Hey guys! Guess what? Another birthday update! Yes this beauty here goes out to my very special friend ShizaAssassian316 who actually was the one to inspire me to write Delsa. And not only does she have a book of her own "Drabbles" but she is soon starting a Delsa story! Be sure to check out her fabulous work and Shiza? I love you! Happy Birthday hun!
War always brought hardship. It was never easy for either side, and in the end, no one really wins. War also brought danger to leaders and their families. How could they protect themselves?
It was dark outside and the moon shone overhead. Stars dimly lit the sleeping kingdom of Arendelle. The small kingdom was well hidden by the fjord around it. A figure glided through the sky. At a closer distance, one would specify the figure of a young man who seemed to glow in the darkness.
Flying aimlessly through the night was not how Daniel Fenton thought he would spend his life. Yet here he was, alone and lost.
That is, until his enhanced hearing caught the quiet noise that was made by the docks of the castle. With his curiosity peaked, the snow white haired teen flew down to further inspect what was going on. Quickly making himself invisible, he found a group of men sneaking along the sides of the castle. He followed them inside, curious as to what they were doing near a castle at this hour.
The group of men made their way inside the castle, wandering through the halls and up the stairs. Danny flew closer to listen to their hushed whispers.
"But what if we get caught?! The King will have our heads!"
"Why did we even take this job anyway?"
"Quiet you idiots! We just need to get the girl and get out."
The young ghost boy did not like the sound of that. Even though he was new to this kingdom, he was pretty sure kidnapping someone at night was against the rules. The men stopped at door and began quietly unloading things out of the bag that had brought. His eyes glowed bright as he decided that he would not let this happen to whoever was on the other side of the door.
Then he made himself visible.
King Agnarr woke from his sleep at the sound of clattering out in the hall. He quickly sat up and reached for one of the swords that lay above his bed. Quietly creeping out of bed and into the hall, the King almost dropped the sword when he saw the scene outside his door.
Five men were unconscious and piled together. The sixth one stood on shaky legs in front of an apparition. The young boy had tan skin, white hair, green eyes, and wore a strange suit that was black and white. The boy roughly gripped the man's shirt and pulled him so they were face to face. "What are you doing here?" he growled in a low tone.
"P-Please, please spirit, spare me! I am only following orders!" the man cowered. The boy smirked, "Wrong answer." He threw his head back before head butting the man, knocking him out. "Man," the ghost said to himself with a small smile, "I've always wanted to do that."
"Fight off six men or head butt someone?" King Agnarr finally spoke. For whatever reason, the ghost before him had protected the girl behind the door, and he needed to know why. The young man turned at the new voice and his eyes widened, "Oh, um… Sorry, sir. I - uh-"
"Come with me," the king said before he turned and began walking down the hall. Danny looked confused but, since he had no other plans, he followed the older man. Eventually, Danny found himself inside of an office of some sort. It was dark and he could not make out any details but he could tell that it was a very large room. A match was struck and the man lit a candle that sat on the desk before he sat down, gesturing for Danny to do the same. The ghost compiled and sat in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk.
There was a long silence before either of them spoke. "Why did you stop those men?" Agnarr asked. Danny raised a brow and thought for a moment before answering, "Well, I wasn't just going to let whoever was on the other side of the door be kidnapped."
"So that's what they were doing," Agnarr said to himself, "Bastards." He paused again before speaking, "Do you know who I am young man?" Danny just shrugged, "Sorry sir. I'm not really from around here."
"King Agnarr of Arendelle."
Danny's eyes widened and he blinked back at the king, "Well… I'm guessing I'm probably in trouble then?" The king shook his head with a small smile. "Then why am I here?" the ghost boy asked. The king folded his hands on the desk, "I am in the middle of a war."
"Yikes," Danny commented.
"Yikes indeed. Though my defenses away from home and inside the kingdom are substantial, that did not leave a lot of men for the personal guard. I do not want to risk the safety of my people for selfish reasons but you saw it tonight. The castle guard has been weakened. My daughter, and only legalized heir, has become a primary target."
"And you're telling me this, why?"
Agnarr stopped for a moment, thinking over what he had originally thought to be a good idea. Finally deciding on the matter he met the ghost boy's green eyes, "I want you to protect my daughter."
Danny's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak but the king beat him to it, "She is being put at a great risk and having someone like you there would be an advantage. Someone they couldn't see or touch… You do not have to agree if you do not want to but what you did tonight… know that I am forever grateful," he stood up and offered his hand, "Do we have a deal?"
Danny sat there, shocked. He didn't know what to say. It would be a good thing to do, seeing as he had nowhere to go and nothing to do. Danny stood and shook the king's hand.
"Deal."
About two months had passed since that night in King Agnarr's office. As the war stretched on, more and more attacks seemed to happen. At first there were barely any. Then they became more frequent, happening almost every week or two. Danny kept out of sight, silently protecting the king's daughter.
Until one night.
There had been more men than he had planned. While some of them fought him, others snuck into the princess's room. But Danny was quick and didn't even let the men take more than 10 steps before he tackled them to the ground.
The noise woke the sleeping beauty in the bed. She sat up and looked at the foot of her bed to find about eight men unconscious on the floor. A glowing figure stood over them with its back to her. Elsa gasped in surprised, clasping a hand over her mouth. The figure turned his head to the side when he heard the noise to glance back at her. She could see his green eyes widen in fear before his body faded and he flew up and through the ceiling. She called out to him, "Wait!" But he was already gone.
"Princess Elsa!" a group of guards came to her doorway, "We heard something. Are you alright?"
The princess blinked back at them, knowing better than to tell what she had seen before she was sure. Elsa looked back at the groaning men on the floor. "Those men broke into my room," she said in a small voice.
As the guards grabbed the men to drag them out of her room and down to the dungeons, Elsa clutched her blanket to her chest. What had protected her that night? Judging by the profile of whoever it was, or whatever it was, the figure was a male, about her age. She felt as though she should be frightened or even a little shaken by what happened but she was more curious than anything.
A knock sounded at King Agnarr's door. "Come in," he called. He looked up from his papers with an annoyed look on his face but it melted into a smile immediately, "Elsa, to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"
Elsa smiled at her father and walked over to sit in one of the chairs at his desk, "Father, I have a question for you." The king set down his fountain pen and nodded, "Ask away."
"Do you believe in ghosts?"
Agnarr's calm and friendly expression turned dark and his tone was grave, "Where did you hear about something like that?" Elsa was slightly taken back, "Well, last night, there were some trespassers, and after I woke up from some noise, I thought I saw-"
"You saw nothing," Agnarr answered calmly picking up his pen, "It was merely a trick of the eye or a lingering dream."
"But Father, I know what I-"
"This conversation is over," he cut her off in a sharp tone, "I do not want to hear of this again."
Elsa's hands folded in her lap as she bowed her head submissively, "Yes Father." Without another word, she stood and made her way to the door. "Elsa," he called. She stopped in the doorway and turned back to him. "You know I am only trying to protect you," Agnarr said in a softer tone. Elsa gave him a small smile, "I know."
For once in her life, Elsa didn't listen to her father. She wondered about what had come into her room that night. Her guess had been a spirit of some sort. She had set out to do some research but found very little information. She knew she shouldn't be digging around like this but something was nagging at the back of her mind.
From that day on, she slept late in the day and stayed up all night. No one questioned the girl's new sleeping pattern since she was confined to the walls of the castle anyway. She had hoped to talk to… it when it came during another attack. That week there were no more attacks.
Still, she waited. Eventually, she was rewarded for her patience. More men came in the night as she laid under her covers, pretending to sleep. The men's harsh whispers frightened her but she trusted in whatever-it-was to come to her aid. Sure enough, the sounds of a fight filled the room but Elsa kept her eyes shut as grunts and groans of pain were heard, along with some muffled words and curses.
The sound died down, and Elsa peeked out from underneath her sheets. Again, the figure stood over then defeated men. As he turned to fly away, she called out to him, "Wait! Please." It stopped for a moment before fading and flying up through the ceiling.
The next night there were no attacks. But there was a visitor in her room. She had stayed awake again. An hour after midnight is when she felt as though something was watching her but she didn't know what. She sat up in her bed, clutching her sheets to her chest as her eyes swept the room. Nothing. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the curtain sway a bit. Her window wasn't open.
"I know you're there," she said softly, "You can come out."
There were two full seconds of complete silence. The figure she had seen last night materialized in front of her. It was, in fact, a young man. But his appearance was very unusual. He wore a strange black suit with white trimmings. Though he appeared to be smaller in build, he did not lack in muscle. His white hair shone in the dimly lit room and his green eyes never left hers.
Elsa blinked back at the boy. She reached over to her night stand, struck a match and lit a candle. She sat back on the edge of her bed and looked back up at him. He watched her movement with an unflinching stare before he spoke, "You're scared."
The statement caught her off guard. Was she a little intimidated? Yes, but she wasn't scared.
"No," she argued calmly, standing from her bed, "I only fear the unknown and right now, I do not know you."
"A ghost," he said, "I am a ghost." She shook her head, "That's not what I meant. What is your name?" He seemed taken back by what she said. "Danny," he answered with a wary gaze. She couldn't help but smile, "No surname?"
That question seemed to strike a nerve. His expression darkened, and he shook his head. There was another beat of silence before she spoke again, "I'm Elsa." Danny looked up to see her smiling at him. A small smile came to rest on his face. They stayed like that for a while before they both opened their mouths to speak. But before either of them could, the clock on her wall struck two. "You should get some rest, princess," he said to her. He then turned and flew off.
The next month was spent with little interaction between the two. First there was nothing. Then, whether the room had been infiltrated or not, he began coming to her bedside and asking her if she was okay. Then, little by little, he began showing up in daylight.
Elsa had been sitting in the library in a big red chair with a book in her hand when she felt something materialize over her shoulder. "Hello Danny," she smiled, not taking her eyes off of her book. He blinked down at the beautiful princess, "What are you reading?"
"Jane Eyre," she replied, saving her place, closing the book, then turning up to meet his gaze. Danny was always startled by her sparkling eyes that shone with kindness. Those blue eyes darted to a window before going back to him, "Would you like to go outside with me today?"
His eyes widened, "Out-Outside? In daylight?"
"No, in darkness. Yes, in daylight, silly. Come on," Elsa stood from her place in the chair, "It'll be fun. There's a garden that's within the palace walls." He hesitated, "I don't know, Elsa. I-"
"Please," Elsa took his hand in hers and made her best puppy eyes. Danny looked down at their hands in surprise, then back up at her eyes. He definitely couldn't resist those, "Fine."
Her face lit up and she turned to speed out the door, dragging Danny behind by his hand. She abruptly turned down a hall and began descending a steep stone staircase. They reached a big wooden door at the bottom and she flung it open.
Sunlight poured into the dim and musty staircase. She looked back at him, her eyes dancing with joy and excitement. He felt his heart swell a little in his chest. She gently led him out the door into a small enclosed garden. Stone walls surrounded the garden and bright flowers grew everywhere. From the delicate ones growing on the walls to the colorful ones that lined the green grass pathway, the garden was bright and full of color.
"Nice garden," he commented, leaning over to inspect some of the flowers in awe. "Thank you," she smiled, "I made it myself."
He straightened up and turned to her, "Really?" She shyly nodded, "Well, I did have some help but this garden is my own." She turned and began walking to the center of the garden with him following behind, "My sister and I used to come here all the time."
"Sister?"
"Didn't think I had one did you?" she turned to him with a joking smile, "She and my mother are in Corona, a close ally. Father sent them there when the war started," her expression dropped and she looked at the ground, "I wasn't allowed to go. Father thought it best if I were under his supervision." Danny felt his heart drop when he saw her saddened expression. His eyes swept through the garden, looking for something to change the subject.
"Hey, what's that?" Elsa looked up to see where he was looking. She followed his gaze to the tree in a corner of the garden where, on one of the roots that were above ground, a closed white petal flower sat. "That's a ghost orchid actually," she softly smiled at the irony, "The General brought it back from Cuba for me. It blooms for only a week in May. Oh, I'm so excited to see it bloom tomorrow."
The sun began to set as the two talked and laughter rang through the garden. Danny hadn't been out in broad daylight since he left his own town. But today, he was glad she had dragged him out here. Eventually, Elsa was called back inside, with Danny close behind her, invisible.
"Boo!"
"Ack!" Elsa jumped back from her desk. Her heads rested on her hips as she glared at the head on her table, "Danny! Don't scare me like that!" He laughed as floated up and out of the desk, sitting on it. She pouted at him. "Aw, come on Elsa," he leaned towards her, "You know you love me."
"That is besides the point," her lips tugged up into a smile, "I need to get this paperwork done." Danny glanced at the clock on the wall, "Elsa, it's late. You should go to sleep." She argued, "But Danny, I have to-"
"Nope," he stood and gently pushed her away from the desk by her shoulders, "As your official ghost protector I say you need to get some sleep. The paperwork will still be here in the morning."
Her eyes softened and she gave him a small smile, "Goodnight, Danny." He smiled back, turned intangible and flew through the door to stand guard.
A couple hours had passed when Danny suddenly smelled something unusual.
He raised a brow, "Garlic?"
A surge of pain suddenly coursed through Danny, making him cry out. A hand landed on his shoulder and pinched in a certain spot, causing him to feel weak and faint. He fell to his knees with his arms wrapped around his waist. A dark laugh echoed through the hall as Danny's vision faded into darkness.
"Princess, it's time to get up."
Elsa's eyes slowly opened, expecting to see her ghost protector, but she was met with big brown eyes. "Oh!" Elsa sat up in surprise. Danny was usually the one to wake her up if there had been no attacks and if there had been one, he would've checked on her.
"Is something wrong, Your Majesty?"
Elsa turned to the maid who had woken her, "No… no nothing's wrong." The maid, whose name was Lena nodded, "Well, let's get you dressed." As Elsa rose from the bed and the maid rushed to her armoire, Elsa spoke again, "Please, Lena, the most plain dress I have." She raised an eyebrow in response but followed her instructions, pulling out a plain white chemise underdress with a blue lace up bodice and overskirt.
"Lena," the princess said as the girl began to help her dress, "Do you believe in ghosts?"
"I don't know, Your Majesty," she shrugged. "You go to the market a lot, yes?" Elsa asked. The maid nodded, "Yes, Your Grace." She pursed her lips, "So… you know many people who live in the kingdom?" The maid shrugged again, "I suppose so." Elsa took a deep breath before she continued, "Do you know of anyone who I could talk to about ghosts?"
The hands tying the front of her bodice froze, and Lena remained silent. Minutes passed slowly before she spoke, "Why would you ask about such things, princess?" she shook her head, "You aren't even allowed outside the palace." Elsa swallowed hard, "Please, Lena. This is important. It may be nothing but I need to talk to someone."
Lena sighed, "Jackson Overland knows somebody. He is a kitchen boy who has always been well informed." Elsa nodded, "I will see him after I am dressed. Thank you Lena." The maid nodded as she handed Elsa a plain black cloak, "Take care, princess."
Elsa took the cloak gratefully with a smile before turning and swiftly making her way down to the kitchen. "Princess?" the jolly old cook whispered in awe when he saw her entered the big kitchen. He quickly dropped what he was doing and bowed, "How may I serve you?" Elsa shook her head and placed a hand on the cook's shoulder, "Please, I just need a word with Jackson Overland."
The cook looked up and nodded. "Jack!" he called. "I'm coming. I'm coming," an exasperated voice said from within the shelves of food. A boy with brown hair and brown eyes joined them. He looked at Elsa, acknowledging her before he turned back to the cook and jabbed a finger at her, "Who's this?" The cook slapped him upside the head, "The princess, you fool! Show some respect!"
Jackson's eyes widened and he quickly bowed, "F-Forgive me princess. I did not know-"
"It's alright," she smiled kindly, "Get up. That really isn't necessary." Jackson quickly rose to his feet. "You are dismissed cook. I would like to speak to Jackson alone," Elsa said with some authority. The cook nodded and bowed before leaving them.
"Am I in trouble?" Jackson asked tentatively. Elsa smiled and shook her head, "No, you aren't in trouble. But I really need your help."
"You sure about this, Your Majesty?" Jackson asked from the wagon the two had taken into town. Elsa turned back to him with a nod, "Just stay here and wait for me." He nodded in response. "And Jackson?" He turned back to her. She smiled up at him, "Thank you." He returned the smile and Elsa turned to knock on the door of the small hut.
A faint "Come in!" was heard and Elsa pushed open the door. She was met with a curtain of beaded strings. She closed the door behind her and called out into the hut, "Hello?"
"Ah, Princess Elsa. How kind of you to come to my humble abode," Elsa heard a voice say from within the cabin. A girl about her age emerged from the back of the room. She had dark skin, black hair and teal eyes. Elsa raised an eyebrow, "How did you know I- … Aren't you a little-"
"Young?" the girl finished with a small laugh, "Let's just say the last one's string got cut too early," she bowed, "Valerie Gray at your service," she rose to her feet, "So, princess, why have you come here today?"
"I need to find a ghost," Elsa said without hesitation. Valerie raised a brow, "You wish to make contact with the dead?" Elsa shook her head, "No, this ghost is already in our world. I just need to find him."
"Him?"
"He wasn't where he was supposed to be this morning, and I couldn't help but fear the worse. Please, can you help me?" Elsa pleaded with soft eyes. Valerie's surprise melted into concern and she turned, "Follow me."
Elsa followed her into a room in the back. Mud shelves with colorful glass bottles lined the walls and a bubbling black cauldron sat in the center. "Now," Valerie broke the silence, "This ghost, what does he look like?"
"Green eyes, tan skin, white hair, weird black and white suit," Elsa answered. Valerie blinked back at the blonde, "Uh, okay…" She walked along the walls, occasionally plucking a bottle or two from the shelves. When she was satisfied with what she had, she made her way to the cauldron. Elsa watched as Valerie added the contents of the bottles to the cauldron. Valerie picked up a big wooden stick and stirred.
"Is this the ghost you are looking for?" she asked, taking out the stick and pointing to the pot. Elsa looked over and saw a faint image of Danny in the liquid. "Yes," her face lit up, "Yes, that's him."
Danny's image disappeared and the liquid turned red. "Oh no," Valerie muttered to herself. "What? What is it?" Elsa asked hurriedly. "Your friend is in great danger," Valerie said gravely. Elsa's eyes widened and she looked down at the pot. She heard Valerie step away from the pot and come back. Valerie dipped a clear crystal that hung on a cord into the liquid. When she pulled it out, it had turned green.
"Here," Valerie held it out to the princess, "When you are near your ghost friend, the crystal will glow," she turned and grabbed a bottle from a shelf, "Take this as well. Throw it at the feet of your enemy and they'll fall asleep almost instantly."
Elsa took the items from her, "Thank you. How much do I owe?"
"Nothing," Valerie smiled. Elsa frowned, "Well, surely there must be something I can-"
"No," Valerie cut her off, "You must get to your friend."
Elsa nodded and thanked her before turning and dashing outside. As she sat back down on the wagon and Jackson drove it away from the hut, Elsa tied the cord around her neck. She held the crystal in her hand and in flickered back at her. Elsa looked up to see that they were crossing a long dirt road.
"Stop the cart," she said. Jackson pulled the horse to a halt, "What? Why?" Elsa looked down at the crystal, "Jackson please, I know I've asked for so much from you today but I need you to do one more thing."
With that Elsa and Jackson began to play hot and cold with the crystal. Jackson had no idea what was happening but followed the princess anyway. Eventually they found themselves at a cave an hour away from the city. "Stay here," Elsa said as she climbed off the cart. "But princess, I-"
"Jackson, stay here," she repeated while pulling up the hood of her cloak, "Be ready to leave as soon as I come back out." Jackson's mouth snapped shut and he nodded. With that Elsa ran inside the cave. As she went deeper into the cave, she saw a light and began to hear voices.
"Seriously, dude I have places to be, priorities. So if you don't mind letting me go-"
"Quiet!" an unfamiliar voice roared, interrupting Danny. Elsa quickly ducked behind a boulder, peeking out to see who had spoken. She saw an irritated Danny with his hands bound above his head and tied to a rock. The man who had spoken angrily wore a black tank top, one metal shoulder pad and a belt full of weapons of some kind. He had tan skin that was heavily inked and scarred and he had black hair that was shaped like a mohawk with a small thin beard on his chin.
"There is no escaping me child. Skulker: The World's Greatest Hunter!"
Danny rolled his eyes, "I know. You've told me ten times already." The man's face grew angry, "Take this ghost child!" The hunter thrust out a chain of garlic and Danny winced. The ghost boy wondered why it hurt. Garlic had never bothered him before. Then he noticed some buds on the chain, "What are those?"
Skulker raised a brow, "The buds? Roses. Blood blossoms, I think. Garlic smells terrible you know. Needs something to freshen it up." Danny paled when the hunter said "blood blossoms." He had encountered them before and hoped he'd never have to again. The hunter chuckled, "Now, I wonder what weapons work on you ghosts and what weapons don't…"
Danny gulped. Even though he could turn intangible, there were natural anti-ghost things in the world and he was not ready to take any chances. Suddenly a bottle was thrown at Skulker's feet, sending smoke everywhere. When the haze cleared, Danny saw Skulker asleep on the ground and a hooded figure standing over him. The figure reached up and pulled off the hood, revealing big blue eyes, blonde hair and a big smile.
"Elsa," Danny smiled as the princess pulled a dagger out of a sheath on her hip and cut his bindings. "You know, I think you have this whole protector thing backwards," he joked while rubbing his wrists. Elsa shook her head at him with a laugh before taking his hand, "Turn invisible. I have a ride waiting for us and I don't know how long the potion will last." He nodded and disappeared from her sight, his hand still in hers.
They ran out of the cave and climbed into the wagon with Jackson oblivious that there was a third party. They sped home and reached the castle by dark. "Thank you Jackson," Elsa said to him when they reached the servants' quarters, "You've helped me a lot today. Here," she handed him a small pouch, "30 kroners." The servant's eyes widened, "Y-Your Majesty, thank you. Thank you very much." Elsa smiled at him, "Let's keep today's endeavor a secret, alright?" He nodded before bowing and walking off with the pouch in hand.
"Danny are you there?" Elsa asked in a soft tone once he was gone. Elsa felt a hand rest on her shoulder, and she breathed out a sigh of relief. She began making her way back to her room when a guard stopped her, "Princess Elsa, your father wants to see you."
Elsa's shoulders tensed and she gave a curt nod before turning to follow the guard to her father's study. She felt the hand on her shoulder begin to slip away and she quickly grabbed it and gave it a gentle squeeze, silently begging him to stay. In response, the hand squeezed her shoulder.
Elsa entered the study and stood before her father. The king nodded at the guard and he left, shutting the door so they were not interrupted. "You were gone for a whole day," King Agnarr stated flatly. Elsa bowed her head and folded her hands, "Yes, father."
"From now on you are confined to your room. Understand?"
Elsa's head snapped up, "What?"
"Your meals and books will be brought to your room. You are not to leave it until I say."
"But father, my garden. I-"
"You are not to go to that garden."
"Why can't I go outside-"
"You are not to set foot out of your room under any circumstances!" the king yelled, slamming his fists on the desk and standing up. Elsa took a step back at the anger the king just displayed. The room was dead silent before she turned and fled the room, leaving Danny to invisibly follow her. What the two didn't know was that the king had just received some unsettling news.
The enemy had gotten past their borders.
"I've never seen him so angry."
Elsa sat on her bed with her arms around her waist, hugging herself. Danny stood by the window, unsure of what to do before he remembered something. He turned and opened the window and launched into the night sky. Elsa stared at the empty window sadly before returning her gaze back to the floor, feeling more alone than ever.
A whoosh sound swept through her room and before her eyes were silver boots. Elsa looked up to see Danny's smiling face. He held something out to her. A white spider web like flower.
Her ghost orchid.
Danny tentatively reached out and gently tucked the flower behind her ear before stepping back. She stared at him in disbelief, reaching up to touch the wide petal of the flower. She lept up and tackled him in a hug. He stood there for a moment, stunned, before he wrapped his arms around her.
He pulled away and gripped her hands, "Can I show you something?"
Elsa smiled up at him and nodded. He pulled her over to the window and swept her up into his arms bridal style, earning a small surprised noise from her. Her face flushed when she realized she needed to hold on to his shoulders in order to stay stable in his arms. "Okay, now hold on."
Elsa's grip tightened as she felt a soft breeze of cool night air. She squeezed her eyes shut and hid her face in Danny's chest, "Danny, I'm not supposed to be out of my room."
"Technically, he said not to set foot outside your room. Well, there is certainly no way for us to do that right now."
Elsa peeked one eye open and gasped at the sight before her. The kingdom was spread out underneath them. Only a few windows were flooded with lights on account of how late it was. She looked up at the sky and marvel at the lights twinkling back at her. "Danny," she breathed in awe, "It's beautiful." He smiled down at her, watching the starlight dance in her eyes, "Out of all my abilities, this one is my favorite."
"I can see why."
He flew them around the kingdom, zipping and zooming through the empty streets. Her bell-like laughter rang in his ears and he was unable to wipe the smile off his face. He swooped down to the fjord. Elsa carefully reached down and dipped her hand in the water. Danny looped back around to the castle, circling it before landing on the top of the highest tower. They sat there for a while under the stars until Danny broke the silence.
"Fenton."
"Huh?" Elsa looked away from the landscape and up at him. He gave her a shy smile, "My surname. It's Fenton."
They spent about an hour under the stars before he flew them back to her room. Once they were safely inside, he set her down gently.
"Elsa, can… can I tell you something?" Danny asked as she sat down on her bed. She nodded, "Of course." She patted the spot next to her, silently asking him to sit. He released a heavy sigh and sat next to her, "I… I was never supposed to be like this."
She raised a brow as he continued, "My parents, they're scientist. They were doing experiments on the dead and there was an accident… People where I lived rejected my family, terrorized them, because of me… So I left." He exhaled, "That's how I found my way here."
He was quickly enveloped in a hug. "Oh Danny," Elsa said into his neck. He hugged her back, welcoming the comfort. She ran her fingers through his hair gently and he relaxed into her.
After a little while she pulled away and looked in his eyes, "You know, when people start a new life, they usually change their name. I like Daniel. It suits you but… your surname doesn't do you justice. Maybe we should change it to…" her face lit up as she thought of one, "Phantom. Yes, that'll do nicely. Danny Phantom. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
He shook his head with a small laugh, "Sure. Danny Phantom."
From that night on, the two had become closer than ever before. Danny was always at Elsa's side and she couldn't be more grateful for the company. Protecting her was now more than a "job" for Danny. It was instinct. When anything remotely dangerous was within a 20 foot radius of her, he was right there in a crouched position, ready to fight.
But that devotion to her protection would eventually hurt him in the long run.
Elsa was up late again, reading from a chair by her bed when something came flying in into the room from the window. Elsa recognized and faint ghostly glow and leapt from her chair, her book falling to the floor. "Danny!" she rushed over to him, noticing a slash on his side and an arrow sticking out of his shoulder as he tried to get up on his own. "Oh my god, what happened?!" she panicked. She hurriedly broke off the wooden shaft of the arrow before helping him up. He leaned on her for support, wincing as he slung an arm around her shoulders and began walking, "The attackers… they-they had ghost proof weapons."
She quickly laid him down on the fainting couch behind her dressing screen, propping his head up on a pillow. She quickly lit a nearby candle and rushed around her room, gathering things she would need. She went back to his side, laying all the supplies out on a small table. "Sorry for barreling in here and startling you," he apologized as she carefully unzipped the top half of the suit he wore.
"Don't be silly," she said as she helped him out of it, "You always help me. Now, let me help you."
Elsa's mouth was suddenly dry when she saw his tan toned chest. She shook her head and grabbed the disinfectant and a cloth, scolding herself for having such thoughts when he needed her help. She dabbed the cloth on the wound on his side first, causing him to hiss a little through his teeth. "Sorry," Elsa muttered. Due to his enhanced healing, the cut was already beginning to close. Once it was clean, she wrapped a white bandage around his torso.
She moved to attend to his shoulder and, on closer inspection, realized the wound was near the top of his left peck and collarbone. "Okay, this is going to hurt," she said while placing her delicate hand on the arrow shaft. He nodded and winced as she began to pull it out. After seeing the arrow wasn't jagged or poisoned, Elsa, with one quick and fluid motion, pulled it all the way out.
"Ow! Okay, ow," he groaned as she set the arrowhead on the table in a bowl of water, the green liquid washing that covered it away from the metal slowly. She didn't even ask about the red and green coming out of his wounds. She only assumed whatever it was functioned as blood. "A little warning next time?" he asked.
"I did warn you," she answered matter-of-factly. As she cleaned the wound, she sighed, "You need stitches." She opened a drawer and pulled out a small sewing kit. As she cleaned and needle and thread, she spoke, "You were hurt because of me." He turned his head to look at her but she kept her eyes down as she threaded the needle, "You put yourself in danger to keep me out of harm's way."
"I will never let anyone ever harm you." She looked up to meet his sincere green eyes. She shook her head slightly, "Danny you can't protect me from everything."
"No," he admitted, "But I can try."
Blue and green eyes clashed as silence enveloped them. Elsa felt her heart racing in her chest. She quickly began working on his wound again, stitching it shut. He winced but made no sound. She finished, setting the needle and thread back on the table and wrapping the stitched up cut.
"You're lucky. That arrow almost pierced your heart."
A larger hand laid over her small one, pressing it against his heart, "I think it did."
Their eyes found each other's, and they both realized how close they were. Danny held her hand against him as he leaned up and captured her soft lips with his. She easily melted into the kiss with a sigh. He carefully sat up and wrapped his arms around her. They pulled away from each other and their eyes met before he leaned in again. His lips brushed hers. Not innocently, like the first but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. She wanted to pull away before she lost herself but she couldn't seem to… His hands began to run up and down her sides. Her senses were seduced and she could no longer think straight. "Elsa," he whispered against her lips. She smiled, her heart fluttered at his voice as she tentatively ran her hands through his silver hair. Her hands tangled themselves in his hair. She never thought he would feel so warm.
Knock! Knock!
"Princess Elsa?"
The teens pulled away from each other, and Danny quickly turned invisible. "C-Come in!" Elsa called fixing her hair and stepping out from behind the dressing screen. A guard opened the door, "Princess, your father needs to speak with you in the throne room."
Elsa nodded before glancing back at the dressing screen and walking out of the room. As she and the guard walked down the hall, Elsa realized that this castle guard was unfamiliar to her. But, she assumed there were dozens of guards she had never seen. Still, something felt… off.
They reached the throne room and giant doors opened. Elsa gasped as the scene before her. Her father stood surrounded by men in unfamiliar armor with swords all pointed at his back. The figure in the center had auburn hair and wore navy blue trousers with black boots, a magenta cravat, blue shirt, indigo vest, black epaulettes, gold aiguillette, and a light gray-and-black blazer with patterns. What she didn't know was that Danny was floating invisibly above them, surveying the scene. She recognized who was standing in the center of the room.
Prince Hans of the Southern Isles.
Their enemy.
He turned and smirked at her, "Well Agnarr, the royal council was right when they said your daughter was beautiful beyond compare."
"Hans," the King growled, "This dispute is between me and you. Leave my daughter out of this."
Two guards both grabbed Elsa's arms. Danny was ready to literally rip them to shreds when he saw her scared expression but he remained calm, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"Actually," Hans's smirk grew, "I need a little something from her. You see, the throne to the Southern Isles isn't exactly mine yet. No, first I need… a wife," he finished, casting a sly look at Elsa, "And since it would benefit us both, the war would come to an end."
"Do you honestly think I would agree to that?" King Agnarr asked in disbelief, "I've heard enough about your history with women, you rake, and I will not let my daughter be one of them. She has her own kingdom and this war can be solved without a marriage."
Hans raised a brow, "Do you know how hard it was to get past your borders? I'll admit, your army is exceptional but too few in number I'm afraid. I made all these plans to get here in person and you decline?"
"Precisely."
Hans's easy smile was wiped off his face and replaced with a dark expression as he drew his sword. Suddenly, the guards that surrounded the king were, one by one, thrown aside. Then the two guards holding Elsa were also cast away before she was picked up and flown over next to her father. The snow white haired boy appeared in front of them both, crouched with a scowl on his face directed at Hans.
Hans only raised a brow, "Huh, I heard about the ghosts that haunt this castle but when I came to visit, I didn't think I'd see one."
Danny heard the clanking of metal felt something go into his side. He looked over to find a nervous looked soldier who had attempted to run him through with a sword. It had just phased through him.
"Sorry fellas, that doesn't work on me."
Danny raised a hand and shot an ectoblast at the armored man. He flew back into the wall and landed with a thud, his sword still in hand. "Impressive," Hans muttered, "Agnarr you're a reasonable man. I have a proposition for you."
"Not interested," the king said, holding his daughter.
"Oh but I think you might be. You see, if you don't agree, I could just as easily take your daughter. At least this way you have a fair chance." To emphasize the point, a guard stepped toward Elsa and Danny turned, practically growling at the man. The soldier shrunk back in fear.
"My best warrior against your ghost in hand to hand combat. If I win, I get your daughter and we end this war. If you win, I'll sign that treaty you've been pushing in the council."
The guard held out a rolled up scroll. The king raised a brow, "Did you bring it with you?" Hans nodded, "Of course. When entering the enemy's territory, you must be prepared." The king glanced nervously around the room, realized that they were greatly outnumbered. His eyes met Danny's and the ghost gave him a small nod.
"Very well. I accept."
Hans smiled as two guards grabbed both the princess and the king. He snapped his fingers, "Pariah!" A big hulking man who had been standing to the side stepped forward and stood opposite of Danny. He was practically three times the boy's size with thick armor and giant muscles.
Well, Danny thought to himself, Might as well get this over with. He simply stretched out both hands and shot green energy at the soldier. Surprisingly, it bounced off of his armor harmlessly. Seeing the spirit's confused expression, Hans briefly said, "Gypsum coated armor. Great fire-proof battle gear."
Danny turned back to see a giant fist coming at him. "Oh, crud." An uppercut hit him had in the jaw, sending him flying up at least 15 feet in the air, which was, in fact, possible due to the high ceilings of the throne room. As he came back down he spotted Pariah preparing for another punch. And when Danny was close enough, he swung.
Clang!
The powerful punch was blocked by the ghost's left hand. Metal bits chipped off the glove of the armor on contact. Danny felt power radiating off of him as his right hand came down to grip the man's breast plate, the metal bending under his fingers. He turn both him and the man intangible and flipped Pariah over his head and into the ground. When I say into the ground I mean it quite literally.
The warrior struggled helplessly against the marble floor as everyone stared at the spirit standing over the now trapped man. Danny turned his burning gaze to the guard holding Elsa as his fists began to glow green.
"Take your hands off of her."
The man let go and backed away from the princess. A loud clang was heard as Hans dropped the scroll on the floor. "Pleasure doing business with you," the prince sneered before turned and leaving the room with his soldiers at his heels.
"He's leaving? Just like that?" Elsa softly asked. The king nodded, "Hans didn't think he would lose. His position is below me and storming the castle is a serious offense. The only option he had was to sign the treaty and leave."
Elsa's eyes met Danny's and his immediately softened. She ran to him and tackled him in a hug, "Thank goodness you're alright. I was afraid you would be hurt again." He chuckled and pulled away to look in her eyes, "It takes a bit more than just a few big guys in armor with swords to hurt this phantom."
She smiled up at him before burying her face in his chest again, enjoying the comforting warmth as he whispered a few words in her ear.
"I'll always protect you."