JQ: Hiya friends! Nice to see ya! I've been so swamped with last minute pre-exam procrastination.
I'm liking the discussions on Elsa's diplomacy. She sure tries her best! I also imagine her to be one for peaceful assembly, granted, this fic does not help her anxiety.
Here's some more word barf. I was personally happy with this chapter, but I wanna see how y'all find it!
Happy reading! Be nice!
It was almost nightfall. Neither Claudio and his family, nor Elena and her friends, went back to their kingdoms that night. Claudio and Elena opted to stay, to help with the impending battle that was bound to happen, despite Elsa's confidence in negotiations. Claudio knew that this wasn't a battle based upon something that could be negotiable: it was about the breaking of tradition. A woman being arranged to marry another woman? Unheard of. The fact that these two women were going to be the most powerful leaders, in the world? Even more impossible.
Elsa and Fría had already boarded a small boat, along with 20 guards: 5 from Avalor, 5 from Arendelle and 10 from Isla Solsa. Fría really wanted to put the pressure on. They were half a mile from shore now, approaching one of the Weselton ships. A white flag was hung on the mast of the smaller boat, so that they would not fire.
Fría's fears were confirmed, when they got close enough to the ships. She could see that the guards were lining the perimeter of the ship, equipped with heavy duty crossbows. They were definitely not in the mood for negotiating.
"Look." Fría said to Elsa, nodding towards the three guards beside the heavy weaponry. "They are not leaving quietly." Elsa sighed. Fría was probably right, but there was no harm in at least attempting to reason with their former allies.
"I really don't want to have our men go into a battle." Elsa said. But what she really meant was: I don't want you to go into a battle. Elsa was not going to lose Fría before she got to even have her.
"Neither do I." Elsa chanced a glance as the princess, beside her. She scoffed because Fría was wearing her torso armour, complete with shoulder pieces.
"You could've fooled me." Elsa didn't mean for her comment to sound snippy. She just really didn't want to do this.
"Just because I'm good at fighting doesn't mean I like it." Fría quipped back. She didn't like this banter that they were having. It was full of tension...and not the kind of tension that they had every morning. She tried to focus on the task at hand, but she kept getting that weird feeling in her stomach whenever she was arguing with someone. Except it was worse because she was arguing with Elsa. She sighed. "Can we just...pretend this isn't happening right now? We still have like...5 minutes before we see the Weselton guard." Elsa looked at her questioningly.
"What do you mean?" The blonde inquired.
"I just...I don't like arguing with you." Fría huffed and crossed her arms. Elsa shook her head, but agreed.
"I don't like it either." Elsa told her, "But I suppose we have to get used to it." she simply shrugged.
"Can we just..." Fría sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. She guessed that this was all her fault anyway. She should probably just apologize. "I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I...shouldn't have raised my voice at you." Fría admitted, shamefully. "I just get really defensive." Elsa placed a hand on Fría's shoulder.
"I don't know how this stuff works. Arendelle has seldom seen any battles." She chuckled nervously. "Without an official treaty, you guys usually step in."
"Yeah...our fathers thought highly of one another." Fría commented. They stood in silence, again. Elsa was about to say why she got so mad, but thought better of it. They could discuss it, later. She merely sighed, and grabbed Fría's hand. Once their hands were intertwined, Fría brought them up to her lips and proceeded to kiss Elsa's knuckles. Elsa smiled. She liked these little gestures that Fría would do.
"Look at you, showing affection." Elsa teased.
"Only for you, beautiful." Fría told her. Elsa's heart swelled but also broke. This beautiful woman; whom she was about to marry, was willingly opening herself up to her. Said woman was probably about to put her life on the line for a kingdom she doesn't even own yet. It made Elsa fall harder and it also killed her. She wanted to keep Fría with her.
"Your Majesty and your highness," Jorgen addressed, breaking their concentration towards one another. "We were given the signal to board. Weselton's, lieutenant Jösten, advises that you can only bring 12 men aboard. Likewise, they will have no weapons in hand." Elsa turned to Fría, issuing the younger girl to speak. Elsa knew her bride to be was much better at this, and preferred her to deal with it. Fría stood up straighter.
"Very well, Jorgen." The warrior princess said, "Tell Benvolio, Vincenzo, Marco, Elias and Juan-Carlo to suit up. They are my most seasoned men. I suggest you appoint the newest members of your guard to the task. The newest yet highly capable." Jorgen nodded.
"Might I ask why, your highness?" He asked.
"Simple. Weselton, I'd imagine, is most familiar with your guards. They'd be highly expectant to receive familiar faces. However, they are not familiar with my men. Therefore, if they plan on attacking, they have no idea what to expect." Fría's stern appearance never faltered in her explanation and that offered some confidence for both Jorgen and Elsa. "Understood?"
"Yes, your highness. Very good. I'll go tell them." Jorgen quickly left the royal couple. Elsa then turned to Fría.
"I have to admit, you look very intimidating, when you want to be." the blonde linked her arm with Fría's as the latter began to chuckle.
"It comes with the job, bella." Fría answered, kissing Elsa's forehead. They stood there, just revelling in each other's presence.
...
"Everyone understand the formation?" Fría asked, before they boarded the ship. The 12 men nodded. "Good." She then turned to Elsa and squeezed her hand. "You go first. You're the queen and not as intimidating as I." Elsa scoffed.
"So you think." She winked at her fiancée, before turning on her heels and walking across the plank to board Weselton's ship. There were plenty of Weselton's guards, just standing around watching her every move. She began to feel very small, but Fría placed a reassuring hand on her waist, to let her know that she was not alone. Elsa shot Fría a thankful glance before they were beckoned by a rather large guard.
"Right this way." He said, pointing towards a small room. Elsa turned to Fría, and the princess just nodded. They walked through the threshold and were face to face with the Duke of Weselton and a larger man, that Elsa assumed to be the Lieutenant. They both stood, and bowed. Elsa and Fría reciprocated the gesture. A few guards pulled out four chairs, so that the dignitaries could be seated. Once they sat down, all of the guards had their eyes on them.
"Evening, gentlemen." Elsa greeted. "I'd like to say this is a pleasantry, however it is a pretty grave interference." The Weselton Lieutenant began to speak.
"Understandable. My name is Lieutenant Jösten. And we cannot apologize for our intrusion, until you apologize for this arrangement." He said, gesturing to the two women. Fría visibly tensed, but one of her men placed a hand on her shoulder. He mouthed something in Italian to her, and she nodded while refocusing her attention to the lieutenant.
Elsa, already, could sense that there would be little negotiations that she could offer. Since the problem was about her marriage, and assumed sexuality, this would be an increasingly difficult endeavor. She decided, instead, to use the most logical argument at her disposal.
"I am not apologizing for anything, of the sort, lieutenant Jösten." Elsa stated, firmly. "We are no longer in a trade agreement, and I have no obligation to adhere to your wishes." This much was true. They had no actual written affiliation, anymore, so this definitely constituted as an act of passion. "Even if we were on good terms, it is highly unlikely that I would apologize anyway." she gestured between herself and Fría. "This was not our doing. Our fathers made a treaty, and because we are faithful to our crowns, we are going through with it." Elsa knew that Weselton was very conservative, so she thought better of preaching her undying love for her fiancée. Instead, she relied on the written portion, to highlight her decisions.
"You can halt this battle. You have the power to overturn the agreement. Elsa, you are the queen. You can literally do anything you wish." Elsa nodded at his statement.
"This is true, which is why I am not breaking this engagement." She huffed. "Why are you people so adamant on the matter anyhow?" she questioned. At this, the duke began to speak.
"It is unruly that two women are being betrothed. But it is even more dreadful that two women are to wed, who are born of the devil himself!" The duke pointed an accusing finger at Elsa. "Sorcery! It is a sin! And being accompanied by the sin of being wed to another woman?! Preposterous! You expect the rest of the world to just sit, idly by, and watch you demons take over the world?! You almost killed me, with your stupid ice!" Fría had had enough of this little annoying man. She had received the information. He was being a complete ass hat, and she figured she'd be allowed to retort. Her right hand man, Vincenzo, gave the go ahead to speak out.
"We, your annoyingness, are not full sorceresses. We merely have powers. That is it!" She explained. The duke got up and made his way over to her.
"Your pitiful excuse for a bride almost killed me!"
"And you, you pitiful excuse of a person, explicitly ordered for her to be dealt with. She told you it had been an accident. I do not see any further infliction of harm. You are here, alive, and getting on my last nerves." Fría now stood, towering over him. She looked highly threatening in her burgundy and gold armour. "I will kindly ask that you step down from this ridiculous proposition to fight, or I can promise you your head on a silver platter, served with some nice spices and herbs." the duke wavered slightly, but held his stance. The two of them were completely ignoring the protests from the Weselton guards, who have heard the tales of princess Fría.
"Challenge accepted." The duke said, before storming off. Lieutenant Jösten stood, glancing at Fría. She nodded towards him.
"When will you be ready?" Fría asked him, as calm as could be. Jösten sighed and held her gaze.
"Sunrise, the day after tomorrow." he answered. "We are still preparing our weapons."
"Affirmative." Fría nodded. They began to discuss the rules of the battle, and where they would be fighting. Elsa had suggested a patch of land, with no housing, west of the North mountain. Both leaders agreed, and shook hands. They also established, much to Fría's dismay, that the duke was not to fight. Likewise, Fría requested that Elsa not be included as well.
"When will the battle be called?" He asked. It was very apparent that the battle could not be won, by the killing of a monarch. This would be a dispute of raw power and attack strategy. Since Elsa and the Duke were not going to be involved, it would be just the army versus the other. Probably when the most men were gone, would the battle rights be assumed. However, Fría looked him dead in the eyes and said,
"When you surrender."
...
The extended royal family of Isla Solsa, Arendelle and Avalor were gathered around the dining room table. They were trying their best to not discuss the impending battle, but that was proving to be a difficult task. Gabe and Fría kept speaking to one another, in Spanish. No doubt, by Elsa's assumption, discussing strategy. Elsa cleared her throat.
"The fact that I do not speak in your tongue does not correlate to me not understanding body language." Elsa said, as Gabe and Fría halted their conversation. "Please. No more talking about this feud." They looked really guilty but nodded their understanding.
"Yes, your majesty." Gabe said, looking down at his plate. He looked back up at Fría, to which she replied,
"After dinner, Gabe."
The family continued to eat in silence, not wanting to discuss the future. Suddenly, Olaf waltzed into the room and asked how everyone was doing. Conversation got a tad bit lighter but there was no mistaking the tension between the queen and her fiancée. Even though they had made peace, on the boat, they were still upset that this was happening.
...
That night, Elsa opted to stay in her own quarters that evening. She felt very alone, but she was trying to distance herself from Fría. She didn't want to be as attached as she was before, because you could never be too sure about war and who was to be coming home. She willed the tears in her eyes to not fall, but they disobeyed her.
She was curled up, hugging her knees to her chest. Her sobs provided a pained ambience to her dark, empty room. She was desperately trying to ignore the pain in her chest, but obviously she could not. The fears and pains of the possibility of losing Fría was too much to handle. She hadn't even felt a pain like this when her parents died.
And then there was a knock on the door.
Elsa, reluctantly, got herself up out of bed. She pulled a cloak over herself, adding an article of clothing to her 'barely there' nightgown. She trudged over to the door and was surprised at the person on the other side.
"Naomi?"
"Yo, other blonde person." Naomi greeted, with a smile. "You got a minute, to talk?" Elsa nodded, and stepped aside. She lit a few candles, and pulled out a stool for Naomi to sit on.
"Why did you come to speak with me?" Elsa questioned. Naomi shrugged.
"Just wanted to see how you're doing." Naomi answered. "Because your lady friend isn't doing so hot right now." Elsa's expression became more worried than anything, at that admission.
"What? Why?"
"She's been immersing herself into readying the troops for the battlefront. Personally, I can tell you when that girl is overworking herself. Girl, that lady is running herself right through the anxiety hole." Naomi said, looking at her nails. "Also, she seems really on edge about you basically ignoring her all evening."
"What? I-I'm not ignoring –!"
"Save it, blondie." Naomi placed her index finger on Elsa's lips. "I can tell when someone's avoiding something. Whether or not you are intending to ignore Fría, you basically are, by default."Elsa began to panic. It was happening again: she was shutting people out by being a coward.
Dammit Elsa! Haven't you and your stupid head learned anything?!
"Where is she now?" The queen asked the short-haired blonde girl.
"She's in the library, boring Gabe to death with her strategies." Naomi groaned. "I mean sure, we are good at fighting and don't mind preparing but oh. My. God. She's getting to be too much. Please go talk with her?" Elsa nodded and headed for the door. Naomi followed suit. "Thank you, your majesty! I'm sure she just needs some Arendellian lovin'." Naomi wiggled her eyebrows at the queen and Elsa squinted hers.
"Please, never say that again." She demanded, as a steady blush began to decorate her facial features.
"Why not? It's rather funny, seeing how it turns your face into a tomato." Naomi chuckled. "Hey, don't get upset! The Solsans love tomatoes!"
"Stop. Please."
"Nope!" the two continued their...well...Naomi continued her one-sided banter/teasing session with the queen, while Elsa tried to block it out. Elsa cursed the castle for being so vast because it would be about another 5 minutes, before they would reach the library.
...
Elsa and Naomi stopped at the threshold of the library. Elsa wanted to hear what was going on for herself. She carefully observed while Gabe complained about excessive battle strategy, while Fría was having none of his protests.
"I honestly don't care about that, right now, Fry!" Gabe cried, face slamming onto the table, burried in a map of the battlefield, which both Jösten and Fría had agreed upon. Fría was relentless in her planning and in her lecturing. Gabe just wanted to go to sleep. "We have a full damn day, tomorrow! Let me rest!"
"There'll be plenty of rest time, when you're dead Gabe." Fría deadpanned. "And at the rate this is going, you'll have plenty of rest." Fría's demeanor had completely changed, as a result of the war that was coming up. Elsa did not like the change because Fría smiled less and looked quite stoic. She became harsh. Definitely living up to her name. This wasn't the woman Elsa was so used to seeing.
"You're impossible!"
"And you're being a baby."
"Enough." Elsa said, completely fed up with this nonsense. "Fría?" Elsa called, but the raven-haired woman just continued to stare at her maps. Gabe repeatedly looked between the queen and his friend. He realized this was an awkward time, so he seized the opportunity and made a mad dash from the table to the exit. Naomi then ushered him out into the hall, to give their friends some privacy.
Fría continued to be fulyl engrossed in her planning, and held her quill. She began to draw some things on the map, still completely ignoring Elsa's voice.
"Fría?" Elsa tried again. This time, Fría shifted in her chair, causing it to make a scraping sound, on the floor. However, that was the only sound that Elsa had received. "Fría, please turn around. Please?" Elsa pleaded. Hearing the pained plea, Fría dropped her quill and reluctantly turned to face Elsa. Fría's face, at first, was pretty harsh. This made Elsa begin to cry. Upon seeing Elsa's face contort as tears streamed down, her face grew worrisome. Fría got up, immediately, and rushed to her fiancée's side.
"Oh, honey." Fría said, reaching for Elsa's hands. "Darling, I'm so sorry." Fría began to kiss Elsa's face, as she sobbed. It was really awkward, because Fría was still not one for hugs, and it so obviously looked like the queen needed one.
As Elsa cried, Fría heard something from the doorway. It was Naomi. The short-haired blonde woman kept hugging Gabe, trying to get Fría to do the same with Elsa. Fría kept shaking her head, but then Elsa's crying got more and more apparent. Fría sighed, and removed her hands from Elsa's. Elsa began to panic, and cry harder, until she felt strong arms wrap around her shoulders.
Fría was hugging her.
Elsa's face was pressed to Fría's neck, and she could still smell the faint scent of metal. Probably from the armour that Fría had worn previously. Fría was now dressed in her white shirt and burgundy trousers. Elsa had to admit she liked Fría in her casual clothing.
Elsa continued to sob, while Fría just stood there, holding her bride to be. Fría tangled one of her hands in Elsa's thin platinum blonde hair, and momentarily distracted herself from willingly hugging another human being. After a few more moments, Fría began to speak.
"Huh...I didn't recognize our height difference, until now." Elsa's shoulders went from shaking in sadness to bouncing in soft laughter, at that. She looked crazy, with tears in her eyes as she laughed. But she didn't mind. This was the Fría she was used to. The one that could make her smile with one sentence. This was her Fría.
"I...I'm sorry. I must look foolish." Elsa said, getting herself composed. She tried to pull away, but Fría just pulled her in, closer.
"If 'foolish' is another word for 'adorable', someone needs to inform me about it." Elsa laughed again, and Fría just continued to kiss the top of Elsa's head. They stood there for a few moments, even after Naomi and Gabe had departed.
"I'm sorry for ignoring you, tonight." Elsa apologised. "I...I'm just...I'm not used to this."
"Not used to...war preparations?" Elsa nodded.
"But...more or less...not used to being so attached to someone going off into a war." the blonde added. Fría nodded in understanding.
"Well...um, I'm sorry too. I guess I'm so used to just running off to fight that I hardly ever think about the people back home." She then lowered her gaze, to meet Elsa's. "Until now." Elsa stared, sadly, into Fría's eyes. "I...never felt this way before. Honest. It kills me, having to leave you for this, but I have to defend your honour somehow. The Duke is a complete pile of horse-shit, and he needs a rude awakening."
"You don't have to fight, darling. Just stay here, with me." Elsa pleaded.
"Yes I do!"
"You are already very honourable, and I wouldn't mind it if you stayed back –!"
"Elsa, that isn't the point! I hate the idea of fighting, right now, but I want to! I need to! I love you, and I need to fight for you! This isn't about the whole honour thing, anymore, really. It's about How I feel and what I feel is too strong to just let this stupid, little, insignificant human walk all over my girl! He has another damn thing coming, if he thinks he can just get away with talking trash about you and..." Fría kept rambling on, in her explanation, but Elsa remained frozen in time, after hearing what Fría had just said. "...and it's completely rude to even talk to a lady that...Elsa?" Fría suddenly noticed how Elsa was just staring at her, as if she had grown an extra eye. Fría tilted her head in confusion. "Elsa? What...what's wrong?" Fría began to panic, but Elsa just kept staring at her. After a minute, Elsa finally opened her mouth.
"What did you say?" Fría began to look around nervously. She had, already, forgotten what she had just ranted about.
"Um...I said... 'it's rude to even talk –!'"
"No, no, not that." Elsa stepped closer to her. "At the start; you said something." Fría remained completely confused and tried her best to not look like an idiot.
"That's...that's a pretty vague request –!"
"You said...that you..." Elsa couldn't even form the words herself, but it finally registered to Fría what she had said. Fría gulped, and began to sweat. However, the princess was not one for being a coward. She straightened her posture and cleared her throat.
"I-I said I needed to fight for you...because..." She coughed, "...because I l-love...you." Silence followed that statement, and Fría started to panic again. "I-I-I'm s-sorry! I shouldn't have said that! It's not fair, you probably got completely blindsided – no – you are completely blindsided! I know, it seems early but –!"
"I love you too." Elsa admitted, cutting off Fría's nervous rant. She stepped closer and placed a gentle hand on Fría's chest. Unconsciously, Fría placed her hands on Elsa's waist. "I love you, and I don't want to lose you." Fría's lips began to quiver, so Elsa just leaned in and kissed her, with everything she had.
They stood there, in their own little world, until they heard a few guards, just walking around outside the library. They pulled apart, and waited for the guards to pass by. Both women still had a rather noticeable blush, coating their faces. Elsa cleared her throat, and turned to Fría.
"Stay with me, tonight." Fría held her gaze, and took hold of Elsa's hand.
"Yes, my love."