanished into nothingness.
The pirates poked out of their hiding places, stunned. Had it all been an illusion? A mirage? But then again, it couldn't have been. It had all been too real – in fact, there was still a slight chill lingering in the air.
Just then, there was a loud bang as the crew of the Queen Elizabeth burst out of the lower deck, armed to the teeth. Chaos erupted as swords clashed and bullets were exchanged as the opposing sides engaged in a violent battle for control of the ship. Ultimately, under Roaldsen's brilliant leadership, the crew managed to make quick work of the pirates and neutralize the threat.
Hans felt dazed as the victorious sailors roared in applause and crowded beside him. They hoisted him up over their shoulders and paraded him around the deck, cheering wildly. He turned to see Roaldsen standing at the sidelines, a grinning proudly. In the admiral's eyes, Hans Westergaard had proven himself to be a true son of the Southern Isles.
Once the revelry ended, Roaldsen beckoned for Hans to follow him into his study. "I don't know how you did it, my boy..." he said, "…but I'm impressed. What you did back there was no small feat by any means."
Hans felt his ears heat up at the compliment. "Uh… Thanks. But I couldn't have done it alone. I believe part of the credit should go to a special snowflake that helped me along the way." From the corner of his eye, he saw Elsa wink at him before diving back into the sea.
"I'll say…" Roaldsen mumbled, oblivious to the mermaid's existence. "Nature can be a cruel mistress." He shuffled about behind his desk. "Kindly help me out with this chest over here, would you?"
Hans obeyed; and taking out a large, iron key, Roaldsen opened the chest and began rummaging through its contents. "Now where could it be?" the admiral muttered. "I know I put it somewhere around here."
Hans looked at him, unable to make heads or tails of Roaldsen's strange behavior. "Beg pardon, Sir?"
"Ah, here it is!" the admiral beamed, fishing out an item covered in a red cloth and offered it to Hans. "This was fished out by the HDMS Leif Erikson four weeks ago, and I was going to present this to your father when we returned to the Southern Isles, but after witnessing today's events, I felt that you deserve it more than he does."
With trembling hands, the young prince undid the wrappings to reveal a magnificent double-edged sword with a hilt shaped like a stylized phoenix. Based on its design, it was quite old – an antique, even; and yet despite its age, it still seemed to be quite serviceable. But what made it really stand out were the runes inscribed on the blade.
"King Hans Westergaard III?" he gasped, recognizing the name.
King Hans III was Hans' paternal grandfather. He was said to be the greatest king to ever rule the Southern Isles. He ushered a golden age of enlightenment among his people and he was an expert navigator and a patron of the arts and sciences. He consorted with philosophers to establish good governance, but what he was most remembered for was that he put the needs of his people first and foremost. His exploits and deeds were said to be near-legendary and his legacy and eminence so powerful, that no other king had ever come close to emulating his greatness. Unfortunately, his reign was cut short when he tragically lost his life at sea.
Hans himself had been named after this most esteemed ancestor by Agatha and the castle staff who were convinced that if reincarnations did exist, the thirteenth prince would be the second coming of the great king.
He looked up to the admiral, hands shaking as they reverently held the sword. "Sir… I cannot accept this…"
Roaldsen raised a brow at this. "Why not?"
"I…" Hans worked his jaw trying to find an adequate reason. "I'm not worthy," he whispered, thrusting the sword back to Roaldsen. "Also, I can't let you get punished for my sake. Heaven knows what Father will do if he finds out."
"Let him rage, for all I care," Roaldsen scoffed, "He does not deserve to wield this sword. If your grandfather was alive, I'm sure he would've wanted you to keep it too."
"Th-thank you, Sir!"
Roaldsen put a reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder. "You're becoming a true man of the sea, Hans… My only regret is that fate did not appoint you to succeed the throne."
"I think it's better that way," Hans replied. "I fear that the pressures of the crown may be too heavy, and I would lose sight of myself."
"Wise words for such a young lad," Roaldsen quipped. "Now off to bed with you. Tomorrow, your advanced lessons will begin."
"Eh?" Hans blinked owlishly. "Whatever for?"
"To be my successor, of course!" Roaldsen laughed, thumping Hans on the back. "I've been considering it time and time again, and after today, I've decided that you'd make a fine fleet admiral once I retire."
"Shouldn't the king decide that?" asked the prince.
"Don't worry, I'll convince him," Roaldsen promised, winking cheekily. "Now off to bed with you. We still have long day ahead."
The palace was quiet when Elsa returned home. Then again, most of its inhabitants would be asleep by then; nor was she expecting anyone to welcome her back. She swam up to her window and entered her room, only to find herself face to face with an angry Gerda.
"Where have you been, young lady?" she scolded, her tail swishing furiously.
"Nowhere…" Elsa replied, averting her gaze.
Gerda crossed her arms, not buying her fib. "Nowhere, huh? Then why haven't I seen you for the last few weeks?"
Elsa bit her lip. "I was well... …just here and there."
"More like here, there, and everywhere!" the older mermaid exclaimed, making Elsa flinch. "Do you know how worried I was? I thought you had been captured by humans again."
"I'm sorry!" the princess squeaked, "I didn't mean for this to happen!"
Gerda sighed, taking a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves. She swam over to Elsa and wrapped her in a hug. "I understand, snowflake," she rebuked, but much more gently this time, "It's nice that you get to spend some time with your human friend, but if you're going to keep on taking off like this, please inform me at the very least, so I don't have to worry so much."
"I'm sorry," Elsa mumbled, her voice muffled by the hug. "I never meant for you to worry… I was just afraid that you might not allow me to go to the surface world and visit Hans."
The nanny smiled fondly at her royal charge. "Don't be silly, I would never forbid you to visit your friend. In fact, I think being with that boy has done you a whole lot of good. Why, look! You're hugging me."
Elsa's eyes widened in surprise. "I am, aren't I?" She hummed, deep in thought, "I wonder…"
"Wonder what?" Gerda inquired.
The princess stared at her hands and sighed. "Up on the surface world, whenever I'm with Hans, my magic is always under control; but down here…"
"Hmm… Very odd indeed…" mused the older mermaid as she rubbed her chin. "Is he a magic user too?"
Elsa shook her head, her braid swinging gently as she did. "I don't think so. He appears to be perfectly normal… …for a human."
Just then, Gerda's sharp eyes spotted the shell comb nestled In Elsa's hair. "Did Hans give you this?" she queried, pointing at the trinket.
Elsa blushed. "It's just a gift…" But unbeknownst to him, Hans had opened the proverbial Pandora's Box. Gifting a comb was an integral part of the merfolk courtship ritual. When a merman wanted to express his interest to a mermaid, he would fashion a comb out of shell or coral and present it to the mermaid of his choice. The more ornate it was, the higher his chances of a successful courtship.
"Are you sure?" Gerda asked as she studied the innocuous ornament. "I hope you didn't catch this 'love' that the humans often speak of."
"What's love?"
Gerda froze at the question. Love was an entirely foreign concept to the merfolk. While they were monogamous beings with elaborate courtship rituals, merfolk couples did not stay together out of love, but rather for procreation and companionship. While emotions similar to love did occur among some merfolk couples every now and then, it did not have the same impact as pure, unconditional, love.
She glanced at Elsa, who looked at her expectantly as she waited for an answer. 'Oh, what have I gotten myself into?'
"Well, it's a bit difficult to describe" she began, "But love, according to what I heard, is when a person is willing to put another before him or herself. It's the reason why humans stay together and get married."
"Married?" Elsa echoed, "What's that? And how do I know if they're meant to get married, whatever that means?"
"Goodness! You've become quite inquisitive, haven't you?" Gerda observed, "Being with that boy really has improved your disposition.
"As for getting married," she went on, "I'm not so sure about the details, but based on what I heard from my brother, it happens when two humans love each other very much, more than they love their parents; and when they do, they stand before a priest in a ceremony and they join hands to become husband and wife."
"Wow…" Elsa whispered, fascinated by all the strange human customs, "Tell me more, Gerda!"
"I'm afraid that's enough, Little Miss," Gerda chided as she herded Elsa to her sea sponge bed, "It's time for bed, and you need to sleep."
"But I'm not *yawn* sleepy!" Elsa protested, "The sky's awake, so I'm awake!"
"That may be so," said the nanny as she tucked Elsa in, "But a growing girl needs her rest."
"Wait… I just have one more question. Just how powerful is this 'love'?"
"According to the humans, it's said to be the most powerful thing in existence," Gerda replied. "They say it can heal and hurt, lighten people's hearts or darken them. To sum it short, it is something that can change people."
"Really?" Elsa gasped, enthralled by this strange, new force. "Is it really that powerful?"
Gerda nodded. "That's what they say…" She kissed the princess on the forehead before swimming out the door. "Sweet dreams, dear Elsa. I'll see you in the morning."
But Elsa could not sleep just yet; her mind was too full of unanswered questions regarding this new discovery. She simply lay on her back, staring at her hand. Love… Was that the mysterious force that was helping her control her powers? If so, what else could it do; and more importantly, was she even capable of feeling love?
To be continued...
Beta written by Nightrain and Brownstone.
Authors note: Ohhh things just got more interesting, wonder where Elsa's curiosity will lead her. Stay tuned for the next chapter and please leave a review and tell me what you think.