More Than True Love's Kiss
Chapter Nine
Elsa cautiously walked along the docks in search of someone who looked like they would be willing to help her book passage for her and her party on their ship for a long journey across the ocean. Walking alone made her nervous, though she was confident she could take care of herself should trouble arise, as she had powers that no one here knew of, it being clear that no one recognized her. However, she feared more for Anna, who could also defend herself, and mostly Kristoff, who couldn't in his current condition.
After speaking with two different captains, both of whom turned her down when the Queen in disguise relayed to them where she wanted to travel to, Elsa was becoming discouraged. Finally, she came upon another shipmate of a ship carrying foods and goods across the ocean to another kingdom just south of where she and her sister needed to go.
"I would like to speak with the Captain of your ship," Elsa stated coolly as she walked up to him and turned him around to face her. "I am looking to book passage on your ship, in order to get to Camelot. Have you heard of it?"
"Lady, everyone's heard of Camelot, though you're foolish to believe all the stories you've heard about that so called magical kingdom," the man replied as he sneered, looking at her like he was hoping to get lucky. "I like naivety in my women."
Elsa backed away slowly as she held her arms out in preparation to defend herself should she have to, then responded, "I am not your woman, nor will I ever be your woman. I demand to speak with your Captain, so that I may make an offer to him."
The man started to move toward Elsa again, when suddenly he began to look ill as he shook his head, then quickly the man spoke again, though with a different, kinder voice saying, "Forgive me, I do not have more than a few moments, Your Majesty, but I need you to listen to me if you wish to make it here to Camelot."
"Who are you?" Elsa asked nervously as she looked into the face of the same vial man before her, but saw a softness that wasn't there seconds ago. "And how…?"
"I know who you are, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and I know what happened earlier this day, to the man your sister has married," the mysterious figure continued on quickly. "I will explain all I know when you arrive here, but for now, you need to look for a man by the name of Sir Kay, who will be arriving soon in a small ship heading back to Camelot. Trouble will find you and I promise to help you in any way I can, but I cannot hold this communication any longer. If you wish to save your family, trust me and trust my friend. Hurry, Queen Elsa."
And just as quickly as the change occurred within the shipmate, he was back to himself as he shook his head once again to shake off the ache that had come over him, then he moved toward Elsa again as he asked, "I'm sorry, where were we? Have you changed your mind to join me?"
Elsa quickly grabbed a plank leaning up against one of the vendor's stands and struck it hard across the man's chest, successfully knocking him hard to the ground, making everyone standing anywhere nearby them to clap, and then she answered, "Actually yes, I have changed my mind. Thank you for helping me to make my decision. Good day, sir."
Elsa quickly walked off to make her way back to Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven, but as she made her way back through the harbor, all of a sudden she was stopped again by someone who grabbed her shoulder from behind, discovering that it was Prince Hans, who wore a hooded cloak to keep himself hidden from those that might recognize him as well. He put a finger to his lips to keep her from speaking long enough to get to somewhere a little more private.
"What are you doing here?" Elsa asked angrily as she raised her hand toward his throat, about to use her magic against him, until he swiftly pulled out the very dagger he had stabbed Kristoff with again and held it out for her to see more closely.
"I know how much you want to kill me, but if you do, you will not only fail to help Anna's new husband, but you'll also finally be seen by everyone else in Arendelle as the monster I know that you are, Your Highness," Hans said cruelly as the Queen lowered her hand, resting both of her arms at her side, then continued to glare angrily at the traitor before her.
Elsa spoke again replying, "You will pay for your treachery, Hans."
The Prince of the Southern Isles scoffed and then responded smugly, "You still don't seem to understand how this works, Elsa. I have all the power I need over you and your sister. In case you missed my meaning earlier, or missed the magic that coursed through your Ice Master's body, I will continue to explain, now that I have a little more time to talk. This dagger was forged by a wizard, who works for me. It's fused with dark magic that only she can revoke, should you give me what I want."
"You will never rule Arendelle again!" Elsa answered steadfastly.
"Then, you doom your brother in law to death," Hans replied. "A slow and very painful death. I was told the magic hasn't begun to work yet, but it won't be long before it does and then you'll regret not giving me the crown when you had the chance. Make me King and I can save him. If not… how do you think your sister will really feel about you if you let him die because you were too stubborn to do what is right for your kingdom? She may not admit it now, but in time, she will come to hate you for taking away her one chance at true happiness with that oaf. I have to ask, what does she see in him, that she doesn't see in me?"
Flurries of snow began rise, swirling around them as Elsa responded gently, "Kristoff is kind and good, everything that you are not. He may not be a prince or a man that I would have chosen for her, but he is the man Anna chose and far better than anyone else our parents or I could have picked for her. He sacrificed his life to protect my sister and I will do everything within my power to help Anna save him."
Hans laughed again and then answered, "You will try, but you will fail. I have a wizard on my side. All you have is this snow and ice power that grows out of control when you're upset. I can see the pain in your eyes as you speak of him and your sister. You know that I'm right. Do as I ask, Anna's beau lives and Arendelle will be in good hands. Don't do as I ask, he dies, and if what happens next doesn't kill the rest of you, Anna will come to hate you, Arendelle will suffer for your foolish actions, and you will end up all alone, a cold hearted, evil witch just like your Aunt."
"I won't give in to you," Elsa replied angrily as she took off running, leaving the Prince behind as he smiled, then disappeared again in a puff of smoke thanks to Madam Mim's own magic.
On the other side of the harbor…
"Elsa, are you alright?" Anna asked quickly as she ran up to her sister upon seeing her walking toward her again with snow around her once again just as she's seen many times before. "What happened? Are you hurt?"
Elsa shook her head as she caught her breath, then took Anna's hands within her own in hope that it would to calm her as she responded, "No, I'm fine. I'm… I found out who we need to find to get us to Camelot. I'll explain everything on our way to find him."
Olaf walked around the sled as he said, "But you're distressed. Your magic is flaring up again."
"I ran into Hans," the Queen answered worryingly. "Don't worry, he didn't…"
"Hans is here?" Ana asked angrily as she quickly began to look around for the traitor or any danger he may have brought with him. "Where is he? We need to do more than just give him two black eyes and a little humiliation. I want him to suffer for what he's done. Kristoff's getting worse."
Elsa finally regained control over her powers again and then took her sister by her shoulders and looked into her eyes as she replied, "Anna, listen to me. As I promised you before we left Arendelle, we will save Kristoff and make Hans pay for hurting him, but I need you to trust me right now and follow me to find this man who will help us. Trouble is coming, so I need you to focus on the task at hand and we will deal with Hans later when we do what we've set out to do. Do you trust me?"
Olaf quickly cut in responding, "Sven and I trust you."
"Of course I trust you," Anna answered as well as she pulled Elsa into a hug. "I'm just so scared, Elsa. I never thought vengeance was something I was capable of feeling, but seeing Kristoff hurting like this and so vulnerable… Hans deserves to suffer. I want to make it so that he will never be able to hurt us again."
"I know," Elsa stated sadly as she hugged Anna tighter. "I know."
