10
Medusa heard Anna shouting but paid no attention to it. Word of the coming celebration had gotten around the palace quickly, and right now, she was eyeing the only person in the princss's group that could potentially escort her, waiting for him to notice her. Finally, he approached her, and she prepared the perfect lie. While Elsa and Mim worked, she had been busy trying to get close to the other girl. Everyone called her Maleficent, but at the moment, Medusa secretly called her her little spy.
She had learned his name was Hans, and he was a prince. He had tried to take over Arendell four years ago, only intending to marry Anna because she was a princess. So now, she would be a princess. "Madam?"
She smiled, looking away and then back. "Oh no. I didn't want to tell anyone in Arendell yet, but it should be "princess." Not Madam. Princess Medusa of Atlantica." It was the obvious choice—Vanessa's home from what she had told her and the one place no human could visit.. "Soon to be queen!"
Hans studied her, taking her in. "There was a girl in my year at DU who was a princess from Atlantica. She never mentioned a sister named Medusa."
Medua nodded quickly,, trying to think of a way around it. "Yes. Because I was her mother's sister. And I was chosen to take over because I could be a diplomat with the humans! But now, I have to find someone to marry first."
Hans looked at her, thoughtful. "Well… we always have tonight. If you can prove in some way that you truly are a princess of Atlantica, it would be my honor to join you."
Medusa's heartbeat quickened as he walked away, a triumphant smile slowly crossing her features. All she had to do was prove she was a princess? Well that would be easy enough. She had diamonds… only Vanessa had left them in Devil's Bayou aboard the riverboat. And she had no time to go back to Devil's Bayou, nor did she have the desire to see that place again. It had been both a place of revelry and of defeat. She needed to be back in her pawnshop, looking for anything she could use to pull off this act. But there wasn't time to go home either.
She looked over to where Mim had returned, Elsa and the rabbit nowhere to be seen though the woman wa staring at her. "You look as depressed as I feel. I just had to help my worst enmy turn into a human."
Medusa nodded. "I have to impress your friend Hans. And I have no diamond. Not a single one!"
Mim frowned. "Wow. Your day's been worse!"
Medusa nodded. "I can't go home and get something. Not before the ball."
Mim rowned, watching her. "Well I may have just the thing for this. But you're going to give me something in return. Once the night is over."
Medusa nodded, waiting anxiously. Whatever she wanted, she would have to give it to her. She needed to gbe safe. "Fine. Name your price. But in case you don't know, I do know a real bargain when I see one."
Mim nodded. "I will make you a princess if only for this one night. But after, you will proclaim me to be the world's most powerful sorceress. And if you don't? Hans will know the truth."