Chapter 10
The crew of the Lost Requiem moved to their battle stations with their captain, Anna, taking the wheel at the stern of the ship. She knew that Hans, their enemy, would move to attack as quickly as possible and as such, they had to put as much distance between them as possible.
"Navy fleet closing in captain," Kristoff reported.
"Hoist the sails higher!" Anna ordered. "We need more speed!"
"We're giving her all she's got!" Kristoff replied.
Anna looked on ahead, seeing a group of storm clouds in front of them. "I'm gonna try and lose them in that storm, everyone hold on!"
The ships headed towards the storm, a large wind causing the boat to rock back and forth, side to side.
"They're still tailing us!" Rapunzel shouted.
"Crap!" Anna snarled.
A large whirlpool then appeared in front of them, which gave Anna an idea.
"Oh no," Elsa muttered.
"Anna, you're not serious?" Ariel inquired.
"That whirlpool will tear those navy boats apart," Anna remarked.
"And us as well!" Elsa argued.
"Not if I'm careful."
Anna's ship began to curve around the edge of the whirlpool, the strong winds and currents threatening to pull the ship under.
"We're not gonna make it!" Rapunzel screamed.
"Oh ye... of little... Faith!" Anna strained at the wheel
The ship soon pulled away from the whirlpool, two of the navy ships being sucked into it.
"All right!" Ariel cheered.
"Wait a sec," Elsa pointed out. "Hans's flagship wasn't sucked in. It's still following us."
"Crapbaskets," Anna growled. "Everyone, prepare to be boarded. If we can't outrun them, we'll fight them where we stand!"
Kristoff ordered the crew to drop anchor there, and Anna and the others readied their weapons.
"If you're going down, take those bastards with you!" Anna cried.
Elsa held out a sword next to Anna. "Anna, Can I confess something?"
"What is it?"
"I've... never been in a fight before."
Anna put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "If you're nervous, you can always go hide down in the hold."
"No, I'm here to fight by your side, and I'll do it, regardless of my fear."
"That sounds like something a true pirate would say," Anna smirked.
"I learned from the best," Elsa replied."If I die...I'll wait for you."
"And we'll all do the same. We're family. No one gets left behind in a family."
The navy ship then pulled up beside them and fired grappling hooks into the ship.
"Don't attack until I give the word," Anna silently told her friends.
A group of navy soldiers then ran onto the lost requiem from a gang plank and pointed their rifles at Anna and the crew.
Anna looked at them aggressively, carefully waiting for the right moment to strike.
A familiar figure then walked onto the ship, analysing the situation with his one eye, a devilish smirk on his face. "Well, well, well, we meet once again, Captain Siren."
"Admiral Westerguard," Anna remarked. "To what do we owe the pleasure."
Hans chuckled. "You know very well what I'm here for."
"Well, I have something to say to you. If you want my sister..." She drew her cutlasses. "Then come! And! Get her!"
"Now, now, captain, let's not do anything we both might regret," Hans told her. "You strike me down, and my men here will shoot you on sight."
"He's right, Anna," Kristoff told her.
"And when your hounds kill me," Anna countered, "my crew will tear them apart."
"Please," Hans put her down. "Your crew may be fierce, Captain, but my men are the best trained soldiers in the navy, so why don't you just hand over Elsa and that traitorous mermaid girlfriend of yours, and we'll call it even."
"Never!" Anna shot back.
Hans sighed. "So be it. Men, take aim and when I give the word... fire."
The soldiers then cocked their guns and trained them on the crew.
Anna glared at him. "You sadistic bastard."
"Hmph, flattery will get you nowhere," Hans remarked. "Fire."
"NO!" Anna shouted. "Hans...let them go. It's me you want."
Hans held up his hand and the soldiers put down their weapons. "I'm glad you came to your senses, captain."
"Anna, you're not serious," Elsa wondered.
Anna then looked at Elsa, giving her a playful wink.
Elsa then realised that Anna was about to trick Hans and kept quiet.
"I'm going to make you a deal, Hans. I'll surrender to you, on the condition that you let the rest of my crew go."
"That doesn't sound very fair to me," Hans gestured. "But if Elsa and Ariel surrender alongside you, then I will consider it."
"You've tormented them long enough."
"And you haven't? You don't think they'd rather be free, with a life to live, with husbands to love and care for them?"
"You're delusional if you believe that is freedom."
"I believe that is the way things will and always will be," Hans explained himself. "and I will take good care of Ariel and Elsa in educating them in those beliefs."
"Well, then I'm here to say... consider class dismissed!" Anna then punched Hans in the face and lept back, pulling out her cutlasses.
Hans wiped the blood off his chin with his metal hand. "That was... rather interesting. I'll be sure to give you a quick and honourable death."
"Anna be careful!" Elsa called to her.
"Oh look she's all concerned," Hans remarked. "Now you see what you do, Anna? Your torment makes those around you become your servants, slaves even."
"Elsa is my fiancée, Hans," Anna growled. "and the only one who keeps people as slaves in this world, is people like you."
Hans pulled out his sword. "Then... en garde."
Anna rushed at him and their swords clashed, with Anna pushing Hans back.
Hans then kicked Anna in the stomach, knocking her to her feet.
"Anna!" Ariel cried.
"Come on, we gotta help her!" Elsa called.
"I'm all for that," Rapunzel agreed.
The group then began to fight Hans's soldiers.
"Looks, like your boys are a little distracted, Hans," Anna smirked as she and Hans duelled.
"No matter," Hans replied. "This little chapter will be over soon, and I will be the victor."
"We'll see about that," Anna snarled and they clashed swords again.
Meanwhile, down in the galley, Ariel had cornered two soldiers and was duelling them with her magic.
As she knocked out one of them with her fist, the other called her over.
"Traitor!" He growled, pointing his crossbow, but then he was hit over the head with a rolling pin.
"Now, why did that guy have to mess up my kitchen like that," Tiana remarked.
"Sorry, Ti," Ariel excused.
"Don't be. It wasn't your fault." Tiana smiled.
Back on deck, the battle was raging on. Anna and Hans were now on the rigging of the ship, duelling swords.
"I wonder how you'll look with TWO eyepatches?" Anna taunted.
"Very funny, Captain," Hans remarked. "But I have the high ground." Hans then used his sword to cut the rigging beneath him.
Anna grabbed the rigging just above where it had been cut, hanging on and climbing up after Hans.
The two eventually climbed up onto the top of the mast, Anna on one side and Hans on the opposite.
"It's over, Hans!" Anna snarled. "My crew's been swabbing the deck with yours. You lost."
"Come here and tell me that to my face," Hans argued.
"No, thank you."
Hans smiled. "Alright have it your way." Hans tossed his sword away. "I surrender."
"Really? You of all people, surrendering?"
"I'm being genuine, Anna. You and your crew have already beaten me. I give up."
"I don't buy it."
Anna's eyes narrowed. "What's your game?"
"No game here," Hans remarked.
Anna began to walk towards him, pulling out her pistol. "Stay right where you are."
"I have no intention to move," Hans stated.
"Bullshit," Anna replied.
"All right, All right," Hans chuckled. "You got me red-handed, or should I say... metal handed." Hans then thrust out his metal hand and a blast of magic fired from it. Anna didn't have time to dodge and was knocked off the mast by the blast, landing on the deck below.
"ANNA!" Elsa shrieked.
Hans then used his magic to float down to the deck as everyone gathered around Anna.
Elsa and Rapunzel rushed to Anna's side. "Anna, Anna, wake up!"
Hans chuckled. "By the authority of the royal navy, I charge you all with the crime of piracy and hereby place you under arrest."
Ariel then arrived on the deck. "Oh no..."
Elsa broke down and began sobbing, holding Anna close to her.
"Men, place them in irons," Hans ordered.
Ariel's face contorted into a mask of rage. She grabbed a sword and began cutting down every soldier in sight.
Hans suddenly grabbed her by the neck with his metal hand. "Well, well, well, if isn't the traitor."
"Let go of me!" Ariel growled.
Hans let her go and dropped on the deck and panted heavily.
"You're lucky I'm letting you live, Ariel."
"You killed the woman we loved, you monster," Ariel accused him.
"Technically, you did, since it was you and that mother of yours that led me to you."
"W-what?!"
Hans nodded. "You didn't think I'd let your mother escape without some way to track her magic from halfway across the ocean, did you?"
"Then…. When she saved Elsa….."
"You were lit up like a Christmas tree."
Ariel felt shocked, knowing she had unknowingly caused Anna's death.
Hans smirked. "Go ahead, cry about it. No mermaid tears can save Anna."
Ariel began to cry and growl in anger. She felt something rising deep within her, a magic that was built on rage and vengeance, a power that embodied how she truly felt at that moment.
Ariel opened her eyes, now glowing green. She looked at Hans with a venomous glare.
"What's that supposed to do? Scare me?" Hans laughed.
Ariel's eyes glowed brighter.
"No….. What are you doing?!" Hans demanded.
Ariel kept staring at Hans with her glowing green eyes.
Hans looked at his metal hand as it began to melt. "What?! No…. No!"
Ariel kept staring as hard as she could, concentrating all the energy she could muster on Hans and his form.
"No!" Hans cried as his body then combusted into flames, charring him to a cinder.
Ariel then closed her eyes and panted.
"A-Ariel?" Rapunzel wondered.
"How did you do that?" Elsa wondered.
Ariel then looked at them. "I tapped deep into my inner mermaid power."
Suddenly, the group then heard a cough.
"Ughhhh…. " Anna's voice groaned. "What happened…. And why does the deck smell like burning flesh."
"Anna!" Elsa cheered in joy, hugging her tightly. "You're alive!"
Anna smiled. "Hey Elsa…Can you not hug me so tight? I think I cracked a rib, Ow."
Elsa pulled away and kissed Anna's lips. "Ariel must have revived you."
Anna then looked at Hans's burned remains. "Well…. I guess that also explains the pile of burned flesh over there."
Ariel smiled. "I saved you Anna, because we all love you."
Anna looked at her in an endearing manner. "You never cease to amaze me, Ari."
xXx
Some time later, as the sun was going down and all the bodies had been thrown off the deck of the ship, Anna was out on deck, a white bandage around her chest.
Elsa, Ariel and Rapunzel joined her, Elsa carrying a bottle of rum.
Anna smiled. "Oh, hey girls."
"You alright, Anna?" Elsa wondered.
"Considering I died and came back to life today, I'd say I'm pretty good," Anna remarked.
"Well, at least we can probably make a quick buck by saying your jesus now," Rapunzel joked.
"I doubt many people would believe that, Punzie," Elsa stated.
Anna laughed softly. "Girls, don't make me laugh, my sides hurt enough as it is."
Elsa and Rapunzel each kissed Anna's cheeks. "Fair enough," Elsa said.
"They're holding a little victory celebration down there," Rapunzel informed her. "You wanna come down?"
"I'd rather enjoy some peace and quiet," Anna replied.
"Suit yourself, Captain," Rapunzel accepted.
"So… what's our plan now?" Elsa wondered.
"I'm not sure, sis," Anna admitted. "I'd never think we'd kill Hans."
"Well, all it took was for a certain mermaid to get real mad about you," Elsa giggled.
"You're pretty mad about me too," Anna smirked.
"Careful, Anna," Elsa and Ariel cooed.
Anna breathed in. "Mmmmm, that air feels good."
"You know what else feels good?" Elsa asked.
"What?"
"That we've got some time to ourselves," Elsa said, leaning in and pressing her lips to Anna's.
Anna kissed back, holding Elsa in the sunset.
When they pulled away, they touched foreheads, gazing into each other's eyes.
"I think we should make the most of this, Elsa," Anna stated.
"Me too, and I know just the thing to make it worthwhile," Elsa replied. "We should settle down, the four of us and live out our lives in peace?"
"You mean we should get married?"
"Actually…." Rapunzel began. "We've been having second thoughts about that."
"You see, considering what we've been through together recently, marriage doesn't really sound too appealing," Ariel added.
"So we should just live together, no marriage, but maybe we could have a baby between the four of us." Elsa finished.
"Whatever makes you girls happy." Anna accepted and with that confirmation, all four of them kissed one another.