We do not own 'Frozen' or any of its characters.
"Frozen Again: 'Love Never Ends"
Act VI
Chapter 8
"Feel Free to Have Fun"
In the Western European kingdom of Corona, deep in the night…
As the sun was just rising to beam through her window, a young woman opens her eyes and stares up at the darkened ceiling blankly.
Although there wasn't anything about this palace's high vaulted ceiling of her bedroom that could be called 'blank'.
From stunning sunrises to vibrant flowers to colorful chameleons, brilliant depictions of magic lanterns blazed across the sky of her Corona Palace bedroom walls and ceiling. The cocoa brown haired Princess had spent half the amount of her confinement's virtual solitude venting her artistic passions out with her beloved paintbrush and pencil in hand until the bedroom she shared with her husband and lover and best friend of over five years now had become a bower of art and creativity.
From top to bottom, floor to ceiling, wall to wall, this artist's Avante garde style of art displayed her life—sweet as the story goes.
From the endlessly long-haired blonde child staring out that drab tower window, dreaming of exciting adventure and vivid living in the world beyond; to leaving that tower prison with the wind in her hair with pluck and courage – not to mention a tall dark and handsome thief who liberated her into the wild freeing light of the outside, with the grass beneath her feet.
The wonder that followed was full of interesting books, picturesque maps, ice cream cones, and teems of shimmering flags with golden suns upon them all set among the artwork montage. Upon the wall trailing upwards were scenes of dancing and gondola rides and sparkling magic lanterns alight on that first wondrous day all wrapped up by her unlikely hero's dying sacrifice and the miraculous tearful kiss which followed that changed her life forevermore.
On the next wall was a new mystery where her long seventy foot golden tresses returned until another adventure was solved with her reunited family and new friends all dotting the landscape of her room's tableau.
Finally, the most recent trip that took her to the mountainous country of Arendelle in the North was there. It illustrated a gingery girl and her blond mountain man with their flying reindeer crossing snowflake bridges; two masted ships on the high seas swirling into that dreadful Moskenstraumen funnel that spun towards a castle surrounded by a moat where a handsome redheaded Prince and his blonde Queen embrace each other in the vista of many brothers and their wives and a whiskered old King smiling over the happy couple in front of a church.
In the cold late November early morn, Princess Rapunzel sighs a look up and around all the excitement and adventure depicted in her painted pastels all over the walls and reams of papers at her bedside filled with little vignettes of her life's story.
All in artistic descriptive drawings and stylized paintings in between every inch of the furniture until there was barely any room left for more.
And yet…what the spirited and free young woman of just twenty-five years of age wanted was just that – more.
She had been lying here in bed almost immobile for the past two weeks and thought she would go bonkers if one more person came in and asked how she was feeling.
How do you think I feel?! There are two rambunctious people in my stomach trying to get out, and I feel like I am about to explode!
Rapunzel's pregnant abdomen had enlarged to a massive balloon – more like a watermelon – and the Corona Princess never felt more unwell.
"Argh! This is ridiculous, Pascal! I can't even move to my side!" The princess of Corona attempts to turn over from laying on her back, but there was something (or some ones) definitely in her way. It was all Eugene's fault!
Annoyed in her immobility for days on end, Rapunzel was having a tough time seeing past her bulbous wide girth buried beneath a mountain of pillows and plush toys and thick furry blanket and the huge rounded stomach beneath it all that was holding her back from even sitting up.
Grabbing hold of one of the teddy bears that seemed to be glaring back to her, the irritable, pudgy Prussian Princess tosses him in frustration at the closed door.
"You rang, my voluptuous Venus?" The sinfully good-looking man with the roguish smile peers into the bedroom he once shared with his bride.
But, with Rapunzel being at a very tender time and testy at this eighth month of her pregnancy, it was decided by her parents–mainly old Fritz, who was perpetually on the fritz, growing more antsy than his son-in-law about the fragile health of the expectant young mother—that Rapunzel stay quiet and relaxed. With King Friedrich's own ill experience with his dearest wife Arianna's first and only pregnancy being a rocky one, the older man was freaking out daily now the closer Rapunzel's time came.
It didn't help that the constantly poorly young mother-to-be was restless and sick to her stomach, unfit to see anyone most of the time until she was bottled up in her room, madly trying to wile away the hours by drawing or painting nearly all the time now.
And so, the overwrought King, after consulting with royal physicians, doctors and midwives who were all on call twenty-four/seven, had ordered his precious daughter sheltered in the peace and quiet with absolutely no disturbances to upset her in this delicate stage of her being great with child.
So that meant Eugene had long been kicked out from his wife's bed and their shared bedroom after the suspicious King had caught the virile thief unashamedly posing nude for 'sculptor Rapunzel' on her own aesthetic still life study of the male anatomy.
No matter how many arguments of simple impressionist art the young married couple had attributed, the Royal monarch of Corona could not be assuaged of anything less than Rapunzel's young man being sequestered to at least a joint bedroom, if just to 'give the poor girl some breathing room in her delicate time'.
Although he was miffed, Eugene couldn't argue the point too much. For his once lithe little lady had expanded her slender form by several inches in diameter until she could barely balance herself stable on her pins. Her hard pregnancy had made poor Rapunzel morning sick, afternoon sick, and night sick the majority of the time she was awake and even into her oft fraught sleep.
Eugene loved his wife so much that he did not wish to interrupt what few hours of real rest his beleaguered girl could find.
Plus Eugene did not want to either vex or incur the wrath of an already apprehensive King Friedrich more than the recently recovered from his own ailments old gent was pulling his waning hairline out for.
Do kids do that to us fathers? No way am I going to let any little brat impinge on my serenity, nor my good looks!
"Eugene! I'm so tired of staring at the four walls! I need to do something!" The perplexed Prussian Princess points purposely at her puffing out extra large abdomen.
"I've used up and filled every page of the seventh diary sketchpad Mom gave me with so many drawings and doodles! And there's no room for you or Cass to stick them to the walls anymore! You have to find something to get my mind off this or I'll go stir crazy!" The exasperated girl tosses her discouraged pencil to the frustrating ground in defiance of her bottled up woes.
Just like she does to another stuffed 'animal' – this one a homage of her fine-looking husband – that her handmaiden Cassandra had her inventor friend Varian specially craft for Rapunzel in 'homage' of the representation of the reformed thief—to either cuddle or throw down when Eugene undoubtedly got under her skin.
"Whoa there, Brownie! It's only four in the morning! You'll wake the whole palace up if you persist in throwing things across the room." The actual dark-haired man enters the room to stoop down to pick up and dust off his besieged plush likeness.
"Don't take it out on little 'ole me." Looking down at it in the pale moonlight, Eugene makes the oddly disturbing wide-eyed doll move his arms and head around, comically mimicking its kooky facial features in a supposed high-pitched voice.
"Hi! I'm Flynn Rider and I like warm money!" Eugene cutely mimics the stuffed toy's crossed eyes and puckered lips as he crosses the room in his posh wine red velvet robe.
But the dismayed, distraught, dispirited Rapunzel wasn't biting with even the tiniest hint of a grin.
Her husband exchanges a look with a shrugging Pascal, who was by now fanning Rapunzel's creased forehead where she plopped down to her fluffy feather pillow, hysterical in the tears that were too very quick to come as of late.
In the darkness, a pain faced Eugene approaches the bed, touching Rapunzel's convulsing shoulder lightly with as much sympathetic understanding as the once loner, independent man could muster.
"Come on, Liebling. Give us a laugh! It kills me to see you this way." Eugene's voice says with a small grimace at his brilliant ray of Sunshine's sour mood. When she doesn't respond, Eugene perches at the edge of the bed and begins to stroke the short cropped waves of her naturally brown hair that had grown back to its usual, almost shoulder length style after she had cut it short to pretend to be a ship boy on that crazy mission in Norway.
"You know, what I'm about to say may sound sappy – and don't you dare tell anyone I uttered this, particularly Cass-an-dra," Eugene stresses the name of the despised ladies' maid whose main role in life was to torment him since she took over the role as Rapunzel's confidante and close friend.
"– But I miss hearing your beautiful, infectious laughter in my ear, waking me up at the unholy hour of daybreak each morning, more than anything." Eugene tickles his talented fingers behind his upset gal's ear, scruffing the brown curls at the nape of her neck with a familiar touch as he lies down the on the bed until he was facing his pregnant wife.
"Oh, Eugene. I've missed you so much, too." At last Rapunzel opens her spontaneously tearful eyes to grace her mate with that smile and the tiniest of giggles - just as he requested - as she looks at the gorgeous man lying alongside her on their bed.
"That's better, mein liebste (My dearest)." The dashing man captures Rapunzel's wobbling lips in his for a long-lasting and luxuriant liplock both were starved for during this aggravating past month-long taboo.
"You always can make me smile when I'm so scared." Finally admitting the source of her real frustration was her upcoming delivery due date, Rapunzel's scoots her body closer to his. Her hands tug at Eugene's sash parted robe the rest of the way until his dark hairy chest was revealed to her great satisfaction.
Any cognizant and involuntary thinking he has is halted when her bulging tummy presses against her man's bare rockhard abs. Both look down to the humorous situation of the growing future literally wedged between them.
"Hee hee hee."
"Heh heh hee." The easy laughter shared between the partners each revel in. These were rare moments in between pain and anxiety and frustration nowadays when they could be part of each other's lives again.
"Now… I know your Pops may have a bit of a conniption fit... But if you're still feeling this restless in the morning – and you promise to be on your best behavior, Mrs. Fitzherbert – what would you say, to an invitation to the Corona Town Square to visit all the winter festive sights. You can spend some time with your old friends as they are putting up the 'Christbaum ('Christmas Tree') in the church early this year to commemorate Advent Sunday's month's start, hmm?" The cocky man gives his instantly enthused woman a know-it-all simper as he props his well-toned body up on one elbow for dramatic effect to dangle the carrot before his curious, no-longer-weeping wife.
Lifelong loner Eugene Fitzherbert/Flynn Rider was not one for attending big shindig occasions, but he knew his effervescent little bride had a hankering for socializing with the townspeople. He knew his Princess Rapunzel always tried hard to please to make others like her.
Which shouldn't be hard at all, considering how pretty and sweet and adorable you are…when you're not throwing things.
Since the whole darn town (minus one Uncle Monty) adored their darling 'Missing Princess' since her return, Eugene reckoned that attending their Christmas tree church ceremony celebration was something Rapunzel's spouse figured would bring that sparkling grin back to her pouty face.
Pascal gives Eugene a congratulatory thumbs-up where the lizard was perched on the bedpost above their heads.
"I would say…' Thank you', Mister Fitzherbert." With happy tears now, Rapunzel beams from ear-to-ear up at him, already feeling the spirit lifted to have the prospect to be free of this bed's confinement and have some fun for a change.
Rapunzel playfully knocks Eugene's susceptible leaning elbow down until the man falls on his gorgeous face and prided nose flat to the bad. When he looks up, in a rush of energy, the brown-haired beauteous mother-to-be peppers loving, grateful kisses from the top of his Roman nose to his delightfully stubbly 5 AM chin.
"I love you, Eugene." Rapunzel whispers, her heart lifted as she rewards her wonderful mate who was so gifted to still be able to make her smile, even through her pain, with multiple kisses of such variety, he hadn't the drive to leave their bed so readily for some hours.
Besides, a little friendly fondling and gentle caressing would only do his lonesome beauty a world of good.
"And I love you most, Sunshine." Between those kisses, a teasing Eugene blows in Rapunzel's ear to gain her smile. Pascal covers his humongous reptilian eyes of the tenderly cautious couple's long-awaited osculation.
The father of her children would just have to be extra careful not to harm his Liebling at this tender moment in her life. But at the same time, he would be sure to be able to share with the uncertain female the confidence of his love that she was so in desperate need of.
Princess Rapunzel needed to have the man who dared to unravel her tangled heart close at this time more than ever.
Master thief of hearts Eugene Fitzherbert was up to the challenge, as his dexterous hands caressingly massage Rapunzel's gurgling and throbbing, sore tender tummy while he soothingly blows in her gratified ear with whispered sweet everythings...
Arendelle Castle, mid-afternoon…
Prince Alonso had been tapping his foot impatiently as he was given the full tour of Arendelle. Between the tedious old Council Chamber to the stately solemn Great Hall to the boring Portrait Room full of dull ancient history and dreary old library tomes of one sort or another, Alonso was yawning. The full-length paintings by some dead Master artists that Queen Elsa and Minister Kai took great pride in every inch of, and had been painstakingly describing to him as if it meant something to the insensitive twenty-something.
After spending all morning in negotiations of Argentina's natural resources of grain, fruits, and cattle, with Queen Elsa studiously listening, Minister Kai already had King Agdar's authorization of signing with the South American country's representative. But the annoyed young prince, who was less than interested in any talk of economy or trade deal between their nations, only gave the serious discussion that would affect his country's international prominence in years to come, only half his attention.
Sure, Arendelle had a lot of history and resources and assets to offer some interest to the visiting South American Royal, but the bored-out-of-his-skull Prince of Córdoba was solely interested in acquiring Arendelle's pale-skinned Queen.
Queen Elsa of Arendelle was certainly demure and quiet and reserved – all the qualities of a proper wife for him to bring home to Córdoba. And of course, she was undoubtedly a breathtaking beauty, at least enough to be up his own stunning standards.
It was undeniable that the pair of them looked quite well together in the full length reflective glass of the patio door in the conservatory when he had purposely cornered the standoffish Queen to stand beside her and take a proper assessment.
In those brief seconds of being intimately close to the pale blonde female, Prince Alonso was just that sure that the icy cool lady could be persuaded to fall for his ample charms and dashing good looks.
So, while that stuck-up Avaloran Chancellor Esteban had finally garnered the attention of the older Queen Mum and that fat Court Minister constantly hovering over the younger Queen, Alonso felt this was his chance to at last lay on his charm offensive thick.
"Tell me, Elsa. You don't mind that I call you 'Elsa', right? You may call me simply 'Alonso', now that we are such good friends." Prince Alonso's scratchy, egotistical voice was so dripping with arrogance in the chilled air of the Arendelle Castle Conservatory that a reserved Elsa felt a bit stifled to contradict him.
Elsa simply nods and smiles uncomfortably at the tan-brown coiffed man in his direct address and insistence to speak exclusively to her.
"Now that I've seen all the ins and outs of your wonderful Arendelle Castle, don't you think it's about time I get the full tour of the beautiful countryside? I've heard so many tales of Norway's glorious mountains and crystal-clear fjords. The weather seems to have cleared up and my free spirit tires of the indoors already." The pretentious Córdoban Prince demands, compliments and dares in an ostentatious, flirty manner simultaneously as he bluntly confronts an astonished Elsa. He backs the skittish Ice Queen towards the large picturesque window with the ruse to overlook the snow-covered scenery outside and that glowing beacon of light shining back at them from the North Mountain's direction.
"I never imagined I would so enjoy visiting this bitter cold, but it's warming up to me in so many ways. I would love to see more of your beautiful land, Elsa. The wide-open, great outdoors has more opportunity for glorious sights to enthrall and astound your royal visitor from a distant land, don't you think? That is, unless I am to take it that you're afraid to be alone with me? This trip has been so very rewarding for my country and myself in so many ways up to now. Never before have I felt so moved as I am now to be standing on the cusp of this beautiful new land. It is as if your glorious Arendelle has been calling for me to be part of its magnificent splendor all of my life." Prince Alonso boldly lifts Elsa's hand – thankfully gloved – and kisses the back of it with a flourish, followed by an excessively deep royal bow.
"We hot blooded South Americans sometimes tend to do and say things over the top when we are very enthusiastic about meeting someone new and exciting, you must forgive him, Queen Elsa." Here, Chancellor Esteban interjects with a dignified chuckle at how apparent this inept young man was making his woo pitching obvious for all to see.
"How very complimentary and astute of you to say so about our fine pristine landscape, Prince Alonso. But I'm afraid that the storm is too daunting for any jaunt out into the elements." Queen Idun chooses this moment of her tactful eavesdropping to intrude on her daughter's perceptibly unwelcoming, taciturn unresponsiveness to this self-absorbed young man.
Who can blame you, my girl, when you have so much a better prospect of a shining swordfish on the hook than this – to use a crass analogy - tactless little guppy?
"Blizzard-schmizzard! Just look out the window, Your Majesties! The storm's let up, the sun's high in the sky, the wind's died down and the countryside is aglow like a wintry Wonderland! I'm sure I would welcome an excursion on this gorgeous day in this beautiful country, my first outing of many. After all, I plan to be a regular visitor to your enchanting shores, where our nations have just become invaluable trade partners. But remember, I have yet to inspect the grazing lands for the cattle we are trading before I put my good name on any deal. And who better to show me around for a little thrilling exploration full of new discovery than the Ice Queen herself?" The manipulative Prince had a way of making everyone else feel guilty around him for not immediately doing his bidding.
"Since when do you extol the virtues of a quality exploration, Alonso? Did I not hear you comment on this journey that explorers are young fools in search of old ruins?" The tall, dark and debonair Chancellor from Avalor scoffs at his contentious traveling companion from south of the equator.
"Better than old fools looking for new ones." Thinking himself witty and biting in his pointed remarks, Prince Alonso rolls his eyes at the older man with the distinguished moustache as he snorts a breath at Esteban and ushers a flabbergasted Elsa towards the door.
"Neither is true, Your Highness, Chancellor. Exploration is not for any fools. It is 'For the open-minded free spirit, who is never too faint of heart to try', my wise elder sister once told me." Queen Idun observes to her argumentative visitors, recalling her sister Arianna's words when Idun herself was unwilling to entertain any unwelcome change or young men in her own time.
But Idun was thinking of another free-spirited young woman on an entirely different track with this potential suitor for her reticent daughter who held the powers of ice's frigid cold at her talented fingertips.
"I think that since the official business with Prince Alonso's country and ours is nearly complete, simply waiting for a signature as per the 'land inspection' clause the adept Prince has added, I suppose… we should show this young man our most scenic sights before he goes. Once you secure his signature of approval of our grazing lands for his cattle, you may give the Prince a quick tour of your Ice Palace on the North Mountain. Would that not be a perfect 'thrilling exploration' end to a successful negotiation, Elsa?" Queen Idun says one thing, though her eyes possessed an underlying intent that had a different meaning entirely.
Elsa's mother had seen how very unattractive and repellant to Elsa's refined sensibilities this full of himself blowhard of a Crown Prince has been. No matter how hard he threw himself at her traumatized daughter all day long during his tedious visit, he was not in any way, shape or form accomplishing his task of swaying Elsa's mind from her valiant Prince Hans. The heart which Alonso had been persistently pursuing, was not for one second even touched in the least way, though the vain man believed he was brilliantly succeeding.
Did you really envision this blustery, conceited, arrogant young Crown Prince would even come close to enticing our Elsa to forget her gallant hero, Agdar? Ha! He doesn't hold a candle to our young Danish Vise Admiral! I suppose men are truly obtuse when it comes to perception of a woman's heart.
Within the confines of this Castle, as a good, proper hostess and regal monarch, Queen Elsa of Arendelle felt compelled to be stately and courtly and oh-so-polite mannerly to this pompous, vainglorious, little twit.
Pardon me – this 'confident, self-possessed young Prince.'
But outside its confines was a different story entirely. Elsa could be more herself in her own natural element of the cold ice.
Savvy Idun predicted that her big girl would be more comfortable in her own kingdom of her own making, where the Ice Queen surely could feel free to let it go and have some fun with this blowhard Córdoba boy at the same time. She could, once and for all ensure he would be reluctant to return to their country.
"Yes, it's about time Prince Alonso experienced your Ice Palace, for all of its Majesty, min flicka." Idun weaves her wiles and connives quite intricately so that Prince Alonso is unsuspecting and fully taken in.
Elsa was left a bit unsure, though she had suspicions as to her mother's hidden inference.
"Great! Your mother is a smart woman after my own heart, Elsa! A grand tour of your stunning countryside with the daring excursion through the snowstorm to your secondary Royal Palace sounds magical – and rather romantic. I can't wait to begin! I shall escort Elsa in my chariot. It only requires two of us, Esteban. So you can stay here to entertain the other lovely ladies." The Prince of Córdoba says to the raised brow Chancellor, before turning back to the young Queen. "I do hope there are paved roads on this proposed journey northward, your Majesty, for those of us too regal to stoop to climbing mountains."
"Ahem. Please allow me to confer with my advisors on our schedule." A shell-shocked Elsa breaks away from the pleased as punch young man continually trying to ensnare her cold shoulder slippery arm.
"You want me to take Prince Alonso on a tour of Arendelle, even up to my Ice Palace, Mama? That will be a long journey by his little chariot's standard. You really think that's such a good idea? There are snowgies up there." Scurrying up to Queen Idun as decorously as possible, Elsa's anxious thoughts trail off as she envisions the ensuing difficulties and disadvantages of showing this arrogant fool up to her northern ice sanctuary.
"Oh, Mama. Do I really have to?" Feeling very small, Elsa whines like a little girl to her sympathetic mother, who smiles and pets her cheek gently.
"With the sun shining bright and the blizzard passed, I can't see a diplomatic way out of his aggressive demands, min spadbarns (my girl). Perhaps an afternoon out in the bone chilling cold will bring his narcissistic petulant youth down a peg. After all, it's when one is faced with the harshest development that distinguishes the men from the boys." Trying to make light of the situation, Idun whispers in her skeptical daughter's surprised ear.
"But, Mama. An afternoon alone with a perfect stranger! I don't know if I can do this." Elsa speaks in panicked tones behind her left-hand, not at all feeling comfortable with the thought of letting this insolent young man taking her for a ride.
"Elsa, please calm yourself. Prove to your Papa that you are a strong leader of your nation. And a beautiful young woman who can accomplish all things through Christ. I am just that certain that the Ice Queen will be no wilting flower to any man, should the need to retaliate arise." Elsa's gutsy mother had first-hand proudly witnessed her big girl's bold and brave stand against wicked pirates, vicious sea monsters and malignant counts with the utmost grace and courage before.
So what was this one conceited little fool of a pint-sized prince compared to them?
But her blonde child's unsettled face makes Idun want to assure her all the more, nonetheless.
"And if you don't come home by sunset, I'm certain Chancellor Esteban will escort Johanne and I right out to the Ice Palace to liberate you from the annoying young man in our royal carriage sleigh. That is, if Marshmallow hasn't already clobbered him. So you need not fret, my darling little girl." Idun says with a glimmer in her still vibrant indigo violet eyes.
"I suppose it will be just for a few hours. I hope Hans will understand that it is simply my duty, to receive with dignity, and somehow survive this envoy's visit." Elsa submits against a selfish desire to brush off any further relations with the bothersome Córdoban creature with an inward sigh.
"Of course you will, Elsa. Your Prince Hans wants you to succeed and mature in your role as Queen here, even moreso in his absence. After all, true love triumphs over jealousy." The Queen Mum says with wisdom, before quickly adding under her breath from her own experience with a stubborn man, though Elsa cannot hear it as she walks away:
"… most of the time."
"Prince Alonso. We have decided that, as the weather has cleared up for the time being, we would be only too happy to show you around the Arendelle countryside where your cattle are set to graze before you have to leave on your ship for your return trip home." The last part of the lofty sentence was Elsa's preference, but with her even-toned voice and winning smile, she tried her best to keep that aloof sentiment to herself.
She succeeds, a great deal attributed to the fact the egotistically self absorbed young man was too busy fixing his slick charcoal black and gold trimmed tunic jacket 'just so' in the window's reflection. Prince Alonso swaggers across the room towards her, not noticing Queen Elsa's predisposed mood to dismiss his presence as more of a nettlesome formality.
"I knew you couldn't resist my charms much longer, you vision of beauty in blue." Giving himself airs as he saunters rather too close, invading Elsa's personal space, Prince Alonso flips his wavy cocoa brown hair out over his shoulder before haughtily signaling to Minister Kai with a clap of his arrogant hands.
CLAPP! CLAPP!
"You called, Your Highness?" Responding with a disgruntled pucker to his lips, Kai, obviously not impressed by this brash boy's irreverent rudeness – royalty or no – twists his lip as the large-set man briskly approaches at Prince Alonso's crude beckon.
"Yes, my good man. Have some of your servants prepare my horses in your stables for our day's outing. And have your kitchen staff prepare a basket lunch al fresco, fit for myself and Queen Elsa." Never uttering the word 'please', Alonso rattles off his orders without ever making eyeing eye contact with Arendelle's haughty Court adviser and Minister of Affairs.
"That will be arranged immediately, Your Highness." Courteous Kai says with a pair of pursed lips to the supercilious Argentinian young visitor.
"Then snap to it quickly, man. Before the weather changes and we are trapped in this dullsville old castle the rest of our stay, Sourpuss." Crown Prince Alonso had never learned to be respectful nor kind to those ranked beneath him, rather seeing them as lower-class than he. Alonso, after all, felt he would some day – and soon, if my old man would get his posterior off the throne – be ruler of his vast country and all of its power resources and wealth.
So with my good looks and charisma to contribute, why should anyone I meet not do my bidding? Or fall for my charms?
Now as for Elsa, though she too was raised to be the monarch of her nation, never once thought of her dear friends, Kai or Gerda or Johanne – or any of the other servants in Arendelle house for that matter – as any less worthy of respect or common courtesy and polite comity of civility than herself. After all, they were equal human beings and fellow children of God as her good and kind Papa and Mama had taught herself and Anna by example, never to hold themselves higher than any one of the citizens of their land that they were chosen to be the ultimate servants of.
She could not ever approve of a man who so disrespectfully disparaged one of her family's oldest friends, her tutor and teacher and regent caretaker, Councilor Kai.
But Prince Alonso indeed must have sensed her displeasure, turning to the beautiful platinum blonde with a conciliatory smirk. "I'm just kidding! C'mon, Elsa! You've obviously been working too hard! Don't be so uptight! You act like an old matron already, at the ripe old age of twenty-five instead of the gorgeous young thing you are!" Alonso, emboldened by her compliance, grabs tight hold of Elsa's unsuspecting hand and spins her around in a dramatic pose across the floor when she and he were alone in the long hallway leading to Arendelle Castle's front door.
"I am not yet twenty-four years of age!" Being such an aforementioned young thing, Elsa was unable to help the blush at his too forward words. "Please! Stop! Let me go!" She indignantly manages to squeal out as she is pulled along quite unexpectedly. A dizzy Elsa says in muffled surprise as astonished ice fractals spout from her fingertips to streak dangerously even through her powder blue gloves.
Fortunately for accomplished dancer Alonso, her sharp frozen spurs just miss piercing his wrists as he had luckily just pirouette released the displeased woman to dramatically Spanish dance style spin her out towards the front door like a loosed toy top.
"Alonso! Do treat the Queen of Arendelle with more due respect! Or will I have to report to your father yet another scandalous visit where you have been ejected from another disgruntled royal lady's court? You are giving we South American nationals a bad reputation with the ladies, that only a few of us truly deserve." Playing off his own self-deprecating charm, Chancellor Esteban promptly comes to Elsa's rescue with one gentle steadying hand on her shoulder while she pressed a hand to her palpitating heart to quiet her ice-tossed nerves.
"Do forgive his boyish tendencies, your Majesty. Alonso still fancies himself as an accomplished dancer. Or what we call in my parts – a 'mestizo'– eh, Iduna?" The tall and svelte Peruvian man with the graying hair and debonair features gives Elsa a fatherly smile and gentlemanly head bow after he likewise shoots Alonso a warning, chary glance.
"It takes one to know one, Esteban." Idun teases her old friend with the long tailed wine colored coat, dashing sideburns and well trimmed goatee who once enjoyed a good zamba, as she helps Gerda get an impatient Alonso into his fur collared poncho.
"Oh, ha ha hee hee. Touché, my poco avé canora." Esteban capitulates to his 'little songbird' with a small salute gesture and his dance of yesteryear's obligatory handkerchief quickly untucked and tucked back into his suave jacket pocket. Chuckling, the older pair follow the younger into the nippy, yet sunny cold to where Alonso's chariot horses were, as ordered, impatiently pawing the ground outside at the front drive.
"See! The sun is shining and the snow is all but stopped! We've done with our dreary negotiations, Elsa! For now, let's spend the rest of the day in the sun and feel free to have a little fun for a change. You look like you could use a little sun, yourself."
This sky indeed had nearly ceased its constant barrage of snow and sleet and blizzard condition weather as Prince Alonso athletically leaps down the final snow coated steps and into his vehicle. He maneuvers his horses easily around Arendelle's front courtyard to Elsa's advantage. The flamboyant prince holds out his hand this time to the Ice Queen with the sincere plea for her to quickly join him in his two-seater chariot.
Elsa, resplendent in her long, velvet body hugging dark blue velvet dress and flowing navy and silvery sparkling cape beneath her own fur mantle, takes a deep intake of breath before moving further onto the front steps to face this trying day.
Feeling the bright sun on her face, Elsa smiles.
Her mother was right. Deep inside, Elsa knew that her handsome Danish Prince would support her every step of the way on becoming a more confident and respected monarch. He would see this relationship with Prince Alonso as nothing more than on business terms. Elsa recognized that King Agdar had already prepared most of the trade dealings between Arendelle and Córdoba before he left, but the way she had deftly executed the remaining difficult and tedious trade negotiations, not giving too much without gaining enough in accord, she hoped would make her Papa proud.
Elsa knew she still had a lot to learn about international policies, and would feel so much more secure if her erudite future husband, who she knew by experience was a highly gifted negotiator, and whose ring was securely upon her finger, was here to do the face-to-face talking, especially with brash young men.
But today she would have to do the wheeling and dealing and confront other world leaders on her own, with neither father nor beau to guide or direct her as she matured in her sovereignty.
This very convincing young Prince of Córdoba was extremely good at making Elsa feel in the wrong for wishing to be serious about her kingdom's affairs. All day he had made it clear that she should find some time to feel free to leave work behind and enjoy herself and her youth when the sun shone, like it was now.
Maybe a day in the sunlight, as Anna always prescribes, beyond Arendelle Castle's confines, would do me some good to shake these nerves I've had since that terrible nightmare last night.
Elsa inwardly shivers, despite herself, as that frightening nightmare flashes before her eyes in one brief second until she sees her Hans' reassuring gentle smile and generous hand extended out to her.
There's no one like you to bring tranquility to my soul, Hans.
Resigned, with a determined look etched on her lovely face, Elsa accepts Alonso's suave, but not nearly as desired, offered palm to join her in his two-seater chariot. Hans was in the forefront of her mind as Alonso rather takes the liberty of scooting all that much closer towards her with the lap blanket he positions over both of them until he was practically breathing down her uncovered neck.
"Wait! Someone is absolutely dying to ride in your amazing chariot, if you would be so kind to allow her, Your Highness! May Eliana tag along? She can serve out the delicious lunch we have dished up in this basket for you!" As Elsa slides as far to the opposite edge of the chariot bench, Gerda and Johanne answer Idun's beckoning hand.
The sisters-in-law rush out to the chariot just about ready to launch, with their basket full of foodstuffs and the polite snow woman sitting upon its lid balanced between the running down the stairs women.
"A snowman? Oh, why not?" Alonso says testily, rolling his eyes to have his and the winsome Queen of Arendelle's romantic tête-à-tête moment marred by some strange local ritual of hauling a funny looking snow mound creature around.
"Oh, thank you very much, Prince Alonso. This chariot of yours looks so very exciting!" Courteous Eliana coos as Elsa magically lifts her atop the basket and the luncheon-filled container to the chariot to be placed between herself and a coldly-shoved-aside-when-he-tried-to-snuggle-close Prince Alonso.
"Huh?" Alonso gulps when he realizes that the snow-being placed directly beside him was indeed alive and able to sentiently speak to him in the politest of terms.
"You will find more magic under the sun in this Land of the Midnight Sun than you may have bargained for, my young friend." Esteban chuckles at Alonso's bug-eyed shocked countenance that so contrasted with either Eliana's pleasantly smiling or Elsa's calm and cool demeanor in the overfull chariot seat beside him.
"Shall we begin to tour Arendelle Town Square, Eliana? You know what Anna always says." Elsa leads the snow woman to speak.
"Oh yes! Arendelle town center is so very lovely at this time of year with the frost covered eaves of the houses all aglow in the noonday sun making them look like gingerbread dollhouses." Eliana begins to rattle off as tour guide on the route that Anna often gave to their visitors with a stop at the sweets shop that her little sister never failed to take their visitors to.
Oh, Anna, if only you were here, I wouldn't have to do all the entertaining by myself. Well…at least Mama snuck Eliana on board at the last minute.
Elsa thinks in gratitude to her intelligent parent she left back at the palace as the talkative snow woman fills the chilled, but clear air with all sorts of informative chatter, much to Alonso's sighing disdain at his thwarted romance attempt.
But out in the open fields where the snow-woman could easily be mislaid, the red-blooded man would get this gorgeous pale Queen alone soon enough.
He'd prove once and for all that an Argentinean future King beats a Danish thirteenth in-line Princeling wanna-be, any day, as the ice statue of Hans Westergaard Elsa had subconsciously erected stares coolly out the window as they depart…
Half a world away in the Midwest section of India…
Hans Westergaard awakens, feeling rather chilly cold—which was a strange sensation for his experiences here in the tropical weather of the Southeast subcontinent. India was situated near the equatorial line, surrounded by major oceans and seas on three sides of it that gave the land a humid climate, even well into this late November day.
The young Dane groggily opens his eyes and rubs at them to gain his bearings. For some strange reason it was all a bit hazier than usual to come to consciousness, but Hans was doggedly determined to come to.
"Oh, you poor chère boy! Try not to fight so hard to awaken! You have been here under my care for only a few short hours. I have seen men far more experienced in the jungles than you stay bedridden for days after being bitten by one of those venomous Pardosa spiders! The goddess Kaveri almost had her revenge on yet another man. Which would have been such a waste of a rare specimen—such a fine, fit and well sculpted male as you, bel homme."
Hans had been too dazed to open his eyes fully as the sultry female's voice was cooing and lulling him into a stupor. That is, until the icy pendant upon his bare chest starts to pulsate cool energies over his burning up chest, stirring Hans awake.
"...S-sp-ider?!" Of all the terrors and creatures and mortal fears in this world, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles secretly harbored a dreadful gripping fear of the albeit small in size compared to a human man, eight-legged arachnid since he was a small child.
Perhaps it stemmed from the time in his early toddler years that Hans still vaguely recalled his heartless older teenage brothers and their cruelty for pushing the unwanted little three-year-old lad into a dark pit full of spiders they had gathered along with some choice creepy crawlies of all shapes and sizes to inflict the most terror on the young toddler.
All the long-legged creatures – Violin spiders, Fiddleback spiders, Simulan spiders, Little White Spotted spiders, Malmignatte spiders, Comb-footed spiders and numerous other unnamed deadly venomous ones such as the Recluse spider, native to Denmark, were taunted by the bigger teenage brothers to be mixed in with the group. But most of the spiders were non-fatal poisonous, though at the time, little Hans did not know that. When the spiders all had converged upon the terrified boy, wee Hans had cried and screamed and wailed, perhaps in good training for stretching his golden vocal chords. But the little child could not climb out of the ten foot deep dug pit until nightfall came and the tearful heartsick child had to be retrieved by his big brother Kaleb with a rope ladder the next day.
The eldest Prince of Denmark came to the boy's rescue more so to save face with his visiting friends come to patrol Egeskov's plush lands for hunting purposes and not bother his father with the unwanted child's disappearance, when their pointer dogs located the weeping, starving, cold and frightened child in the spider filled pit early the next morning.
Just like Biblical Old Testament hero Joseph, Hans had forgiven his brothers many years later, under the Lord's guidance. But the youngest Prince of the Southern Isles, try as he might, had not forgotten that terrible scar upon his young memory.
"Is he awake at last? You've got one strong constitution, Handsome, to have survived a nip from one of those blighters. Not to mention a particularly nice, tight and trim bum." Another feminine voice with a definite cockney British accent and her own brand of playful ribbing enters the darkened room with a candle lamp to inspect the prone-on-the-bed young man.
Stirred fully awake by now, the redhead blushes violently as he looks to both the scantily dressed pair of women hovering over him, one directly perched beside him, down to his own unsatisfactorily clothed form lying on the foreign bed.
"What?! How!? Where are my—?! Please…may I have my… GULP…trousers?!" Spluttering modestly, the bashful, genteel Prince immediately grabs for whatever sheeting was available on the bed to cover his long bare legs from the two women gawking down at him.
"We had to remove them to dress and wash and clean your wound as thoroughly as possible, Sahib. I personally applied my special salve so that your fang-pierced leg will heal without scarring." An exotic black rim eyed Hindi woman wearing her slimming lehenga and traditional sari wrap and filmy scarves joins the other two in the room when she overhears their conversation.
The experienced female, well over five and thirty, gently caresses Hans' lower leg where the southeastern spider had left its poison marks in the man's well toned and muscular lower left calf.
"Do not struggle so, Sahib. My mystic herbal teas have done their work of keeping you sleeping to rest your weary body for the past three hours. You are a very resilient young man to recover so quickly from such a poisonous pardosa spider's venom. It is good Fernan brought you to us in time, after that pardosa crawled up your pantleg. She must've thought you rather tasty." The wise lines on the face of the India native woman displayed her age as she teases in her bedside manner. She rechecks Hans' nasty spider bite entry wound her concocted aloe vera, turmeric and other natural remedies combined appear to have neutralized the toxin of.
The young naval officer blushes in utter shame at having his bare lower extremities exposed before any lady, and to have the three of them all unabashedly touching and gaping at him all at once was almost too much to bear for the light-headed, and at times such as these, timid and shy man.
Ladies of the evening… No doubt.
Hans quickly deduces, the thought ringing in his woozy mind from not only their scandalous state of dress – not that he was any critic of how tight around the hips or how daring low cut or how high the thigh slit of a delicate female's garb should go – but their easy tones and the way each would crawl upon the bed, with a virtual stranger in this Victorian era of feminine modesty, was a dead giveaway as to their age-old profession.
"I thank you all very much for what you have done to make me well from the venom of that malignant creature, ladies. But I really must be on my way. You see, I have an urgent deadline, and a ship to meet, so as I can return to Norway in time–" Embarrassed and beet red-cheeked as he makes his way up from the bed to stand, Hans politely explains to the patiently listening women while his keen eyes had located his removed trousers that had been washed and neatly pressed in the interim.
The Danske Prince leans his 'nice tight legs'–that were both Providentially still working, thanks to these ladies and swift-acting Prince Ferdinand–to stretch across from the bed to the lounge chair and retrieve the absconded breeches as he does his best to remain dignified and still get them on as swiftly as possible.
He was acutely aware of how the pair of females remaining did not raise a hand to help him but merely giggled at the young man's stubborn, resolute determination despite his recent wound.
"For your beloved Queen's birthday party. Ah, men like you are rarer than heera (diamonds)." The older Indian woman compliments as she finally relents to assist her somewhat disoriented patient into the pants he was quite comically stumbling into that she had removed some hours ago to see to his nasty spider bite wound.
"How did you –?" Hans looks up from where he was tidily tucking in the pale green silk shirt the British woman had freshly ironed and delivers to him that the strawberry blonde had fetched from the replete closet stores full of men's clothing she had chosen to go with Hans' eyes that would fit his slim size nicely indeed.
"Oh, Fernan has explained all about your incredible journey North up to the continent, all to attend your lady love's special occasion. I wish I had a man who would go the distance, through all that trouble for me. It's really quite romantic, you sweet thing. By the way, my name's Colleen." The thick cockney accented young woman introduces herself as she helps Hans into the donated shirt, her yearning hands rather enjoying doing his buttons up over that delectable auburn hair spattered muscular lean chest.
"Shame to cover that enviable lot up, luv." She pats Hans' tight abs one last time with an approving murmur.
"Oh, boy." Hans' eyes dart everywhere in the room but at the admiring, smirking woman giving his wares a favorable perusal.
"Ahem …that is…well…uhm…God bless you…Colleen, for your aid in…dressing me, as well as doing all in your power to set me right. I don't think I've ever been so…pampered in all my life." The flustered, flushed Dane was beyond humiliated to be thrust into such a harem situation with the many ladies fawning all over his partially clothed body. "And I am much appreciative and grateful to you as well for taking me into your house to tend to my wound with such care, for a stranger. If there is anything that I can provide, I certainly will endeavor to exceed, to show my humble appreciation, Miss…?" Ever the true gentlemen, despite his own mortification, Prince Hans turns and gives a sweeping bow to the Hindi woman with more respect than she had received from many a fine gentleman in these past twenty-five years of her chosen profession.
"Mrs. Padita Sarasvati, Sahib Westergaard. My own young husband died of a poisonous cottonmouth snake bite near the Kaveri himself many years ago soon after our wedding night. I have had to put food on the table for my son ever since. He has become a fine, accomplished doctor in the city of Bombay now. So do not concern yourself over me, Sahib. I run this business for my girls. And I know not a one of us would take a single cent from a true gentleman such as yourself who has a pure heart for his lady. Perhaps this act of human charity will add to our meager ledger books in the Hereafter. You eyes are as genuine and crystal clear as this marakata (emerald) gemstone." Padita displays her bejeweled choker pendant as she states this proudly while she pats the Danish man on his sideburned cheek.
"Besides, it was your mystical nurse who has watched over you. More than any of my simple home remedies." She says in awe to feel Elsa's cool ice miniature emanating a protective field around the spot of the young man's spider bite that perhaps localized the vicious venom before it paralyzed his muscles until Padita could treat it.
"I know I have been a blessed man to have my angel near me all this time. So you see why I must do all in my power to make her happy." Hans admits solemnly with a soft smile down to the crystal clear image of the beauteous woman who forever held his heart.
It was then he noticed that his facial hair over the past few unkempt days on the road had grown to a slight moustache and thicker stubble than he ever sported before.
I do look rather dapper with a moustache, if I do say so myself. But I believe you would not approve, min kæreste (my dearest) for I am not your 'fatherly figure'. So it has to go.
Hans remembers with a smile his finicky lady's tactful opinion on the hairy subject that came up when they two were first aboard the Gler, what seemed a lifetime ago now. He digs in his pocket for the utility knife razor that had been washed along with his trousers.
"It is a shame that Fernan does not share that same sentiment about his own lady love Princess. I know it would do his listless ship a great deal of good to go home to her. He is really miserable, for all his salty flirtatious bluster and feigned dangerous charm." The older woman seemed to know a lot more about the French Prince than Hans had gathered up to this point.
Padita continues to speak as she sees Hans rubbing at his chin and upper lip philtrum and intuitively brings a basin of water for him to use his shaving razor on his mildly hirsute face by the nightstand mirror.
"I believe a modern, enlightened man such as that with a free-thinking heart wishes to sow his wild oats for an extra season or two. But eventually he will long for a contented and secure home. Though sometimes, it seems that his ambitious fianceé Princess rather drives him away, rather than lure him home. Still, there is no doubt in my mind that he does love her." The worldly woman had known Prince Ferdinand Egalité on and off for the past ten years of his adventurous crusade with the French Expedition and the country's Legionnaires into Africa and Afghanistan and Southeast Asia that had taken the Prince away from France.
His demanding father's pressing insistence that his eldest Crown Prince son's arranged marriage to Princess Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin would profit the kingdom and anchor his adventurous free spirit down. However, his devout mother disapproved of the match, for she and her son were Catholic, while the German Princess, a Protestant.
"Prince Ferdinand is to be married?" A curious Hans pauses to look up from where he had finished his shaving and patting his face dry with a towel she provided by the nightstand table and was now re-shoeing himself into his signature tall black boots that the kind ladies here had carefully brushed and polished until the leather shone from their former mud caked discomposure.
Prince Hans was quite astonished to hear this news with the way flippant Ferdinand Egalité was so libertine in his opinion of women.
"Oh, he does not broadcast the fact, for his reputation as a gallant legionnaire, mercenary ladies' man of the world would be tarnished. But Fernan, after all his ideals of freedom and equality and hopelessly French modern views of liberal relationships are said and done, is still romantic enough to keep a special place in his heart for his one true goddess named 'Helena'." The almond eyed woman with the olive-tan skin squeezes Hans' wrist. "Do not judge him too harshly. Fernan has his father's French ideals and his mother's Italian nature. But he's all right." Mrs. Sarasvati concludes just as a rhythmic knock comes to the door of the establishment in the central India rural province.
"Namaste, Padita. May come in? Yes? Mores the pity. That means I'm not interrupting anything. I hear your patient is awake and anxious to leave, though I cannot see why with such lovely creatures of beauty surrounding his bedside. Why not stay to enjoy some of our hostesses' entreaties, mon frère Hans? You should feel free to have a little fun once in a while, when the opportunity for delightful company arises. There are many miles between here and the Bombay hotel, and few stops in between, so you should take your opening." World sophisticate Prince Ferdinand glides into the unusually brightly lit bedchamber spouting his charm with a tight arm placed around the French lady of the evening who had informed him of his companion's consciousness, and a loose kiss to the strawberry blonde Englishwoman doing up the bed Hans had deserted for its next customer, perhaps later tonight.
"Do you not feel the pressing need to succumb to the impulses coursing through your veins as most other men do, Westergaard? Are you not human enough to feel free to land your ship to shore and have some fun once in a while, Vise Admiral?" Stroking his amused moustache with an inviting simper on his urbane features, Ferdinand plays devil's advocate tempter to Hans in a leaned-in whisper that only they two could hear.
"I am an unworthy human who has been miraculously blessed to be affianced to the dearest and most incomparable woman ever born, who deserves my constancy wherever in the world I am. I am devoted to her, and her alone. That means even during hotel bedroom stays." Hans states bitingly with the moral turpitude on his now stunningly clean-shaven and sideburn preened handsome face as he delivers this edict with his own wry smile.
After several seconds of them sharing a silent confrontational look, he adds: "And you would do well to cast your libertine attitudes aside for Grace, Egalité. You'll find much happiness there that debauchery never can satisfy." Hans addresses his philanderer friend with some hearty idioms down his long cultured nose at his French companion.
I see no one else—my eyes can only look at you, my Elsa. There are no other women in the world. To me, there is, and always will be, only you.
"Then your venerable reputation as a changed man has not been overrated, thus far, mon amie." Prince Ferdinand murmurs beneath his breath more to himself than for anyone else to hear.
"Egalité. I thank you for bringing me here after I endured such an injury, but we will be leaving immediately. Have you seen my belt pouch?" Clearing his throat, Hans ashamedly diverts his eyes from his fellow prince's open display of lasciviousness, desperately trying to remain pure and noble in both thought and deed. The Danish prince lays down the law, ignoring such a libertine offer on the face of it as he finishes preparing himself to go on the road again, but finds that special leather pouch holding his most precious items was missing from his belongings which Colleen brings to the redhead.
"Oui (Yes). And oui. And bon jour, good morning to you, too, Mon amie. I am very well, thank you. I trust you are feeling better?" The Frenchman expounds with a ruffled salutation morning greeting, as he enters the room. He tersely tosses Hans' leather pouch that was interestingly already in his hands, nonchalantly onto the table behind the Danish Prince.
"I am well, Egalité, owing to you. Du har min taknemmelighed (You have my gratitude.) These kind ladies have attended my wounds and have given us a place to rest for the night that I am extremely grateful for. So now I am sure, due to their efforts, we are more than ready to continue our journey." After he addresses his traveling companion, Hans replaces his belt around his chest along with its attached leather satchel, and reclaims his sword in its sheath from the dresser it was laid upon. Hans then quite gentlemanly bows to each of the three women in the room with a friendly handshake and smile.
"Yes. Enticing distractions aside, I suppose I am ready whenever you are, Westergaard. But when you suddenly passed out and tumbled from your horse last night after we were riding straight for hours, I became rather worried. That swelled redness of your lower leg told me it was not mere fatigue. Fortunately, we were but a few kilometers away from this house of ill repute, where I knew I could rely on my dear scarlet angels, Padita, Colleen and Gisele, to take care of us hungry, tired and poison spider bit shirtless wanderers. Merci beaucoup, la femme. (Thank you very much, ladies)." The roguish Prince of the French kisses each striking, sultry female's hand as he passes.
"Such a crass title for my weary travelers' lodge, open to all seeking refuge, Fernan!" The Frenchman smoothly wraps a familiar arm around the vexed older woman after slapping the other two on their rear ends, bringing a horrified look to Hans' blushing face, and an amused glow to the lady of the house's dark skinned face.
The debonair man smiles winsomely and kisses both her sallow cheeks with chivalrous aplomb.
"You know I hold your establishment which I have visited so often in my wastrel youth with high regard, Shrimati Sarasvati." As the frivolous Frenchman civilly flirts with a caress to the southeastern woman's ebony hair in its gandahara curled ponytail, Hans innocently notes how this merry cat and mouse game the playboy rake played was a part of dissolute Prince Ferdinand Phillippe's natural charm.
Hans vaguely recalls thinking how that sort of romantic daring gallantry was what he too once supposed refined ladies found attractive. In his own youth, he had honed himself in the use of clever speech and witty phrasing in order to sweep Princess Elsa Bernadotte of Arendelle off her dainty feet with his winning chivalry and charismatic arrogance.
Hans was nearly as good as he thought he would be at the art of deceptive flirtation, but had discovered almost too late that the true path to win a lady's delicate heart was with truth and sincerity, not merely bedazzling her with a worldly man's flippant attentions.
"Well, though it means you will never come back to me, I hope you will grow up someday soon, my payan natoutiyaaka (little boy wanderer)." The Indian woman playfully lets Ferdinand put on his charade as she feigns more dampened spirits than she actually felt and gives him some of her time-honored advice.
"Then you already forgive my unintended slight, beautiful one! I thank God for that. Because I prefer to leave you not bitter against me, ma belle." Ferdinand gives his old friend a conciliatory smile as he describes their itinerary more than pay heed to her words which he lets slide down his slippery shoulders. "For, alas, Westergaard and I must take our leave from you three delectable delights lest we miss our clipper packet from Bombay in two days' time."
The British East India Company mail had an express route that would take the men from India to the Mideast and Suez, through Alexandria to Rome and onto the continent.
The French Prince had traversed a great deal of this overland route before on his expedition seeking gung-ho past, but never in such an urgent manner of pace. However, he found a deadline added to the overall thrill that the jaded Royal Crown Prince craved on a daily basis.
The other young man in the room whom this escapade's designed swift passage was actually for—Prince Hans, was already clean and dressed and itching to get out the door of the solicitous house of comely women, so Ferdinand knew it was time to go.
Though Hans knew nothing transpired between himself and any of these the lovely beauties, it still pricked at his conscience to feel guilt in his pledge to Elsa of his constancy to even be within the walls of such a shady institution.
Perhaps it was his own plotting and scheming nature of the past that made the young Prince wary of ever being sighted in such a place, lest his pristine reputation suffer, making him unworthy of a relationship with the Queen.
Or maybe…
The feminine temptation made him miss his lithe, lissome beauty all the more, dreaming of the days when he wouldn't have to be embarrassed to wake up with a woman at his bedside.
My Elsa…Have no doubt. I will keep myself true, in wait for you… min ædle…(my precious)
As he and Egalité wave a fond farewell to the ladies as they mount their steeds, Prince Hans' mildly hazy mind was determined to keep his total focus on his goal for the rest of this incredible journey.
"May God, your Father and mine, see your hearts safely returned to the bosom of your true loves, Eṉ aḻakāṉa airōppiya iḷavaracarkaḷ. (my handsome European princes)" Padita waves from the front porch of her house, which is quickly obscured in the dark of night as his and Ferdinand's steeds race away.
Hans smiles to the wise older Indian woman with the red dot gleaming on her forehead that signified she was still married and just as much in love with her long-passed sweetheart.
As for Hans, he would keep his eye still unwavering on the ultimate prize of securing the happiness of his true love Ice Angel, as he and the traveling companion he was slowly learning more about, continue to cross the humid Indian Tropics…
min ædle -my precious in Danish
Mon ami –my friend in French
Frère – brother in French
heera - diamonds in Hindi
Shrimati – Madame in Hindi
Namaste – Polite greeting in Hindi
Ma belle – 'my beauty' in French
Hello, Frozen/ Tangled/ Elena Disneyana friends!
Can you hear the fun Spanish flavored song playing in your head as you read this chapter full of enticements and irreverent calls for our dutiful characters to just let it all hang out and have fun?
Our cast, none of which were feeling 'free to have fun', are being confronted by many temptations this chapter! Between the arrogant suitor Prince Alonso and flirtatious scarlet women in India, with some new insight into Prince Ferdinand's background, our Helsa certainly has their constancy put to the test today! Interesting, exciting times for our handsome pair!
And hooray! Eupunzel has made their first entrance into Book 3! Poor Rapunzel is so woefully pregnant, she's pinned to her bed and longs to escape to the world outside again! Poor 'Punzie! Eugene seems to have calmed her, for now, with a promise of a sneak visit into town when her over-worried Father King Friedrich isn't looking.
What won't Eugene Fitzherbert go through to keep his girl happy? Our criminal thief turned out to be such a sweetie! I wonder what else is in store for the Corona angle of this tale! (Besides babies imminently on the way!)
We'll see more of them all soon as we enter my writing-fest birthday month of August!
Stay tuned for more adventures, Frozen friends!
God bless you!
HarukaKou
