Chapter 14

At the entrance of the castle of Arendelle stood the Belgian and Spanish king along with Prince Hugo and the head servant Kai waiting for the arrival of the queen.

„How embarassing, how could he have disrespected the queen," Commented Prince Hugo. „What exactly did happen between the two?"

„According to one of the guards around the village, he had observed the two have a small argument, which had something to do with her sister and basically that's all I know," Spoke the father of the prince.

„I think that prince is a little narcissistic to my eyes...This is what I thought about when I first saw him speak," Spoke the father of Rollan.

„Yesterday, when Rollan was out with the queen, Ulrich acted a little pretentious. We didn't interact more with each other, we both went the different way," Mentioned Hugo making his father nod.

„You did well son. Don't let him ruin your reputation. This is something important you have to pay attention to,"

Prince Rollan came from upstairs heading to the hall to encounter his father, then stopped beside him.

„Where is queen Elsa?" Questioned the Spaniard, then watched the door open up to see Elsa enter into the castle along with a guard and the older Gerda.

„Your majesty?" Kai began stepping forward, then Gerda approached the colleague.

„Nothing happened. Prince Ulrich was warned by the queen and the guard, which was around on that time. King Frederick offered his sincere apologize for what happened and abdicated from the contract, leaving Belgium and Spain only….well…..Hugo and Rollan," Explained Gerda making Kai nod.

„Alright," Kai turned around to look at the two princes, that had got that info from the woman. „You have heard. Prince Ulrich is out of this, you're the only two, that are on Queen Elsa's watch. Have anything else to say, your majesty?" Questioned the large man making Elsa nod.

„Tomorrow I will continue as planned on leaving the castle along with both of the princes. Tomorrow will be the weekly street market and I wanted to take the opportunity for the villagers to get to know you two. It will be a long day, be prepared. We will leave at 10 in the morning and around the 6:30 we'll be returning. Two guards and eventually my friend Gerda will come along too, depending on how further she is with her work," Explained Elsa making the two young princes nod. „This is alright for both of you?" Questioned Elsa making the two boys nod. „Great, Kai will now lead you into the dining room. I will be coming afterward," The queen mentioned, then went upstairs along with Gerda and the guard, while Kai stood back to lead the royals into the dining room.

„Follow me, gentlemen," Ordered the servant walking further followed by the foreign men.

„They have here a mercado on the free air too," Commented Rollan making his father nod.

„I heard it, mi hijo. You're lucky, you've got only one competitor in front of you. I want you to do everything possible to win her on our side,"

„Si padre, but I want it to go naturally. I can't force her to like me and I can't fake her to be someone I'm not,"

„That doesn't matter. You know she's not easy to impress,"

„That's why it should go slower. Do you think, she would just pick me in the few days like that?"

„By that tempo I believe so! Start using your head more often," Commented Eduardo strictly making Rollan sigh at his comment.

„I'll do it the way you want," Commented Rollan unhappy about his agreement, then followed the rest of the guests into the dining room as Elsa on the other side of the stairs entered the corridor along with the guard and Gerda.

„Your majesty!" Shouted a voice calling Elsa's attention, which looked back to see a guard coming upstairs. „I've got news about Anna,"

„Really?" Asked Elsa curious, making the guard nod.

„She was last seen in Kungsbacka coming from Göteborg somewhere. They seemed to be going towards the coast," Explained the guard. „In Kungsbacka a customer had recognized her dress in a clothing shop, she had exchanged them into something black. A long coat of some sort, her pants were brown and it had some leaves decor on the coat. It was somehow autumn-inspired,"

„Anna's favorite season was autumn," Commented Elsa. „That must be Anna,"

„There's a 90% of chance it is her. Her hair color and facials are just as you described. Eventually, if we find a way to make people look for her we may get closer to her. Or even earn her attention,"

„For now this is doing well….by the way, was she on her own?"

„She was seen with a farmer on a carriage with two horses and a Siberian husky. Both horses are dark-brown, I believe those are North Swedish horses and the farmer seemed to have chestnut-brown hair as explained by the man at the morse code cabin,"

„Alright, inform him to order the people to keep looking and keep me up-to-date. Figure out, who exactly this farmer is,"

„Of course, your majesty," Responded the guard, which returned to the stairs and Gerda looked along with the other guard at the queen.


Princess Anna and Hans were brought by the bandits up into a pirate ship, where they were tied up on a pole. The few bandits which turned out to be sea pirates were on top of the driver's deck reunited talking with each other loudly while in the middle of them stood the young girl, that tricked out the travelers.

„I know I should not always trust people I just met in the middle of the forest, but I did not expect the girl belonged to a gang of thieves of this sort," Commented Hans, then looked at Anna, which was looking up at the group trying to listen to the conversation.

„They're talking loud, but I barely understand what they're talking about. They have some strange dialect I cannot recognize,"

„I'm not sure, what they're talking exactly, but it sounds like Danish to me," Commented Hans watching Anna stretch her head out while trying to loose the rope around the two. „We're tied fast here. I don't think we can easily get out of here,"

„I'm trying at least….We'll never know without it,"

„Too bad Donny is locked up inside the cabin down there. He could eventually try to bite off the rope," Mentioned the farmer. „Or I hope it would work. Just like human kids puppies tend to lose baby teeth,"

„He seems to be out of it," Stated Anna making Hans shrug his shoulders.

„I haven't paid attention to that detail yet,"

The door at the nose of the ship crashed against the ground as it got opened and a well-built, attractive pirate lady got out of from the room under the ship making her way towards the duo tied around the pole.

„She's a pirate?" Asked Hans surprised while Anna stared at the woman dumbfounded and glimpsed at Hans, which looked down at the open door from where the woman came from.

„What do we have here?" Asked the woman placing her hand on the pole to take a look at the two young adults, which stared up at her. „I feel like I have seen you somewhere…..are you two per coincidence Hänsel and Gretel?"

„Huh?" Commented Anna, followed by Hans with a different reply.

„What?"

„Not….well I've seen many wanted posters in my life. I didn't keep the names of every criminal from there,"

„Well we're not on those lists," Commented Hans making the woman snicker.

„I can tell you very well, that I do remember faces. Yours…..yours I have seen somewhere before, perhaps not from this region, but I know I did,"

„If you're saying that, perhaps you have seen me on a wanted poster. I'm wanted in Denmark only so far I know," Mentioned Hans making the woman snap with her fingers.

„See I knew I was right," Commented the pirate lady. „And I believe I know exactly who you are...You're one of the princes from the Southern Isles, Prince Hans Westergaard am I right?"

„Was, to be correct," Answered Hans making Anna drop her chin in surprise. „What happened there was an accident, I never did it on purpose nor planned it,"

„You're a prince?" Asked the strawberry-blonde woman making Hans nod.

„Used to, now I am just farmer Hans," Corrected Hans, then the pirate lady got down.

„You know I was around 16 years when I heard about the drama coming from the castle. I was on that time boarding the ship to prepare and head to Norway. Your case made us curious and we hoped to came across you sometime. You would be a great help to get us into the castle to obtain all the money and gold we could wish for. Our previous plan from years ago lead our former captain into the doom,"

„There's no way for me to get there. They would recognize me" Questioned Hans.

„That's what I wanted back then. You lure their attention to you, admit what happened in the past, while a few of my crew head into the castle and lock you all out."

„I'm not sure if that's going to work,"

„It's been almost three years since the last time I passed by the Southern Isles. The castle from far still looks the same, but there could have been a lot of changed, that happend during those years….but I think I've got a better idea. You're saying, what happened there at the castle was an accident? That the pushing the prince off the roof wasn't you, you say?"

„He lost his balance and I tried to help him, but he ended up falling. On that time I was a child and I wasn't strong enough to hold him back,"

„And you ran away because they didn't believe you, right?"

„Well I was on that night fed up with my family and I was shocked about what happened. I wasn't thinking straight and got out of there. I could have stayed back and try to prove my innocence, but I did the worse thing an innocent man would do. Escape,"

„Interesting….I think you've given me an idea. What about you go there and tell them you have returned to apologize about what happened, tell the full story. After all this, they may understand you and hopefully accept you back in their family,"

„And what if that doesn't work?" Questioned Hans making the pirate lady ponder about it.

„Who was there on that time this accident happened?" Questioned the woman.

„A few of my brothers, but I'm not sure if they saw what was right,"

„The days we will be here on sea will be enough for us to come up with a plan B. We always do, don't need to worry about it," Spoke the lady and passed by Anna standing beside her, which was looking over board, then spotted on the belt of the woman a sword attached on it making her widen her eyes as she figured out a plan to get out of there.

"Our last plan...my life partner offered himself to help out a certain man to rob the kingdom. Unluckily both were caught and...sentenced to death," Began the woman explaining, while looking across the ship, then one of the crew members waved at the woman, which looked up at him wondering what he wanted.

„I need her to get closer to us," Commented Anna, then looked at Hans, which was looking up at the woman and glimpsed down at Anna, which had her face to his.

„Uh you've got anything?"

„A plan," Answered Anna. „And I think I might need your help,"

„How can I help?" Questioned Hans watching Anna bow forward trying to reach the rope against the sword, which wasn't possible for her.

„Move against me," Ordered the woman, watching Hans try to move inside the rope towards the princess seconds later Anna got closer to the sword, but it wasn't enough to touch it.

„If she just was a little closer," Commented Hans, then the pirate lady made a short movement by crossing her arms as she spoke from the deck up at one pirate on the main deck. Anna's nose was nearer to the blade now, making the woman ponder about the impossible maneuver she had been trying, after that another idea went into her head and she opened her mouth to catch the blade with her teeth making her smile, while Hans furrowed his eyebrows in shock from seeing the daredevil deed of the princess. Anna tried to sew with the blade the rope from the first bit making Hans grin as the woman's plan seemed to work. Hans looked up, then gasped as the pirate lady moved her head down to have the same reaction as the farmer.

„Hey!" Shouted the pirate lady and Anna spat the sword blade out of her mouth followed by Hans moving aside causing the rope from Anna's part to break and the farmer landed on the ground while the strawberry-blonde remained seated on her spot.

„It worked?" Questioned Anna, then the pirate lady swung her sword back and Hans pulled Anna up helping her dodge the sword, which hit the ship pole. „Woah!"
„I can't believe this worked," Spoke Hans. „You didn't even get cut?"

„I had pulled by tongue back. I wasn't even thinking, just hoping to get out of here," Mentioned Anna, then the pirate lady whistled to call two pirates to jump down to follow their captain as Hans along with Anna walked backward.

„Three against two isn't fair. We don't even have any weapons," Commented Hans making the pirate lady chuckle.

„If you want to spare a fight you better do what I say or I won't let you any other chance,"

„You haven't got any pocket knife or anything?" Questioned Anna glimpsing at Hans which shook his head.

„I had it inside in one of the bags back at the carriage," Answered Hans, then Anna looked at the pole that had a rope attached on a wheel up to the top holding the sail up. Anna smirked, then stepped further to the captain, which grinned as the princess approached holding out her hands.

„Good choice. Now it's up to you, Prince Charming. I will make both your life easier if you just follow her path," Mentioned the pirate lady. Hans looked at the princess, which looked back at the man and winked bewildering the Danish man, afterward Anna untied the rope off the wheel to drop the sail distracting the captain, which watched the sail fall and Anna immediately took the sword off the woman.

„You like playing the hero, hein?" Questioned the pirate woman surprised seeing Anna back off to Hans, which was surprised about Anna's idea.

„I had no idea, this was going to work…..."Spoke Hans, then shrieked as both heard a few stamps on the ground as a few pirates jumped off the deck to head to the captain, afterward Hans looked around, then pulled Anna into the room leading under the ship. Anna watched the pirate lady push off the hand of another pirate his sword and followed the duo's path.

„You know, there's no way out he…..oh wow," Released Anna out as she found the room contained several bags from various locations. As well the duo found Donny attached with a cord on a pole together with other animals.

„Great, he's good," Commented Hans watching Anna use the sword to cut the rope off, then was jumped by the dog which licked off her cheek making her chuckle.

„I love you too, Donny," Commented Anna patting the animal on the head.

„We need to figure out, how to get out of here. We're surrounded," Stated Hans seeing the captain enter along with three pirates and the younger girl.

„You haven't got a plan as well, right?" Questioned Anna making Hans shake his head.

„We can't do anything in else here. I don't think freeing Donny was any useful. We're all stuck here anyway," Commented Hans watching Anna peak at the other small and medium-sized animals attached with a rope on the wall and had an idea, then grabbed Hans on his arm.

„Distract them for me. I have an idea," Spoke Anna, then handed the sword out at the farmer.

„What kind of idea…" Commented Hans watching Anna moving him a step further passing beside him heading to the other side of the room, then the pirates looked at the woman and back at the farmer. Hans stepped further to block the pirates from passing past him to get to the princess.

„Don't get any closer," Warned Hans, then the pirate lady looked back at one of the other pirates behind her and signaled them to step further. The two pirates walked towards Hans holding up their swords, after than Hans smacked harshly on the first sword, then moved to the second one, which immediately dueled him on that point. The other pirate returned and Hans jumped back to handle the two at the same time, more or less handling the situation on his own and took a glimpse back at Anna, which stood behind a large moose to untie the rope from the wall. Hans shrieked as one of the pirates approached Hans really close with his sword and Hans blocked it, while jerking his body into an odd position, losing his balance landing against a pole.

„Forsiktig!" Yelled Anna earning Hans' attention watching her stamp with her feet on the ground shrieking the animal, which ran towards the pirates shrieking Hans, which crawled behind the pole to watch the moose ran towards the exit shrieking the pirates, which ran out and the pirate lady pushed her daughter away to prevent her from getting hurt by the animal.

„Hey! That moose we just captured last week!" Shouted the pirate girl annoyed watching the animal ran out on deck.

„Don't worry Alfida, he won't get out of here so easy," Spoke the pirate, then looked back at Hans getting back to Anna to see her untie a fox. Alfida frowned, then ran towards the two and Hans turned around to deflect the attack of the young pirate, keeping the girl busy, which was going roughly on the adult man, surprising him at the capacity of a young girl her age.

„Your fighting reminds me of my older brothers, at your age they were just as skilled as you….woah!" Shouted Hans as the girl kicked him on his knee. „That's not right,"

„You're fighting a pirate. Do you really think we're supposed to respect rules or what?" Asked Alfida, then Donny appeared from the side barking at the girl, which looked at the dog annoyed by his interruption and Hans took the opportunity to shove Alfida away with his sword making her fall down. Anna had freed the fox, which ran above Alfida afterward Anna approached the next animal, which was a reindeer and Hans got to help Anna by using the sword to cut the rope. Anna, afterward took the sword off Hans' hands to approach the last three animals.

„Hey I need that sword," Commented Hans, then watched Alfida get up, then Hans looked at the reindeer which was looking across the room and Hans clapped his hand on the back of the animal, making it jump up to race towards the exit.

„Not Ragnar!" Shouted Alfida and watched Anna and Hans free the last two animals, making Alfida growl and depart from her place running with her sword towards the duo and Anna upon lifting the sword saw the pirate girl's reflection on it and turned around to deflect the attack, keeping her posture steady as the girl tried to use all her strength to push Anna away. Donny approached Alfida, then bit on her bandage around her coat catching the girl's attention, which tried to shy the dog away with her foot and Hans took the opportunity to separate Anna away from Alfida removing the sword of the pirate.

„I've got the sword, let's get out there," Warned the Danish man making the woman nod, which along with him ran up on deck to spot the pirates running around trying to capture the animals, followed by hearing one of the pirates scream as he was being pursued by the moose.

„Okay, while they're all distracted we could get out of here," Mentioned Anna making Hans nod, then remembered the ship had no way out.

„But how should we get out of here?" Questioned Hans. „We're far away from land and this ship has no rescue boats as well,"

„There actually is one at the front," Pointed Anna above the stairs leading to the front of the ship, then Hans nodded and watched Anna ran stairs up, then he went after her and looked back to see the pirates busy. One pirate looked at the front to spot Hans on the stairs and cried making Hans speed up to follow the princess, which reached the small boat that was tied up on the railing.

„If we use the sword we can cut the cords off and drop the boat into the sea," Asserted the princess watching Hans use the sword to saw the rope off.

„Get in, the pirates noticed us," Warned Hans making Anna nod, then watched Donny hop at the wall and fall back on board again, afterward Anna grabbed the dog and got into the boat and used her sword to cut the other rope off.

„Get into the boat. We're meant to fall together," Commanded the princess placing the dog down on the boat and Hans got into the boat as he continued to break the rope.

„Careful!" Warned Anna managing to loose the rope, making the boat move the front down and Anna held herself on the side of the boat, watching Donny fall and land on the triangular shape of the front, then whined fearing from the height. Anna looked up at Hans, which held himself on the rear of the boat so he could end his job and glimpsed down at Anna to see her holding herself tight on the wood.

„Are you alright, princess?" Asked the brunette man making the woman nod, afterward she shrieked as one of the pirates appeared with his sword and Anna looked at her sword, then threw it up against the pirate shrieking Hans, which looked up to see the pirate approach him with the sword, afterward Hans let go of the boat watching the pirate make the final cut on the rope by accident releasing the boat down at the sea.

„Ahhhh!" The trio cried, followed by crashing with the boat on the surface splashing against the large pirate ship.

„Hans, we did it!" Chanted Anna triumphantly followed by Donny releasing a howl. Hans grabbed two paddles to adjsut them over the side and looked up at the pirate standing there glaring at the farmer, which smirked and waved at the man. He looked at Anna, which had looked up as well at the pirate ship, then leaped onto the arms of the man excited from their escape.

„I can't believe we pulled that off," Commented Anna.

Donny began to alarm with his bark and the duo looked back to see the pirate hold up a fire gun, where he was using a stick to shove the bullet into it before he could use it.

„Give me the sword," Asked Hans confusing Anna, then he gaze at her serious making the woman understand, what his plan was and took it up to return it to the farmer.

„What are you going to do?" Questioned Anna watching Hans hold up the sword watching the pirate aim the farmer on the boat. „Hans I don't think this is going to work,"

The pirate moved his finger on the trigger, but before he got to use it the moose had come up to the front deck pushing the man off board with his antlers surprising Hans along with Anna.

„Okay I wasn't expecting that, but let's get out of here," Mentioned Hans getting down on the boat along with Anna, then Hans began to paddle with the paddle spoon he had prepared and Anna took another pair, which was attached on the other side of the boat and adjusted them on the side to help Hans move the boat.

„I hope leaving that boat didn't make us sign a deal with the devil,"

„As long as they're busy up there with the animals, I don't think they'll get behind us so fast," Commented Hans making Anna nod. „Your idea back there was brilliant. The distraction really helped us get out of there faster than I imagined," Complimented Hans making Anna smile warm at the friend.

Donny began to bark loud, catching Hans's attention, which raised up from the boat to look up at the ship, then got hit by a bullet on his arm making him yelp in pain and sat down making Anna screech her teeth.

„Hans!" Cried Anna getting up, then saw at the water the pirate that had fallen off-board laughing at his hit. Anna frowned, then looked around the boat and ripped off a small, flag holder and threw it against the pirate hitting him on his forehead.

„Just forget about him. We have to bring ourselves into safety," Warned Hans grabbing the paddle, then cried as he felt the pain on his shoulder.

„Have you got a cloth or anything for your arm?" Questioned Anna paddling on her own glimpsing at the man, which held his hand on the place he got injured.

„I think so. Otherwise, I can just rip off a bit from anywhere from my clothing. I wear under my overall an undershirt," Commented Hans. „But let's get farther away from them, I can hold it,"

„Okay, but just a few minutes. I can't let you lose much blood," Warned Anna watching Donny approach the man to look at the injury. „Donny, can you grab the one paddle with your mouth and help Hans paddling?" Questioned the princess watching the dog grab the paddle and try to move it, but the way he was doing it didn't work out the way she wanted.

„It's okay Donny. It's not easy for you to move it correctly," Hans spoke making Donny sink his ears and look sad at the farmer. „I'll be okay, I promise,"