Here we are with Chapter 7. Enjoy!
The clouds cover the bright moonlight casting a dark shadow over Arendelle. The city streets are empty with no signs of life. Most of the people have locked themselves in their homes while others have decided to flee the kingdom entirely. The front gate to the castle has been locked down and two pirates stand guard at the top of the wall that oversees the city square. At the main courtyard the huge fire continues to burn as a few pirates toss furniture into it feeding the flames. Others sing, dance, and drink nearby.
In the meantime in the grand hall Antonio, Kovo, and Obalode have the staff lined up against the wall cowering in fear. Antonio paces back and forth sword drawn staring them all down, "You don't have to fear me. I'm not hear to hurt you. I've decided to bring you all in here to explain the situation." He finally stops in the center and puts his cutlass back in its place, "As you can see there has been a small change in power."
"Where's Queen Elsa?" Kai a short, plump elderly man, and Elsa's chief advisor interrupts.
Antonio takes a deep breath as he attempts to stay calm, and approaches Kai, "Unfortunately for her. She's no longer in the land of the living. That sometimes happens when there is a shift in power, but it's not all bad news. Fortunately for all of you. None of you will be harmed, you are all to continue your normal duties as if nothing happened."
"What of the Princess? What'd you do to her?" Gerda the oldest of the maids, and nanny to both Anna and Elsa interrupts Antonio yet again. As she wipes a few tears from her cheeks.
"That's right, I almost forgot about her." Antonio signals Obalode who walks over to him, "I want you to take a couple men and find me that Princess. I want her brought back her safe and sound. Understood."
"Yes sir." Obalode responds, "What about the idiot that was seen with her?"
"You make sure he is no longer a problem." Obalode nods, and exits the grand hall. Antonio turns his attention back to the staff, "You don't need to worry about your Princess. You'll be seeing her soon. Now back to work. You have a long night ahead off you." The staff fearfully nod and start to walk towards the exit, "Oh and before I forget." The staff come to a complete stop and looks back at Antonio, "If any of you think about heading down into the dungeons or try and leave the castle I will kill you." Antonio smirks and menacingly says, "Now enjoy your night." The staff hurries out of the room.
"Now that you have Arendelle castle under your control. What's next? It won't be long before word gets out that we're here." Kovo asks.
"I know and I'm already ahead of you, we expand. In the morning I want you to send a messenger to all taverns, inns, and wretched hiding spots we've used throughout the years, and invite any and all pirates to Arendelle. We'll turn this little kingdom into a safe haven for our kind. The first true pirate sanctuary of the north."
"It'll be done." Kovo responds.
"But until then why don't you loosen up. Enjoy yourself have a good time, drink, sing, whatever you want. We've all earned it." Antonio gently puts his hand on Kovo's shoulder and then heads for the grand hall exit.
Deep in the forest Anna sullenly walks ahead of Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf as they make their way to Oaken's shop the only place Kristoff felt they could safely spend the night. She stares down at the ground as tears run down her cheeks. She drags her feet leaving a small trail behind her. All strength, hope, and happiness drained from every inch of her body, "Elsa you can't be gone. You just can't be." She quietly sobs.
"I...I need to talk with her. Comfort her. She needs to know everything will be okay." Kristoff tells Olaf who gives him a slight shake of the head.
"It's better if we leave her alone for now."
"But-"
"She needs time." Olaf says as they continue to watch Anna.
She glances up towards the sky. The clouds have started to slowly clear out and moon is now partially illuminating the night sky. A few more tears run down her cheeks. As she looks back down she notices a withered Vedenemo flower at the base of a tree. She kneels down in front of it, and gently touches a petal with the tip of her finger causing the petal to break off. Olaf notices the flower and hops off Sven's back. He goes up to Anna picks up the petal and offers it her.
Anna sniffles as she wipes a couple of tears from her eyes with one hand and takes the flower petal from Olaf with her other hand, "It's not fair. None of this is fair Olaf. I finally had her back in my life again, and now she's gone. I lost her again, and this time it's forever."
Olaf gently places his twig hand on her shoulder, "You have to be strong. That's what she'd want."
Anna clutches the petal in her hand, "I don't know if I can." She looks over at Olaf and gives him a loving hug, "You're all I have left of her."
Olaf hugs her back, "And I will never leave your side." Kristoff and Sven come up behind them. He gently offers her his hand.
"Oaken's isn't far from here. It's not safe being out here this late." Anna nods and takes his hand.
They continue there trek up towards Oaken's shop when they finally catch of glimpse of the sauna steam rising through the chimney, "We're finally here." Kristoff says, but no one responds. Anna still clutching the Vedenemo petal.
Kristoff knocks on the door multiple times until Oaken the large, burly, and friendly man finally opens up, "Do you have any idea what time it is?" He sees it's Kristoff, "Oh it's you again troublemaker. I don't want any problems again."
"Are you ever going to let that night go. I already said I was sorry."
"I'm just pulling your goat, but what are you doing out here at this hour?" Oaken looks behind Kristoff and notices Sven, Olaf, and Anna. Anna still completely broken down, "Actually why don't you come inside. I have some hot cocoa ready for ya."
Oaken walks up to the back door of his shop revealing a small home connected to his shop. His family fast asleep. Anna, Kristoff and Olaf all take a seat at the modest little wooden table. Oaken opens a small cabinet and takes out three cups and fills them to brim with hot cocoa, he then puts a couple of marshmallows on top, but gives Anna extra in an effort to cheer her up.
He hands each of them their cocoa and takes a seat in the last empty chair, "You all look very down in dumps."
"You haven't heard?" Kristoff asks.
"Heard what?" Oaken responds completely unaware of the situation.
"Arendelle has been taken over, and well..." Kristoff struggles to get the words out, "We were forced to leave the city."
"And what of everyone else? The Queen?" Oaken asks. Anna unable to hold back her tears breaks down again. Olaf right away jumps out of his seat and goes to comfort her. Kristoff looks at Oaken and gives him a slight shake of the head. Realizing what Kristoff means Oaken right away goes over to Anna and puts his arms around her.
"I'm so sorry dear. I wish there were something I could do to help."
"By letting us stay here you've done enough." Kristoff answers for Anna.
"Why don't you go lie down dear." He tells her, and then looks down at Olaf, "Take her down the hall to the room in the far left. Its a small room, but it has comfy little bed where she can rest."
Olaf nods, and grabs Anna by the hand, "C'mon Anna." Anna doesn't say anything. She wipes a few more tears from her cheeks, gets up, and follows Olaf down the hall.
Kristoff takes a sip of his hot cocoa, "What are you planning on doing?" Oaken asks
"I haven't had much time to think about it, but my idea was to get us to the town on the other side of the mountain, and send a message to Corona."
"Why Corona?"
"Anna's cousin is the Princess there. Maybe they can send help, maybe then we'll able to go back to Arendelle."
Days later Han's three warships sail towards the outskirts of Arendelle. He impatiently taps his fingers on the handrail as Rasmus steers the ship, "It's been days. How have we not spotted any trace of them."
"They might have turned back, and headed south again."
"No, we keep searching. Their ship took a lot of damage they had to have docked somewhere."
"Dingy off the port bow." The man in crows nest screams down at the rest of the crew. Hans turns his attention to that direction, and sees a small row boat with a makeshift sail coming towards them.
"Ease up the sails. Come up next to that dingy." Hans orders, and crew springs into action. The ship slowly comes to a stop as the dingy sails up next to them, "Bring them up."
A crew member drops a rope ladder down the side of the ship, and two people who turn out to be a an elderly couple in raggedy worn out clothes make their way to the deck. The crew member helps the couple onto the deck as Hans approaches them.
"Please help us." The elderly man says out of breath."
"What happened? What are you doing out here in that thing?"
"We...we're from Arendelle. My wife and I tried to escape on a small merchant ship, but as we left the fjord we were attacked, and sunk by pirates. We managed to get on the dingy, but I don't know what happened to everyone else."
"Pirates near Arendelle?"
The elderly woman nods, "Yes, they showed up not that long ago, and took over the castle."
"And they killed the Queen." The elderly man added.
"Elsa's dead?" The elderly couple nod, "And what of Princess Anna?"
"She's disappeared please you have to help us." Rasmus pats a crew member on the shoulder who nods, and heads up to the helm.
"Your Highness is everything okay?"
"Set course for Arendelle." He orders Rasmus, and then turns his attention back to the elderly couple, "Please go with one of my men they'll give you something to eat." Hans signals a pair of his men who take the couple below deck.
"Why Arendelle? I thought you were prohibited from entering without your father present."
"Becasue Castillo and his dogs are there. Now set course for Arendelle. That's an order."
"Yes, your highness, but we should ask for reinforcements." They make their way back towards the helm. The crew patiently waiting for their next orders.
"There's no time. We have to attack them now." Rasmus takes back over on the helm. Hans stares out towards the direction the dingy came from, and lets out a devilish smirk, "And when we bring him and his savages down Father will be so proud. Not only will I brought him the Ghost of Puerto Real, but also Queen Elsa's killer."
"Set course for Arendelle, full speed!" Rasmus orders. The crew like a well oiled machine get the ship moving again.
Antonio sits in Elsa's study with his feet up on the desk, a chalice of ale in his hand, and looks up at the large painting of her and her sister hanging on the wall next to a painting of the King, Queen, and a younger Elsa, and Anna. "I can't wait to have you back in this castle Princess. You'll elevate me to even greater heights."
The door to the study swings open, and Kovo walks in serious as ever, "They're here."
"So soon?"
Kovo nods. Antonio gets up swigs his ale, and tosses the chalice on the ground, "Let's go great our guest." Antonio enters the throne and is greeted by a row of ten pirate ship captains including notorious African Captain Obasi a large muscular man, with a scar across one eye, and various other scars of different sizes all over the rest of his body, and slinged over his back a large battle axe. Also Captain Kosuke from the far east a slender man with a enviously well groomed beard wearing a more traditional eastern outfit along with three katanas of various sizes strapped to his belt. Along with them there was also Captain Cas form Agrabah. An older more experienced man, with a pencil thin mustache, and beard to match. A man who didn't seem very threatening, but was known by the authorities as the Butcher of Agrabah.
A big smile takes over Antonio's face when he sees them, but Obasi is quick to get to business, "Where's Castillo?"
"Dead. Killed by the Queen of this land, and being next in line I took over as captain. So as official Captain of the Sirena, and Pirate Lord of Arendelle I welcome you to the first pirate sanctuary in the north.
"How'd you manage to take Arendelle with only one ship?" Cas asks.
"With strategy numbers don't matter.
"And what is the cost of staying here?" Kosuke adds.
"I don't ask for much, just your loyalty to stand with me whenever we are attacked. Do that and you can enjoy all Arendelle has to offer." The ten captains contemplate the pros and cons of the situation. A few look at each other, "So what do you say?" One by one the captains give a slight nod of the head. Cas and Kosuke nod, and then they all turn their attention to Obasi who hasn't decided yet, but finally accepts, "Perfect! So how about we finish business in proper pirate tradition. With a drink." All the pirates cheer, "Kovo have some of the men get some more kegs of ale." Kovo only nods, and leaves the room.
Over the next few days the pirates trash Arendelle leaving most of the city in shambles. Many citizens have fled the city and many shops have been broken into and ransacked. Meanwhile the small amount of citizens left in city are forced to work for the pirates, and help repair the damaged ships.
Daylight breaks over the horizon slowly illuminating the glistening sea. Four Southern Isle warships break the horizon as they sail towards the outer walls surrounding the Arendelle fjord. Hans confidently stands at the helm next to Rasmus, "Finally" Rasmus signals his men and they begin to spread the sheets. "Men prepare the front cannons." One of the crew members nods while another signals the other ships which begin to mobilize as well.
At the outerwall a group of pirates patrol and keep an eye out when one notices the four sets of sails with his spyglass, "Kovo!" One of them calls out. Kovo rushes over to the pirate who hands him the spyglass. Kovo takes a look and catches a glimpse of the Southern Isle flags. "Prepare the cannons," Kovo orders. The pirates start getting the cannons into position.
"Who is it?"
"The Southern Isle prince and his dogs."
"Sir cannons are ready!"
"When they get into range send them straight to Davey Jones locker. The ships continues to sail closer and closer. The pirates eager to fire the cannons, "Hold. Not yet, not yet."
The warships suddenly open fire. Most of the shots landing in the ocean shooting huge spurts of water in the air with every impact. A few of cannonballs impact parts of the wall causing an immediate reaction from the pirates who return fire.
Cannonballs impact all around the ships and begin to do serious damage to a couple of them. The sailors try to quickly reload and return fire. A cannonball smashes into one of the rails. Rasmus ducks for cover as pieces of wood fly everywhere. Hans on the other hand keeps his cool and uses his arms to protect his face. Cannonball impacts send both sailors and pirates flying in the air.
"Prince Hans we have to retreat. They have to much fire power."
"I'm not going to let him win again! I want him dead!"
"If we lose our ships it'll be over for us Highness. We must retreat." Hans notices his men starting to panic, "Highness!"
Hans grits his teeth, "Retreat! Full retreat! The warships begin to turn back. The pirates cheer their victory. Kovo crosses his arms and smirks, "Look at'em run! Like the cowards they are."
Sorry for the long wait for Ch. 7. The Pirate regime continues to expand and maintain control of Arendelle. Will anyone be able to stop them? Anna? Hans? Corona?
Love to hear for you all