"Wake up!"
Footsteps stomped down the creakily wooden stairs below deck, and Peepers reached the last step, across from two doors in the narrow hall. The door on the right creaked opened and Myra peeked out
"What is it?" she asked.
"The Captain wants everyone to report on deck," Peepers exclaimed. "It's an emergency!"
Myra pointed to one of the doors. "You wake up everyone in there and I'll wake up everyone in here."
After Peepers nodded and headed towards the door on the left, Myra slid back into the small room, pulling the door shut behind her. She turned to the hammocks where the other female pirates were asleep.
"Get up!" she hollered. After some moans and complaints, the other female pirates rose their heads up at her. "Captain's orders! All hands on deck!"
While Myra was ordering all the pirates in the area to get up from their hammocks, Anna was still fast asleep in her hammock. She blocked out everything that was going on around her and a small smile formed on her face in her sleep.
Hard footsteps stomped over to her area and shook on the hammock. Anna rose from her hammock and saw that Myra, Anne, and Norma were standing at the foot of her hammock. Anna laid back down and turned over in her hammock.
"Come back later," she yawned, shutting her eyes. "I'm sleeping. And I was in the middle of a very pleasant dream too."
When Anna was getting ready to doze off, she heard someone, probably Myra, snap their fingers and footsteps went over to the corner of the room before they returned a second later. Without warning, she felt splashes of cold water drenching her and she rose with a gasp. She felt that her clothes and her hair were drenched, and Norma had a large empty bucket in her hand.
"What in the world?" Anna complained, shivering. "What did you—I mean ye do that for?!"
"All hands on deck!" Myra demanded. "Captain's order!"
"What for?"
"I don't know. Just get up!"
When Anna reached the deck, she saw that all of the other pirates were there. They all were half asleep and grumbling. As best as she could, Anna tried to come up with possibilities as to why they weren't in their hammocks. The only theory that she could come up with was that they could be getting into a battle with another pirate ship. She hoped that it wasn't the case. She couldn't imagine being in a ship battle and she never planned to be involved in one.
Anna finally saw Kristoff, Eugene, Maximus, and Sven huddled towards the cannons. As she went over to them, she heard Kristoff and Eugene complain to each other about Peepers.
"I guess he woke you guys up too," Anna groused, blowing a wet piece of hair from her face.
Her group had perplexed expressions on their faces. At first, Anna couldn't understand why until her body shivering reminded her that she was drenched.
"Uh…what happened to you?" Kristoff inquired.
Anna ran her fingers through her wet hair. "Yeah, I pretty much had a rude awakening." She saw that two pirates had fallen asleep on two barrels and Peepers stomped over to them to wake them up. "Do you know why Golden Eye wanted us up here?"
Kristoff shook his head. "No. I don't know what would be worth waking us up at three in the morning."
"It's seriously three?" Eugene moaned. "You have got to be kidding me!"
Anna sighed and shook her head. From what she had just heard, they only had three hours of sleep since they hadn't reported to their hammocks until midnight. She was just about to complain to her group when she heard Golden Eye coming to the middle of the ship.
"What is it, Captain?" Trops yawned, stretching his arms out.
"He has returned!" Golden Eye avowed. Anna could hear some of the crewmates muttering in the background. "He has been following us!"
"Who? Winston and his followers?" Rolley questioned.
Golden Eye shook his head. "No! Maui! He has returned in his hawk form!"
Golden Eye pointed further, causing everyone to turn to the open sky. Anna saw that far off from them; something was flying in the air. She couldn't tell if it was a hawk like Golden Eye stated or if it was something else.
"Wait, the Maui?" Eugene questioned. "The shapeshifter and demi-god of the wind and sea?"
"Aye, mate!" Golden Eye slurred. "Now that he's back, we need to bring him here and make him walk the plank!"
While the pirates muttered to each other, Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, Maximus, and Sven gave each other worried glances. Whatever Golden Eye was planning, they did not want to take part. They just hoped that Golden Eye's plot would fail and no one would get hurt or even killed.
"We must take action!" Golden Eye ordered. "Half of you get to the cannons and the rest of you get a net! Now!"
"Aye, aye Captain!" Peepers slurred.
The entire crew sped off in different directions on the deck. Anna had no clue where to go so she just followed Kristoff and Eugene. While they were dragging the cannons forward, Anna nearly fell, but she caught herself in time. She noticed that Maximus and Sven were racing towards the net. Hopefully, her group would somehow come up with a way to ruin Golden Eye's plan.
"Hurry!" the Captain shouted over the high winds.
Myra picked up a rifle and began loading it. When she finished, she peered over the railing. "Is that girl with him? You know, the one with the necklace, the chicken, and the canoe?"
"No, it's just Maui," Golden Eye replied, peering out at the sky.
While the majority of the crew was either getting the net ready or pushing the cannons, Anna heard Golden Eye order Peepers to look through his telescope.
"How far is he, Peepers?" Golden Eye questioned. Betsey landed on his shoulder and squeaked.
After a minute of silence, Peepers put down the telescope, looking to the Captain. "Uh, Captain? That's not Maui. It appears to be a seagull."
"What?" Golden Eye yanked the telescope out of Peepers' grip and took a peek himself. "Never mind, mates! False alarm!"
While the crew sighed, Anna and her group were thankful. They didn't want to get involved in harming anybody. Eugene stepped away from the cannon and towards Golden Eye.
"Captain," he began, "I had no idea that you knew Maui. How do you know him exactly?"
Golden Eye stroked Betsey and threw a grape at her. "A few months ago, my crew and I heard about the heart of Te Fiti and decided to find it. Eventually, we found out that Maui and some kid had somehow found it first. We tried to take it from them but they fought us off and got away with it."
"Wow, I didn't even know that the heart was found," Eugene said. "Such a shame, you didn't get it. It would've been worth so much money! I guess that's the worst part about having enemies. They always spoil things for you."
"What about ye, Rider?" Golden Eye questioned.
"Excuse me?"
Golden Eye slowly approached him and Betsey flew off his shoulder. "Ye were a thief for years before you went into piracy. Ye must have many foes and enemies, don't ye?"
Eugene nodded. "Well, I do have one."
"Who is it?" Golden Eye questioned. "I want to know."
Anna and Kristoff glanced at Eugene with a stirring of curiosity rising inside them. They have heard of so many of his enemies, but they felt like they were going to hear a new name.
Eugene crossed his arms and grinned at the Captain. "Prince Hans Westerguard."
Anna's eyes grew big and her mouth dropped. She noticed that Kristoff, Maximus, and Sven both turned to Eugene with the same reactions. Did Eugene just confirm that he and Hans were enemies? How was this even possible? There was no way that this was true. Eugene was probably just bluffing.
"Isn't that the youngest son of King Reynold Westerguard?" one of the pirates asked.
"That's right," Eugene spoke. "That disgraced Prince from the Southern Isles!"
"Avast, Rider!" Golden Eye exclaimed. "Ye defeated that King's son?! Shiver me timbers! That's one for the books! Ye'll be remembered for that for ages!"
While the crewmates were listening to Golden Eye praise Eugene, Kristoff and Anna made sure that no one was listening to them before they leaned close to each other.
"You don't think he's telling the truth about Hans, don't you?" Anna whispered.
"He's probably bluffing," Kristoff muttered. "Unless he just didn't want to bring it up to you."
"We should ask—"
Sven tapped on their shoulders and quietly gestured for them to stop. They turned their attention back to Eugene and the pirates.
"Ye should be proud of yerself, Rider!" Golden Eye slurred. "Many old salts will tell of yer tales on seas and ye will live on forever."
Eugene scoffed, shaking his head. "I know. Who would have thought that I would go on to be who I am today? I'm sure sailors are telling bedtime stories of me to their children before they tuck them in at night."
Tropes yawned and stretched his arms out. "That reminds me, since Maui or anyone else isn't charging us, let's get back to bed."
Anna couldn't wait to get more sleep. The crew was just about to head below deck when they noticed Golden Eye standing there, staring at them.
"Ye know that since ye all are on deck already," the Captain began, "ye can start yer jobs now."
Everyone groaned and grumbled, shaking their heads.
"Are ye nuts?" Kristoff groaned. "Do ye know what time it is?"
Golden Eye shrugged. "It doesn't hurt to be up four hours early, pretty boy! Now get to work!"
Everyone groaned as they began to work, muttering complaints under their breath. Anna rubbed her eyes and peered at her boyfriend. "So much for good night's rest."
"I don't believe this!" Kristoff muttered. "What an insufferable git!"
"Knock it off!" a voice shouted at them. Anna and Kristoff turned to see that Peepers was in front of them. "Ye were the first complaining so get to work and knock it off!"
Anna was about to tell him off, but Kristoff convinced her that he wasn't worth it. Not too long after, Peepers started to make his way towards the wheel when Maximus put his leg out in front of him, causing him to trip. Maximus casually snuck away from the first mate, sniggering with Sven.
"Uh, Captain?" Eugene called. Golden Eye swung around towards him. "I just realize that we're starting to run out of rum up here. If you don't mind, me and my crewmates will get below deck and gather some rum so we wouldn't have to worry about it later."
Golden Eye was quiet for a minute before he shrugged. "Fine. Just don't be too long!" Eugene was just about to turn when he heard the Captain's voice again. "And make sure ye bring up more grapes for Betsey!"
While Anna followed the boys below deck, she was tempted to convince her group to sneak back into their hammocks and drift back to sleep. She already knew that they wouldn't go along with it, though, so she didn't bother.
They went into a small room and gathered any bottles of rum that they could find. Anna really had hoped that they would find glogg but was disappointed. After a few minutes, Eugene peered out the door, presumably to check for anyone nearby before he finally slid back in the room and gestured Anna, Kristoff, Maximus, and Sven over to him.
"What is it?" Kristoff asked.
Eugene leaned closer to them. "You know that story I told the Captain about Hans?"
To her surprise, Eugene stood there with a serious expression on his face and she noticed that Maximus was the same.
"Wait? You seriously knew Hans?" Eugene nodded at her and she and Kristoff both shook their heads. "I don't believe it! How did you know him?"
"That's a long story," Eugene stated. Kristoff and Anna leaned forward towards Eugene just like she and Elsa used to as children when they listened to their father's stories. "It was three years ago, before I met Rapunzel. Lance, the Stabbintons, and I had just sold a scroll that we had stolen from the Eastern Isles where we overheard that The Giovanni—the real one, not Dale— had recently painted a portrait of Prince Caleb Westerguard, the heir of the Southern Isles, so we decided to go there next.
We had decided to sneak into the palace on the night of Queen Eliza Westerguard's birthday. I remembered that when I first saw the palace, I was holding my breath. Despite its beauty, it reminded me of a serpent. We stole some of the uniforms from the guards, snuck into the palace, and wandered around the place searching for the portrait. I remembered sneaking into the great hall where the family had many guests from their trade partners and it seemed like politics were talked about more than the Queen's birthday. When I went out the door, I noticed that Hans was standing right there.
"After about what seemed like hours, we had finally found the portrait and our plan almost worked until Hans had us surrounded by the real guards. Somehow, he'd figured out our con and plotted to have us arrested. Long story short, we fought off the guards, and then I came face to face with Hans in the great hall. We got into fencing and I won. After that, we escaped, went on our merry way, and sold the painting."
Anna, Kristoff, Maximus, and Sven stared at Eugene in awe. The story sounded too good to be true and Anna wondered how Elsa and Rapunzel would react if they heard it. "Wow," she commented, forgetting about the surroundings. "What a story."
"Did you and Hans run into each other at Elsa's coronation last year?" Kristoff questioned. Anna's mouth dropped when Eugene nodded. "What happened?"
"When Anna announced her engagement to Hans," Eugene began, "Rapunzel and I overheard. My wife was excited, but I recognized him and knew something was up. While he was in charge of Arendelle, he recognized me and knew that had I caught on to him. He convinced the guards that I was plotting a theft and had me thrown in the dungeons. I remember hearing him visit Elsa in there. I was down there for a while until Rapunzel found me and convinced the guards that I was innocent."
"I did not know that," Anna answered. "Why didn't he get charged with that?"
"I think one of Arendelle's guards mentioned it to Elsa and she wrote it in a letter to the Southern Isles," Eugene explained. "That was what I heard from Frederick."
"I'm surprised that Rupert and Evelyn didn't try to have you arrested at the coronation," Kristoff spoke.
"We didn't see each other there," Eugene answered.
Loud footsteps stomped down the stairs until they stopped. "Are ye almost done?!" Peepers' voice shouted over to them. "Get the damn rum and come on back here!"
Without a word, Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, Maximus, and Sven groaned, and headed back up on deck, carrying the bottles of rum in their arms. Despite the lack of sleep, all Anna could think about was what Eugene had just told her and her group.
When Ella's eyelids fluttered open, she remained in her bed in the darkness, listening to the wind outside the ship. She was happy with the little cabin that she was given. In her cabin, there was a bed that was lined up against the wall, a wardrobe at the opposite wall, and two nightstands, one next to the wardrobe, and the other, where her gloves laid, was on the left side of her bed.
Ella's eyes were groggy as she rose in her bed, feeling comfy in her covers. She rubbed her eyes, trying to remain awake. Her lips were dry and she surveyed for a pitcher nearby until she saw one on the nightstand next to the wardrobe. She threw her covers over and placed her feet on the wooden floor before she wobbled over to the nightstand.
She grabbed the glass pitcher, poured the water into a cup, and drank. She only meant it to be a sip, but shortly she found herself chugging it down. She couldn't imagine how long she had gone without water. After she already finished her cup, she poured more, craving for it.
After about three cups of water, Ella decided that she should retreat to her bed, so she gently sat the pitcher on the nightstand, but she didn't realize that she had unintentionally placed it on the edge until it began to fall towards the floor. She tried to catch it, but it was too late and the pitcher broke into a million pieces as it smacked the floor.
Ella clasped her mouth, peering down at the broken glass and water on the ground. Within a night here, she had already destroyed a very expensive object. How would Hans, Cassandra, and the sailors react to this? Ella bit her lip as she crouched down to clean up the mess.
When her fingers touched a tiny piece of glass, ice layered it and Ella forced herself up from the ground. She heard crackling behind her and spun around to see ice climbing up on the wall.
"Oh no," Ella sobbed, shaking her head. "Not again!"
Fat snowflakes floated in the air as the ceiling became frozen solid, ice and snow layered over the wooden floor, and ice crept up on the bed. As the crackling grew louder, Ella covered her face and sobbed uncontrollably.
"No, no, no!" The room grew colder the more Ella sobbed.
After footsteps raced over to her room, she heard the door fly open and she didn't bother to see who it was. Instead, she just continued to sob.
"Ella?" Hans asked. "What happened? Are you alright?"
"I'm so sorry!" Ella cried, removing her hands from her face. "I didn't mean it! I was just thirsty, and—" As she explained what happened, anyone would almost not understand what she was saying because of her sobs. Her fat tears were even freezing on her cheeks.
"Are you hurt?" Hans asked, peering down at the shattered pitcher. A new pair of footsteps rushed towards the room.
Ella shook her head. "I didn't mean to break it! I didn't—"
"It's okay, Ella," Hans soothed, watching Ella's tears froze on her eyelashes. "It's okay. Just calm down. Take a seat and take a few breaths."
Ella sniffed and a sob was held at the back of her throat as she slowly stalked over to the chair. Her hands wiped the streaming tears from the corners of her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm trying my best to hide my emotions, Your Highness."
For a moment, Hans said nothing. He just remained calm, his eyes locked on her. "To be frank, Ella, hiding your emotions is only making it worse. You are actually weakening your control, concealing your emotions." Ella was just about to burst into more tears until Hans took a step forward. "It's alright. It's alright."
Ella exhaled, crossing her arms. The ice on the ceiling slowly began to fade away, and the temperature went back to normal. Her eyes scanned the cabin, watching as any trace of ice disappeared.
"But how could I—"
"You need to learn how to control your powers," Hans stated. "Not conceal your emotions."
"I agree," Cassandra's voice said. Ella and Hans turn to the door where Cassandra stood in the doorway with her arms crossed. "Your powers are impacted by your emotions, but you're not helping by hiding your emotions or overreacting."
"How long have you been there?" Hans questioned.
"A few minutes," Cassandra answered.
Ella unfolded her arms and dropped her hands in her lap. Her eyes scanned the entire room and there was no trace of her magic.
"See, Ella?" Hans asked. "Your powers didn't destroy anything. Everything is going to be alright."
To Cassandra and Hans, Ella appeared to be calm, but Ella knew what she was really feeling on the inside. On their first night out in the ocean, her powers were already out of control and they were so chaotic that she could sink the ship if her magic would get worse. She could never forgive herself if she brought the ship down with her. She couldn't stay on this voyage any longer; she should leave and sail away from here. The last thing she needed was to cause more harm to everyone on here.
"How are you feeling, Ella?" Cassandra asked. "Do you need anything?"
After she let out a breath, Ella peered up at Hans and Cassandra. "I'll be alright. Would it be alright if I go on deck?"
Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"I need fresh air," Ella replied. "I just need some fresh air."
Hans sighed. "Alright, just let me take you—"
Ella shook her head. Without thinking, her voice escaped her lips, allowing a sharp, frustrated reply for the Prince to hear. "Not you."
"Oh, that's right," Hans commented, almost bitterly. By his expressions and the sound of his voice, Ella saw Hans seemed to be mirroring her. "You mistrust me. You know, Ella, you have the right to mistrust me and you don't have to like me, but you should be grateful. If it hadn't been for me, you would still be in the Northern Isles. You also should remember that I didn't force you to come with me, you chose to come."
Ella was just about to retort back at him when Cassandra rebuked Hans. Afterward, the Prince said nothing and remained where he was.
"If you want, Ella," Cassandra began, "the Captain, a sailor, or I could come with you."
"No, thank you," Ella denied, her voice shaking. "I would rather be alone up there."
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Cassandra answered. "It's the Captain's orders. He doesn't allow anyone to be alone up there at dark. He told me that it's because his crew almost lost someone overboard once. I'm sorry, but it is dark out and it is not safe to be out on the deck at this time of night. You can either wait to get fresh air in the morning or you can let someone get on deck with you. Now, which will it be?"
Ella peered down at the floor for a minute before looking back up at Cassandra. "I'll stay in here."
"Are you sure?" Cassandra asked.
Without a word, Ella nodded. Afterward, all she could hear was her breathing as she watched Cassandra leave the room. Hans was just about to do the same until she called his name.
"I apologize for my reply to you," Ella spoke. "I didn't intend to be rude or sharp to you."
"It's fine, Ella," Hans replied. She could tell that he was allowing his temper to fade away, but he still stared at her with a rather stern expression. "But I still meant what I said. You would still be in that country if I hadn't offered my help."
His words hit her with reality. The fact that the people in that country had been cruel to her didn't help at all. She noticed that this time, Hans was peering at her with a solemn expression like he was feeling sorry for her. "I'm glad I didn't stay in the Northern Isles."
"You should be," Hans answered in a soft but stern voice. "It would've been foolish of you to stay behind. Where are your gloves?" Ella pointed to her nightstand where her gloves lay. "Be sure to put them on in the morning. You should get back to sleep."
For a long while, Ella remained in her bed, listening for any sign of footsteps outside her room. She almost fell asleep a few times until she jerked her head to remind herself to stay awake. Finally, when she heard no sign of anyone nearby, she tossed over her covers and quietly left her room.
When Ella reached the top step and entered the large deck, she scanned the area and listened. The large moon gleamed in the sky like a giant white pearl and waves danced against each other. For a long minute, she stood there in complete silence until she forced herself to move. She peered around , looking anywhere for a lifeboat. She was about to give up until she grinned when she reached the back of the deck.
A davit was supporting a small lifeboat that hovered over the water next to the railings. It looked like it could fit four, maybe five passengers. To her surprise, the small boat was ready to go and all she would have to do was to lower it into the sea and sail away.
Right when Ella was about to step inside the boat, she froze. Should she do this? Hans told her that they would be there in a week but so much could happen in a week. How long would it be before her powers become so strong that it could cost the lives of anyone on here? She shook her head and climbed on the lifeboat.
Ella sat on the back seat of the left side of the boat. She struggled to lower the boat, for it was stronger than she was and there was no one else to help her. Finally, after a few pulls, she was making progress in getting the lifeboat closer to the water.
"Ella! Get back up here!" Hans' voice shouted, causing Ella to pause in fear. When she peered down at the water, she regretted it right away. Her heart stung when she saw how far she was in the air. She couldn't imagine falling into that.
Ella slowly turned to see Hans behind the railing, holding out his hand to her. She shook her head at him. "I can't."
"It's not that hard," Hans replied. "You could reach out to me and—"
"No, I can't, Hans!" Ella snapped. She jerked her body back then abruptly froze when she almost fell backward off the lifeboat. "Don't you understand? If I stay, everyone will die!"
"But don't you want to get to Reignlen?" Hans asked. "So my uncle can help you?"
"Yes, but I don't think I can now!" Ella said, violently shaking her head. "I can't control my powers! I could make the ship sink! I don't want anyone to get hurt or killed because of me!"
"How is running away from your problems any better?" Hans asked.
For a brief moment, she could hear the wind howl in the distance. "You don't know what you're talking about! I'll be doing everyone a favor if I leave! No one will get hurt!"
"Then where would you go? You don't know what's around here and what you could be running into."
Ella was quiet for a second before she shook her head. "That's nonsense. I'll find somewhere to go."
"Do you even hear yourself?" Hans questioned. "Ella, we could help you! If you just stay with us, we could get you to Reignlen!" Ella held on to the chain, staring at him with her strands of brown hair blowing in her face. "Getting on that boat and sailing into the open water will just be suicide."
Ella peered down at the water and back at the Prince. She couldn't believe that she was thinking this, but he did have a very good point. Where would she go after she left? She realized that she hadn't thought it through and even if she had, how would she know where to go? She didn't know her way around the ocean.
"Ella, just get back up here. Everything will be alright."
For the longest time, Ella remained where she was, staring straight into the eyes of the man who had tried to kill a Queen for her crown. The same man who helped her escaped the Northern Isles. From the look in his green eyes, she could tell that he was seriously trying to help her.
"I don't care if you trust me or not," Hans said, softly. "But regardless, you shouldn't go off on your own like that. Let us take you to Reignlen ."
As Ella slowly went towards Hans, the sound of a high pitch screech was heard nearby and the two of them froze. Not too long after, the screech was heard again. In the water, green scales were visible for a brief second before going back underneath.
Ella jerked her head to Hans. "What is that?"
"That must be a sorpoise," Hans said. He gestured for her to come towards him. "Quickly, Ella! Come towards me!"
When the screech wailed again, Ella slowly went towards Hans. She didn't know anything about this creature, but she had no desire to find out. As Ella finally reached Hans, she grabbed his hands, allowing him to bring her towards the deck.
Unfortunately, when her feet reached the railing, she slipped and broke Hans' grip. A blood-curdling scream made its way out of her mouth seconds before she fell into the ocean. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was bubbles and moonlight shining through the underwater darkness. She held her breath and tried to push herself to the surface when she saw something circling her.
At first, she couldn't make out the creature until its green scales shone in the light, revealing itself to be the sorpoise. Its tail could easily be mistaken for a siren or even a mermaid and the body was almost like a combination of a porpoise and an eel. Dark blue stripes layered over the green scales all over and its pectoral fins were black. The creature had three small eyes each seven inches apart and its jaw barely showed teeth.
After the sorpoise's screech came again, Ella tried to move but couldn't. She wasn't sure if it was because she was frightened or because she didn't know how to swim. Suddenly a line of flames formed around her, scaring off the creature, and a loud splash was heard above her.
When she peered up, Hans was wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her up. As their heads peeked out from the water, Ella let out a gasp and wrapped her arms around Hans. She noticed that he had no gloves on. Her eyes widened when she saw that fire was standing on top of the water around her.
"Did you do that?" Ella asked. She almost shook when she heard the sorpoise nearby.
"Yes," Hans answered, swimming towards the ship with Ella holding on to him. Ella's heart started beating when the fire started to die down. "Now, we have to get back on deck!"
Ella pushed back a strand of brown hair that was covering her eyes while she allowed Hans to bring her towards the ship. They both froze when they heard the sound of multiple sorpoises coming towards them. She let out a screech when she saw three of the creatures leap out from underneath the ship and back into the ocean towards them. She heard Hans curse as the three sorpoises began circling them.
At first, Ella wondered why Hans couldn't just shoot his magic at them until it hit her. He was holding her and trying to get her back on the ship, therefore he couldn't attack them without releasing her. Her heart thudded when she heard new sorpoises coming towards them.
Just then a flaming arrow dove into the sea towards the sorpoises. Hans and Ella peered up to see that Cassandra had a bow and arrow in her arms and she was standing next to a flaming torch.
"Hans! Ella!" she shouted, putting a new arrow in the torch and connecting the arrow to the bow, shortly before she released it into the sea. She grabbed a rope and threw it over the edge. The end of the rope hung inches above the waves. "Climb up! I'll hold them off as long as I can!"
Ella hung onto Hans as he swam towards the rope while Cassandra shot flaming arrows at the sorpoises. When they reached the rope, Hans allowed Ella to grab it first. He released her and just as she clenched onto the rope, she felt herself being yanked down. She peered down where she saw that a tentacle was wrapped around her leg. At first, she thought that it was an octopus, then she saw that the tentacle was attached beneath a pectoral fin of a sorpoise. Ella tried to pull herself up, but the sorpoise kept swimming down, trying to take her with it.
Hans dove towards the tentacle and struck it with a flaming dagger. When the sorpoise screeched in pain, its tentacle unwrapped around Ella's leg, setting her free. Ella saw Hans gesturing that she get to the surface and she did. Ella gasped as her head broke the surface and she peered up at Cassandra. She could hear footsteps racing onto the deck with voices shouting.
"Grab the rope and climb up!" Cassandra ordered, shooting a flaming arrow.
Ella clenched the rope and pulled herself out of the water. As she began climbing towards the top, she heard Hans' voice from below and peered down to see that Hans had grabbed the end of the rope. She heard Samul's voice and someone racing towards Cassandra.
"Let me—whoa!" Samul bumped right into Cassandra and the torch fell overboard and into the waves.
Cassandra turned to him with a glare. "You halfwit! Do you have any idea what you've just done?!" She raced over to the railing and peered down at Ella and Hans. "Hans! Ella! I lost my torch! Get up here now!"
Captain Murphy raced over towards the rope with the sailors following behind him. They began pulling Ella and Hans towards them. Ella was closer to the railing but Hans, on the other hand, was only inches above the water.
Five sorpoises circled underneath him but he didn't seem too worried. He stretched out his right arm and released fireballs into the ocean at the sorpoises. As the captain and the sailors pulled the rope higher from the waves, Hans moved his arm to the right and the left, creating a large line of fire on the water.
When Ella finally reached the railing, Cassandra and two of the sailors pulled her over and she lay on her back on the deck. Cassandra, Captain Murphy, and the sailors kept pulling on the rope until Hans reached the railing. After they helped him on deck, Hans turned back to the ocean where the sorpoise swam underneath. He placed his arms in the air and a mountain of fire formed on the ocean. After a roar of screeches, all of the sorpoises swam away from the area in fear, and this time, they didn't come back.
Cassandra raced over to Ella and helped her up. She gently sat her down on a barrel. "Are you alright, Ella?"
"I'm fine," Ella replied. To her surprise, she was not shaking or stuttering. It seemed like she wasn't even bothered by the cold. "I am alright."
While Cassandra checked Ella for any signs of hypothermia, Captain Murphy and a few other sailors reached them.
"Miss?" Captain Murphy asked. "Do you need any dry clothes?"
Ella shook her head. "I am fine."
"Don't be ridiculous," Captain Murphy said. "That water was below zero degrees! You could freeze to death! You probably have hypothermia—"
"She doesn't have it," Cassandra said, rising and turning to the Captain. "She's not shaking. It's like she's immune to the cold."
Captain Murphy glanced back at Ella. "How is this even possible?"
When Hans reached them, he tossed off his sopping wet jacket and dropped it on the ground. "It must be from her magic."
"You really think that, Your Highness?" Captain Murphy asked.
Cassandra examined Ella again before she peered back at the Captain. "Well, her skin's ice cold and she showed no signs of hypothermia so I agree with Hans that her ice magic must be taking an effect on her."
"How extraordinary," Captain Murphy commented. "You are very fortunate, my dear. If it hadn't been for your magic, you would be freezing to death."
"It was bad enough that she got pulled underwater," Cassandra said. Before Captain Murphy could reply, a sailor called for him and he went over to him.
"That reminds me," Hans began, "are you alright, Ella?
Ella nodded her head.
"Good," Hans spoke. After he thanked Cassandra for helping them, he peered down at Ella. "Now, are you glad that you didn't take off on the lifeboat?"
Ella remained on the barrel, peering up at Hans. She didn't know much about those creatures, but she didn't want to know what would have happened to her if she rowed the lifeboat out into the ocean.
"Do you need a jacket, Hans?" Cassandra asked.
Hans shook his head. "I am fine."
Ella raised an eyebrow. "How are you not cold?" She rose and reached her hand out to his right arm. "That water was—"
She let out a small gasp as her hand touched his bare arm. His skin was warm, but not the normal kind of warm. This was the kind that someone would get after being out in the sun for a while. She pushed her hand back and sat back on the barrel, shooting Hans a questioning stare.
"It's because of my powers," Hans explained. "You know how your skin is cold because of your magic? It is the same with me. I can handle being in hot temperatures."
As Samul was starting to walk past them, Cassandra approached him and ordered him to speak to her in private. Ella knew that she was going to scold him for the torch and watched them go below deck.
"Do you need anything, Ella?" Hans questioned.
Ella shook her head at him. She watched him pick up his two gloves and slide them back on him.
The sound of sparrows filled the outside of her bedroom, causing Rapunzel to rise from her bed. She peered around her bedroom in the palace of Corona. Nothing had changed ever since she, Eugene, Pascal, and Maximus had left Corona to visit her cousins in Arendelle. Was it all a dream? Was she just back home this whole time? Rapunzel turned to her side and saw that Eugene wasn't there. She was beginning to panic until she caught sight of the clock on her wall. It was nine o'clock, so Eugene had been training with the royal guards for two hours now.
"It was all a dream!" Rapunzel exclaimed. "I'm not wanted by the law!" Joyous laughter escaped her mouth as she tossed over her covers. "Olaf is in Arendelle with my cousins and no one is trying to kill Elsa! Everyone's safe!" When her feet reached the floor, she turned over to the nightstand. "Pascal, I'm so happy to—"
Her heart throbbed when she saw that Pascal was nowhere in her sight. Rapunzel scanned her entire room and checked any of the places that he could be hiding.
"Pascal? Where are you? Pascal?"
Again, she frantically searched for her best friend, even checking the same places twice and looking for any possible areas that she had missed. Still, there was no sign of Pascal. Rapunzel knew that Pascal and Eugene would want her to keep calm but she couldn't help it. How could she remain calm when Pascal wasn't nearby?
A series of knocks on the door caused Rapunzel to jump and let out a surprised yelp. She assumed that it was Nigel. Now that she thought of it, it was later than she would normally sleep in, so he was probably just waking her up so she could join her parents for breakfast in the garden.
"Your Highness," Nigel's voice spoke outside her door, confirming her theory. More knocks came through the door. "Princess Rapunzel?"
Maybe Nigel would know where Pascal was? She pulled the door open and the tall, slim royal advisor stood before her. "Yes, Nigel?"
"You are wanted in the throne room, Your Highness," Nigel answered. "Now, you must act now and report there immediately. Your father wants to see you."
"What does he want?"
"All I know is that it is a very serious matter," Nigel answered.
"Is it about Pascal?" Rapunzel questioned. "Does he know that he went missing?"
Nigel raised an eyebrow. "Princess Rapunzel, don't you remember?" Her heart burned. "Pascal and the snowman got separated from you when you were on your way home."
Rapunzel felt like she was going to vomit. There was no way that she had lost Pascal and Olaf. She hadn't even left to visit her cousins. Perhaps, she heard wrong. "No," she denied, her voice shaking. She knew that this was some lie. "That's impossible, Nigel. Eugene and I haven't left to visit Elsa and Anna in Arendelle. We'll be leaving tomorrow."
"Your Highness," Nigel began, "You and your husband left Corona to visit your cousins last week and then came home after the dinner party in Belliville three days ago. You returned home last night without Pascal nor Olaf."
Rapunzel's head was throbbing and her stomach hurt. No. This could not be happening. If this was true then Pascal wasn't home and Olaf never came back to Arendelle. How did they get separated from her? The last thing that she remembered was that she was flying in the hot air balloon with Pascal and Olaf.
"This can't be true!" Rapunzel violently shook her head, tears starting to form in her eyes. "It's not true! Does dad know about this? Is that why he wants me?"
Nigel nodded his head. "He and your mother are doing everything they can to find them. Elsa and Lord Graham are searching for them in Arendelle." At least this confirmed that Elsa was able to find Lord Graham and bring him to Arendelle. If Eugene had come back home, then Anna and Kristoff must have come home and Elsa told her everything that had happened. "I'm sure that we will find them soon. We are doing everything that we can to keep you hidden from Mirahton."
Rapunzel's eyes widened and she started to walk backward. "Wait, what did you say, Nigel?"
"We're trying our best so Mirahton won't throw you in prison."
The princess came to a halt and slowly turned to the mirror. She gasped when she saw that she was staring at her blonde pixie cut in her reflection. How had she ended up back home when she was still on the run?!
Rapunzel was just about to speak to her royal advisor, but he continued before she had a chance to open her mouth. "Just head to the throne room to see your father, Princess Rapunzel."
As the door shut in front of her, Rapunzel gawked at her reflection, running her fingers through her hair. Keep it together, Rapunzel. Everything will be alright. Dad is aware of everything that is going on. It will all be okay.
On her way to the throne room, Rapunzel was surprised that she hadn't seen anyone else today. She didn't even see Nigel again and she had yet to see her own husband. Where was everyone? Everything in the palace seemed to be the same except for the lack of people around.
Before she knocked on the door, Rapunzel stood there in silence for a bit. She hoped that her father was going to inform her that they were doing everything that they could to find Olaf and Pascal and to prove that she was innocent in Mirahton. After she exhaled, Rapunzel pulled the door opened, stepping inside.
"Rapunzel?"
A smile came on her face when she saw her father and mother sitting on their thrones across from her. She may not know how long she'd been away from them but regardless, she couldn't be happier to see them.
Rapunzel slowly made her way towards the King and Queen. "Mom! Dad!" Her walk then changed into a sprint as the vision of her parents came closer to her. She couldn't help it, but she didn't care. All that mattered to her was her parents. "I am so happy to see you! You're not going to believe everything that has happened!"
"We know, darling," her mother soothed. From their facial expressions, Rapunzel could tell that both of her parents were horrified that she doesn't remember what happened. "We know everything that has happened."
"What are we going to do?" Rapunzel questioned. "Mirahton thinks that I killed someone. You know that it's not true, right?"
"Of course, Rapunzel," her father answered. "We would never think that way about you. We know that you are innocent, and we will do everything that we can to help you."
"What about Elsa?" Rapunzel questioned. Her perturbation was caused by her mind whirling. "There might be someone who wants to kill her."
"Elsa had returned to Arendelle with Lord Graham," her father replied. "They told Anna everything and they are in pursuit to find the assassin. We sent some of our royal guards to help them."
"What about Pascal and Olaf?" Rapunzel asked, her heart thudding. She was so anxious that she felt like she was going to be sick. "We have to find them!"
"Eugene has left to find them," her mother responded.
Rapunzel held her hand to her chest and regained composure, heaving a sigh of relief. At least Eugene was going after them and bringing them home safely. Wait, Eugene had left Corona? "Eugene left? How long has he been gone?"
"He left last night," her father began. "After you returned home, you were so tired that you passed out and we brought you over to your room. Eugene stayed with you for a long time and we eventually realized that Olaf and Pascal were not with you. Eugene decided that he would go and find them with Kristoff and King Edmund. You don't remember what happened?" Rapunzel shook her head. How did she not remember any of this? "You don't know how you got separated from Pascal and Olaf?"
As best as she could, Rapunzel tried to remember but she came up with nothing. The last thing that she remembered was that she, Olaf, and Pascal had been in the hot air balloon. Had they landed in Corona, but Mirahton ambushed them?
"I didn't tell you what happened when I came back home before I passed out?" Rapunzel questioned. All of this was so strange to her; she was beginning to wonder if she was trapped in another one of Zhan Tiri's traps. But then again, it didn't seem like it.
"You tried, but you were so tired," her mother answered. "Mirahton has been searching all over for you."
Rapunzel laid her hand on her temple, her eyes peering down at the ground. After a long moment, she looked back up at her parents. "Mom? Dad? What are we going to do? Mirahton thinks that I killed someone and we have to prove that I was innocent! How are we going to prove that it wasn't me?"
Before either of her parents had a chance to respond, Rapunzel heard the door slam open and closed behind her. After her mother and father rose from their thrones in horror, she slowly glanced over her shoulder to see Nigel, Friedborg, Pete, and Stan blocking the door.
"What has happened?" her father asked.
A frantic Nigel raced over to the royal family leaving the other three to block the door. "King Frederic ! Queen Arianna! Princess Rapunzel! The guards of Mirahton are here and searching for the Princess! They have invaded the castle!"
Her father's eyes widened and her mother gasped. "Oh dear!" her father exclaimed. "I didn't think they would come here already! Where are the other servants and guards?"
"They are trying to stop the guards from finding you!" Nigel fretted.
"Nigel!" her father ordered, pointing to the large tapestry behind their thrones. "Get us to safety!"
In an instant, the door was pushed from the outside,but Friedborg, Pete, and Stan were able to prevent it from opening.
"It's them!" Stan yelled.
Pete let out a yelp, pushing his back into the doors. "How did they get here, already?!"
A force pushed its way against the doors, almost sending Friedborg, Pete, and Stan to the ground. From the looks of it, the guards of Mirahton must have been using something to break the door down.
"They're going to get in!" Pete yelled, nearly slipping.
Stan turned his body towards the door, pushing his hands against it with all his might. "We're not going to be able to hold them much longer!"
Rapunzel felt like she was going to pass out. In a minute, the guards of Mirahton were going to barge in there and she wished that there was something that she could do to help. She jerked her head towards her parents and yelled, "I'll help them!"
The Princess was just about to dart over towards the door when she heard her mother call her name. Her parents turned to each other with a sad expression before they peered at Nigel.
"Nigel," her father began, "take our daughter out of the castle and bring her to safety!"
"What?! No!" Rapunzel shouted, tears coming to the edge of her eyes. "Mom! Dad! I'm not leaving without you!"
Her mother shook her head. "You don't have a choice, darling. You have to leave."
Nigel raced over to Rapunzel and ushered her towards the tapestry. All she was focused on was her parents. "No! I won't leave you!"
Her father rubbed his teary eyes. "I'm sorry, Rapunzel. I can't let you get taken away from us again."
Tears streamed out of Rapunzel's eyes. "I can't let you—"
"Rapunzel!" her father spoke. "As your father and your king, I command you to leave with Nigel. Everything will be fine, I promise."
By the sound of her father's voice, Rapunzel knew that her parents were not going to change their minds. As best as she could, she held back a sob at the end of her throat and her blurry eyes were focused on her parents as she allowed Nigel to lead her towards the tapestry. They stared back at her with tears in their eyes as well.
"What about you?"
"We'll be alright," her mother soothed.
Nigel lifted the tapestry where a door stood in their view. After he delved into his pocket and pulled out a key, he unlocked the door and there was a tall, narrow hallway. After the two raced inside, Rapunzel turned and watched with teary eyes as Nigel locked the door behind them.
"Now your highness," he fretted. "We don't have much time! Follow me!"
Rapunzel didn't have any time to process what was going on as the royal advisor took her hand and led her forward. Still, she couldn't help but glance over her shoulder, watching the door grow farther from her, wondering what would happen to Pete, Stan, Friedborg, and her parents in that room. The sound of Mirahton trying to break the doors down in the throne room grew louder by the second, making Rapunzel even more distraught. When they were about to round the corner, Rapunzel stared at the door and listened to what was happening in the throne room.
"Your Highness," Nigel spoke. "I understand that it's very hard to hear, but we must keep going!"
Rapunzel whirled to him. "Nigel, we have to—"
At that point, they both heard the doors in the throne room fall to the ground and heavy footsteps race inside. Pete and Stan could be heard panicking with her mother telling them to remain calm. For the next minute, there was nothing but footsteps walking around until new voices were heard and they were arresting Friedborg, Pete, and Stan. Rapunzel recognized them to be the guards of Mirahton. One voice was the head guard and the other voices were the guards that tried to arrest her.
"King Frederic and Queen Arianna, you are under arrest for hiding a fugitive."
No! This couldn't be happening. Her parents could not be arrested for hiding her! This was unfair, they were only trying to help her!
"Rapunzel!" Nigel spoke. "We have to leave! Sooner or later, they are going to find this room and they will find us!"
"I can't leave them!"
"Your Highness, what would your parents want you to do?" Nigel asked. "I don't think that they would want you to stick around and wait for the guards to find you. We have to act now and get you out of here!"
Her royal advisor had a good point. She peered at the door, tears streaming out of her eyes as she listened to the guards taking Pete, Stan, Friedborg, and her parents out of the throne room. She wished that she could dart over to that door and burst in the throne room, but her parents were being taken to an unknown location. Even if she knew where they were being taken, she would have been caught and taken away as well. As much as it pained her to admit, there was nothing that she could do about it and she would just have to follow her parents' wishes. She let out a sigh and rounded the corner with Nigel.
For a long while, they ventured down dark, narrow halls and they had yet to run into any guards. They were in such a hurry that Rapunzel couldn't even remember stopping to catch their breaths.
Rapunzel glanced over her shoulder. "Where are we going, Nigel?
"Old Corona," Nigel replied. "There is a passageway in here that will take us to that town. When we get there, we will start to make our way out of Corona."
"What makes you think that the guards won't be searching there?"
"Eventually they will," Nigel answered. "But first, they'll search for you in the castle and in town. When they're finished, they will search for you in Old Corona. By the time, they head there, we will be out of Corona. That is why we have to head there now."
"Where will we go?"
"We'll head to the Dark Kingdom," Nigel answered. "Your father told me that King Edmund said that Adira and Hector could keep you hidden there."
And then what? That was what Rapunzel was tempted to ask her royal advisor, but for some reason, she couldn't get those words out of her mouth. Regardless of whether it was because she was worried about getting out of here without getting caught or she was afraid to hear the answer, she would never know. All she should focus on was getting out of Corona and letting Nigel lead her into the Dark Kingdom.
But if her parents were among those who got arrested for hiding her, then Adira and Hector would be as well.
Shortly thereafter, they halted and Nigel hushed her, and there was nothing but silence. He must have heard something, otherwise, they would still be moving. Rapunzel's eyes wandered around the long narrow hallway.
She was just about to speak to Nigel when they heard loud footsteps coming closer to them.
Nigel delved into one of his pockets and placed his key into Rapunzel's palm. "Go around that corner and go straight into that hall until you see a door," he instructed in a rasping whisper. "I will pretend that I got lost in here and distract them."
Rapunzel tried to protest, but Nigel ushered her away and she obeyed, sprinting towards the corner. She hoped that Nigel knew what he was doing. It was bad enough that her parents and many of her royal guards and staff got arrested, she didn't want it to happen to him either.
After Rapunzel rounded the corner, she dashed further into the hallway. In the darkness, she could see the door from far ahead. She kept repeating Nigel's instructions into her head. When she unlocked the door, she pulled it open.
When Rapunzel's eyes flew open, stars were scattered across the sky, reminding her of her star charting days. She slowly rose to see Pascal lying in her lap and she could hear Olaf's snoring from her left side.
As she stood up, Rapunzel gently placed Pascal on Olaf's lap and she slowly went over towards the edge. She laid her arms on the basket and stared out at the ocean underneath them. The moon reflected on the moving water and her skin shivered as she felt the soft wind against her back.
The sound of a train was heard nearby, causing Rapunzel to search all over for it. She wondered how there could be a train closeby until she saw that there was land on her left. From a far distance, she watched the train. She gave a small smile, remembering a picture of a train from one of the books she had read as a child. Despite that she had never ridden on a train, she had a few memories that had involved one.
The first memory was that she remembered that her mother had mentioned that once, she and Aunt Willow had taken a train to Equis when they were young. Aunt Iduna was not with them because she had chosen to stay in Arendelle. The second memory was of reading about trains as a child, and Gothel had mentioned that she had been on trains before. Rapunzel had asked Gothel if she could take her on one someday and her kidnapper just laughed and told her that she would die of boredom on there.
Olaf's snoring forced Rapunzel to glance over her shoulder at him and Pascal. They all had a long day and they deserved the rest. She smiled at both of her friends and hoped that they were having sweet dreams, unlike the one that she'd just experienced.
As much as Rapunzel was relieved that it was only a nightmare, she was worried that it was her subconscious warning her of what could happen.
Rapunzel closed her eyes and pushed her hair back, drawing in a small breath. Think happy thoughts, Rapunzel. Think happy thoughts. She slowly opened her eyes to a vision of small stars scattered across the sky. When she peered down and spotted the ocean below her, she'd imagine a reflection of the stars was in the water.
When a small squeak came from her right, she turned to see that Pascal had climbed up on the edge of the hot air balloon. He peered up at her with his head tilted.
A small smile formed on her face. "Hey, Pascal. Did I wake you up?"
The chameleon shook his head before Olaf's snoring could be heard. At least Olaf was still asleep but why had Pascal woken up?
"Are you okay?" Rapunzel questioned. Pascal nodded at her. "You didn't have a bad dream, did you?" After Pascal shook his head, Rapunzel concluded that the train had probably woken him up. When her best friend chattered with her, Rapunzel explained to him about her nightmare. "Yeah, it's scary, isn't it, Pascal?"
When Olaf snored again, Rapunzel and Pascal both chuckled at him. They were amazed that he had slept through the train. Anna would have done the same thing. Rapunzel and her best friend turned back to the sky.
"It's beautiful," Rapunzel commented. Pascal smiled and chattered. "Doesn't it remind you of the lanterns?" Pascal nodded with a squeak, causing Rapunzel to feel warm. "I wish that there were lanterns in the sky. I wonder if dad would send one for me?" Her eyes dimmed, and she could hear herself sighing. "Do you think that they would know what happened?"
She had been wanted by Mirahton since last night, so it was very unlikely that Corona heard about the incident. It was more likely that neighboring countries would be alerted first. She couldn't imagine how Corona and her parents would react to the news that she was wanted by Mirahton for murder. She was certain that her country and family would know that she's innocent, but what about their trading partners?
There was no doubt that this would be a scandal that would damage her country. Pittsford and other trading partners would cut off all trade with them and some Saporians would strike against the country to succeed in fulfilling their ancestors' quests.
Rapunzel peered at Pascal as he chattered to her. "I know, Pascal, but I can't help it. I don't want my family and my country to be destroyed because of me and I didn't even do anything. If only I knew what to do." While Pascal responded, she ran her hand through her hair and her skin shivered as she felt the cold wind. "You're right. It's just I don't even know if we still should get to Corona or Arendelle. I don't want anyone to be at risk for helping me. I wouldn't forgive myself."
Although it was only a dream, the thought of anyone getting arrested for helping her or keeping her hidden could become a reality. Professor Pearl and Henry had taken a huge risk by helping her and if the authorities found out, they would be arrested.
Pascal's sudden squeak almost caused her to jump. She noticed that he was staring at her with a concerned expression. "I'm okay, Pascal. I'm just worried." She noticed that her best friend had dark circles under his eyes and knew that they should get back to sleep. "We should get back to bed, Pascal." Pascal chattered to her. She could tell that he wasn't sure if they should get more rest because of her nightmare. Rapunzel was touched that her best friend was concerned for her. "I have an idea, Pascal. How about we lie down next to Olaf and count the stars in the sky. That'll take our mind elsewhere."
Shortly thereafter, Rapunzel and Pascal laid back on the ground next to Olaf and counted the stars in the sky. There were so many unique and beautiful stars scattered out that she wished that she had her journal with her. For the next hour or so, they continued to count the stars until, at long last, Rapunzel and Pascal returned into their slumber.
