answers to reviewers questions or statements:
adam3563: No Elsa wont be running off this time around. Though her and Anna's relationship is about to be severely strained.
Fenrir44: There's other Marvel women that'll appear along with Adriana.
MCRasegan: Oh, big time.
Bladewolf101: You copy and paste my stories word for word and try to sell them off as your own, you tell me.
Omni-Creator Kami of Anime: Jessica, Jean and Black Cat will not be appearing in this story. They don't really fit with what I have in mind, though Julia, Wanda and Storm will.
Isaac LB: What do you mean criticize?
coki13566: You think Peter's appearance will stop Hans? The man made it clear that if he did marry Anna, Elsa would suffer a 'terrible accident'. William Stryker wont be in this, kinda stretching it with whom I do have plans to appear.
kira444: He's a very versatile character, it's not really too difficult. The trick is finding a way to explain his powers, should I let him keep them, and how that world can affect his views, his personality while still keeping it largely recognizable.
CRUDEN: There'll be a few references to other 'kingdoms' and a few of those princesses may or may not show up and be charmed by good old Peter as he tries to navigate the life of being married to a woman that can freeze him solid before shattering him.
Maximess: There shall be no singing... none.
Guest: Yes, she will.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel or Frozen characters seen, mentioned or used.
Queen Elsa of Arendelle was turning to be quite unlike anything Peter expected.
Despite her chilling nature, because of the ice powers, she was... well she was a lot warmer than what he was prepared for. She was also less reserved compared to many of the royals that he's encountered over the years, actually willing to speak more than three words to him. Granted they were slated to be wedded in the coming months and thus communication was sort of key, but Peter's seen arranged marriages that are about as cooperative and warm as a shard of ice.
'Probably not the best example to use given her powers' Peter thought as he watched Elsa continue to scan the crowd with a worried look on her face while she took another sip of her wine, her third glass by Peter's count.
It'd been almost several hours and it was nearing midnight and still Anna had yet to reappear. Elsa had gone as far to send a guard to her sister's quarters to see if she simply retired early for the night, unlikely as that would be. So far the white haired queen as keeping herself composed, partly due to the wine, but Peter noticed how the glasses in her hands was starting to frost over around her fingers. A part of him wondered if any of the servers noticed when they took the glasses back down to the kitchens to be washed or they were familiar with it.
"So, what's your sister like" Peter asked as he he placed his long emptied glass of wine, the only one he's had for the night, on a passing server's tray.
Elsa didn't respond at first as she continued to scan the crowd for signs of her sibling before she sighed and raised her glass up and downed the ruby red liquid in one gulp before responding "She's... optimistic. High spirited I'm told"
"You were told?" Peter said with a frown of confusion "What's that mean?"
"I... we... we haven't been close in many years" Elsa revealed with a saddened expression on her face "Today was the first time me and her have been in the same room with one another in years..."
"Uh, why? You two looked pretty close earlier from what I saw" Peter said with growing confusion.
Granted he doesn't have any siblings which to compare to on the exact closeness of the two women but they weren't trying to kill one another for the throne like some royal families so they had to be close enough he reasoned.
"It's complicated" Elsa said as she held up the hand that was holding her now partially frozen glass "Very"
Peter's brow furrowed at this before something occurred to him.
"She doesn't know, about..." Peter nodded towards Elsa's hands.
"No" Elsa said with a shake of her head before she took a deep breath and resumed her vigil for her sister "And I intend to keep it that way until the time is right"
"Uh, why?" Peter asked with even more confusion.
"It's better that way" Elsa said as she signaled for a passing server to stop so that she can place her now frozen glass on the tray.
"How?" Peter questioned with annoyance.
"It just is!" Elsa snapped before she caught herself and took a deep calming breath as she felt her gloves grow colder and the frost beginning to return.
Peter noticed the light sheen of frost growing over Elsa's gloves and decided to end his line of questioning, even if he was still confused by it. He didn't really see a reason why Elsa was keeping her powers a secret from her own sister and likely the rest of her kingdom. If anything, her powers would simply state she's a force to be reckoned with and to challenge her will result in a less than dignified defeat.
And ice, lots and lots of ice.
'At the very least, the possibility of her using her powers would keep anyone looking to threaten this kingdom away' Peter thought with a shake of his head and casted a brief glance towards the crowd and noticed Anna, at least he thinks it's her, along with a young man around Peter's age, maybe a little older, holding her hand.
"Found your sister" Peter said, causing Elsa to turn towards him before she followed his line of sight and saw her sibling approaching them... with a boy.
'Well at least I know where she went and why...' Elsa thought dryly as she stepped forward to greet her sister while Peter stood behind her.
It didn't occur to her until now that she'll have to be explaining to Anna they she was going to be getting a new brother much sooner than either of them expected. It wasn't exactly a conversation she was looking forward to but it'll be better she finds out now rather than tomorrow morning with the rest of the kingdom.
"Elsa!" Anna said as she came to a stop a few feet from Elsa and Peter and remembered that her sister was now ruler and gave the white haired woman a quick curtsey "I mean my Queen. Me again, um..."
"Anna, where have you been?" Elsa asked as she eyed the man that was with her sister with a curious expression.
Anna gave her sister the biggest, most excited grin Elsa's ever seen on her in... well since they were children and her sister asked if she could use her powers to make a snowman to play with.
"My Queen, may I present to you, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles" Anna said said as she and Hans linked their arms together.
"Your majesty" Hans said with a respectful bow.
"Hello Prince Hans..." Elsa said with a nervous smile and wave.
"We would like..." Anna and Hans said at the same time before they both caught one another and chuckled before Hans cleared his throat and continued "Uh, your blessing..."
A sense of dread filled Elsa at this point "Blessing for what?"
The two looked at one another again before they pulled one another close and gave Elsa a pleading yet hopeful look as they both said-
"Our marriage!"
Elsa gaped at the two while Peter's brows shot up and he nearly dropped his helmet in response to the two's proclamation.
"Marriage?" Elsa said with obvious confusion as her eyes darted back and forth between Hans and Anna.
"YES!" Anna squealed in excitement.
Elsa stared at the two for a moment before she spoke "I-I I'm sorry, I'm confused here"
This was news to her, far as she knew, Anna hadn't been courting anyone and Elsa was confident her staff would've said something at some point if that were true.
"Weeeeeell we haven't worked out all the details ourselves" Anna admitted with a embarrassed smile "We'll need a few days to plan out the ceremony. Of course we'll have soup, roast, and ice cream. And than..."
Suddenly Anna gasped in shock before she looked towards Hans and gripped his arm "Would we live here?!"
Elsa, who was still trying to process the fact that her sister wanted to marry this man, who she's never seen before, only just caught the last thing Anna said "Here?"
"Absolutely!" Hans said with a eager grin as the two seemed to forget Elsa and Peter were there.
"What's happening?" Peter asked, trying to comprehend what the hell it was he was looking at.
"I... I don't..." Elsa seemed just as lost as he was.
"We can invite all twelve of your brothers to stay with us!" Anna said in a excited tone while Elsa tried to regain her sister's attention without drawing any more attention than what they were getting already.
"Anna!" Elsa whispered.
"I mean we have more than enough room for them" Anna continued, oblivious to Elsa's attempts to gain her attention.
"You have twelve brothers?" Peter said towards Hans who finally glanced at him and blinked in surprise at the armor he was wearing.
"Uh, yes?" Hans said with some confusion.
"Who are you?" Anna said, finally seeming to notice Peter's presence.
"I'm Peter, Queen Elsa's-" Peter began before Elsa cut him off.
"Wait, hold on a second!" Elsa said as she looked at both Hans and Anna "First of all, what are you two talking about? Second of all, no one's brothers are staying here. And third of all, no one is getting married!"
Peter blinked at this and glanced at Elsa with a quirked brow "Uhh..."
"This is vastly different" Elsa said as she spared Peter a quick glance.
"Wait, what?!" Anna said with obvious shock.
"Anna, may I talk you you please? Alone?" Elsa asked as she clasped her hands tightly together.
"Do I need to be involved or is this a family matter I should stay out of?" Peter asked as he was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable with this whole situation.
"For now, stay out of it please" Elsa said.
Anna stated at Elsa with a mixture of disbelief and hurt before her eyes narrowed and she shook her head as she stepped away from Elsa and pulled herself close to Hans who seemed to be just as uncomfortable with what was going on as Peter was.
"No. Whatever you have to say, you can say to the both of us!" the red headed Princess said in a firm tone.
Elsa stared at her sister for a moment before she took a deep breath and schooled her expression into one that Peter's seen on his own Queen a number of occasions. Occasions when the harsh truth needed to be said as clearly as possible.
"Fine... you can't marry a man you just met" Elsa stated in a matter of fact tone.
"Unless it's arranged, than I guess it's kinda okay" Peter supplied.
"Peter?" Elsa said with strained patience.
"Yes?"
"Shut up"
"Shutting up"
"You can if it's true love!" Anna pleaded towards her sister who looked less than impressed by her defense.
"Anna, what would you know of true love?" Elsa questioned.
"More than you!" Anna said in a hurt tone that was quickly becoming more and more frustrated "All you know how to do is shut people out!"
'I wonder I if I can convince Queen Adriana to select someone else for this marriage' Peter thought as he did his best to try and ignore the very awkward conversation that was now going on beside him 'I'm sure she can find someone else in her court... someone she hasn't killed yet at least'
"You asked for my blessing but my answer is no!" Elsa said, her patience with Anna quickly dissolving. With a huff she turned to leave, stopping only for a moment to place her hand on Peter's arm and nod towards a more secluded area of the ballroom where she and he can speak "Now if you would excuse me, Peter and I need to speak about matters a little more important than your delusional fantasy"
Anna flinched as if she been struck and looked to be on the verge of shedding tears while Hans stepped forward.
"Your majesty, if I may ease your-"
"No you may not" Elsa said as she stopped and turned a cold stare towards the man who flinched in response "And I think you should go. If you wish to court my sister properly, than you may, but there shall be no marriages, am I understood?"
Elsa didn't bother waiting for a response as she all but began to drag Peter away from the two when Anna stepped forward with a angered expression on her face.
"Your just jealous that I've found someone that I want to spend the rest of my life with rather than grow old and bitter and, and alone! Like you!" Anna accused.
Elsa stopped for a second and slowly turned back towards Anna with narrowed eyes. Peter felt an odd chill crawl up his arm and glanced down to see that part of his arm that Elsa was holding had ice beginning to form along it's surface.
"Um, Elsa...?" Peter said as he tried to get the white haired beauty's attention.
"Excuse me?!" Elsa snapped, the volume of her voice drawing several people's attention.
"You heard me!" Anna said as she broke away from Hans and stomped towards Elsa with a glare and poked the woman in the chest "You think everyone wants to be like you. All alone and shut away from the world, but they don't! Some of us want something more than ourselves for company. Some of us haven't forgotten what it's like to love"
"And you think you haven't!" Elsa responded in a slightly louder voice than Anna's, unaware that the two women's argument were drawing a number of people's attention.
"Elsa" Peter said as he saw more and more of his arm was being covered in a thing layer of ice. It hadn't started to reach his skin, but the cold metal was growing more and more uncomfortable with each passing second "Elsa, can you let go before you-"
Peter's wish was somewhat granted in that Elsa did release his arm, but only so that she can step right into her sister's face and jab her finger into her own chest, causing Anna to stumble back from the surprising amount of force put into it.
"You seem to think that the world is all sunshine and rainbows and that everyone gets their magical happily ever after" Elsa said as she continued to advance on Anna, causing her to step back with a fearful expression as Elsa continued "You think that everything will work out fine like in those ridiculous stories out parents used to read us? This is the real world Anna, where your choices have actual consequences and marrying some random man that you've just met today is one of them"
"He's not just some random man" Anna snapped, her fear of her sister for the moment replaced with growing anger as she shoved her sister back "I love him!"
Elsa stumbled back in surprise at her sister's push before her eyes narrowed and her face began to grow red from anger as she stepped forward again, her hand rising before Hans suddenly stepped between the two with his arms out and a pleading expression on his face.
"Your majesty please stop before anything else is said or done that you both will come to regret!"
Elsa stopped as she stared up at the man and felt the urge to slap him for daring to stand in her way before she finally realized that the entire ballroom had gone quiet and everyone was looking at them. She looked around to see a number of people were whispering quietly to themselves as they watched the drama between the two sisters unfold. Heat began to rise in Elsa's face as she stepped back from Hans and loudly cleared her throat before speaking.
"The party's over, everyone please leave" Elsa said as she turned on her heel and began to make a beeline for her room.
A number of people seemed surprised by this and had yet to move before Elsa's advisor, Kai, loudly cleared his throat and gestured for several of the guards stationed in the ballroom to help him escort everyone out.
"I apologize everyone, but the Queen has spoken..." Kai said as he and a number of Arendelle's guard began to herd people out of the ballroom and out towards the castle's gates.
"What, this is ridiculous!" the Duke of Weselton spoke up in outrage as he and his two guards were being funneled out of the room along with a number of other visiting dignitaries.
Peter watched them go as he slid his helm back on and quickly scanned the departing crowd for signs of Queen Adriana. He spotted a member of her guard making his way towards the exit as well.
"Well that's just rude" Peter huffed as he prepared to follow the man put before a sob stopped him.
Peter turned to see the sob had come from Anna who had since fell to her knees and covered her face with her hands while Hans kneeled down and did his best to try and comfort the red head.
"S-She's j-just jealous" Ana forced out in between sobs "Of w-what we have..."
"She's not jealous Anna" Hans said in a soothing voice "She's just tryin to look out for you is all. I think if we give her time to think on it, she'll start to come around. The problem was we bombarded her with so much so quickly she didn't know what to do"
"I say she did the right thing" Peter said, causing Hans and Anna to look up at him "You two shouldn't be bothering with marriage anyway. Especially if you've known each other for like a day. Trust me, that never ends well"
"And who are you supposed to be?!" Anna asked with an angered face as she reached up and wiped away some of the tears that were falling from her eyes.
"I'm Peter, of Aracnia" Peter revealed with a small bow "I'm uh... well... I'm gonna be your new brother-in-law soon"
Anna and Hans both stared at Peter for several moments with confused looks before his words registered and they both gaped in shock at this.
"Your what?" Hans said with disbelief while anna continued to stare at him with wide eyes before they narrowed in rage and she glared at the direction her sister went.
"Why is it she gets to marry and I can't?" Anna demanded before she glared at Peter like it was his fault.
"I don't know, you'll have to ask the people that came up with this arrangement" Peter said with a shrug.
At this, Anna frowned in confusion as did Hans.
"What arrangement?" Hans asked as he helped Anna gently back to her feet.
"The one my Queen and her parents made years ago" Peter nodded towards Anna "Granted I didn't find out about this whole thing until literally the boat ride over to here but it's what more or less established our kingdom's alliance, treaty... thing"
Anna blinked in shock at this before she quickly looked around the now mostly empty room, the palace staff had emerged to clean up the ballroom with the help of a few guards.
"Kai?" Anna called out as she grabbed Hans and dragged him after the crowd that was escorted out by Elsa's advisor and a squad of Arendelle guards.
Peter watched her go for a moment before he sighed and quietly followed after them, mainly because the way out was in the same direction.
'I really should've accepted that posting to escort one of our ambassadors to Agrabah' Peter thought.
A scorching hot desert had to be more merciful than the hell this place was turning out to be.
'Sides, I could use some sun' Peter thought with a chuckle as he made his way through the palace halls and towards the palace gates where the last of the guests were being escorted out.
As Peter drew closer he could make out a few people questioning the guards if the gates were going to remain close or not. No one seemed to have an idea, a trend that Peter was starting to pick up around this place. No one seemed to have an idea of what to do or what was going on around them. It would've been hilarious if Peter wasn't cut up in some of it by this point.
"Peter... what are you doing out here?"
Peter froze at the sound of his name and turned to see Queen Adriana standing not too far from the gates, her royal guard surrounding her and keeping anyone from getting to close. The young man blinked at the sight of his monarch and quickly approached her before coming to a kneeling position.
"My Queen, I-" Peter began before Adriana held up a hand to silence him.
Peter's mouth shut so fast that he swore some of his teeth had cracked.
He dared not tear his gaze away from the ground while his Queen stared at him with a blank expression "Peter, I picked you to be Queen Elsa's betrothed, did I not?"
"You did, your majesty" Peter replied.
"So, seeing as you are to marry her, help her rule her kingdom and the like, why is it that I found you out here rather than in there?" Adriana asked as she nodded towards the palace.
Peter was confused by this and just managed to stop himself from looking up at his monarch "My Queen, I am a member of your royal guard and thus thought I should return-"
"You ceased to be a member of my Guard the moment I selected you to be Elsa's betrothed" Adriana interrupted Peter with a cold glare "Your place is now here, with Elsa. I have already spoken to her advisor and former regent Kai and he is allowing you to remain within the palace given it shall be your new home in the coming days"
"...Yes my Queen" Peter said after a few moments of silence.
Adriana continued to look down at Peter before she sighed "Peter, look at me"
With some reluctance, Peter slowly raised his head so that he was looking up at the dark beauty that was Adriana.
She bent forward at the waste and reached out to lift Peter's helmet up and off his head before she tossed it aside. Peter had to resist the urge to flinch at the warm touch of Adriana's hand on his cheek, the last time she physically touched him, she was in the midst of a bout of anger and he happened to be standing to close when she lashed out and sent him through a wall. After that incident, Peter made sure to be well out of arm's reach when she was in a dark mood.
"This alliance is crucial for our people Peter" Adriana said in a low almost comforting voice "You have a duty to them, same as I. It is difficult, I understand, but such as our lot in life"
After a few moments, Adriana released Peter's face and slowly straightened herself "I shall have one of my daughters Taran sent to keep you company here"
Peter blinked at this "But why-"
"Elsa will not always be available for your... urges" Adriana said the last part with a coy grin "And you are just about reaching that age where your tantric and chaos energies will start to... fluctuate"
Peter blushed at this, knowing the urges that Adriana spoke of.
While the exact details were still a mystery to Peter, he has been able to gather that the ritual that granted Queen Adriana her powers, and to a lesser extent his and many others in her royal guard, included large amounts of Tantric and Chaos energy. And after someone that's been bestowed powers by this ritual reaches adulthood, the energies within them begins to fluctuate to erratic levels. Too much Chaos energy and the more animalistic side begins to take over, too much Tantric and one risks the potency of their abelites lowering until their almost non existent. After years of studying and trial and error, Queen Adriana had discovered these fluctuations can be properly managed through two very basic, and in Peter's opinion, very crude ways.
Killing and sex.
Chaos from the taking of a life, be it man or animal or a very large amount of plant life, and tantric from... well sex.
Peter thought that whoever created this ritual that Queen Adriana used had serious issues going on inside their head. What kind of person would create some ancient ritual that grants you the powers of a spider that can be maintained through milling and sex?
'Probably a guy I wouldn't want to associate with' Peter thought as he watched Adriana retrieve his helmet and place it back over his head.
"Tomorrow I'll return to go over the final details of the arrangement with either Elsa herself or whatever advisors she trusts with this situation" Adriana said as she gestured for Peter to stand "If you wish to partake, that it your decision to make"
"Yes my-" Peter began before Adriana placed a hand over where his mouth was located under his helm.
"I am no longer your Queen Peter, thus you do not need to refer to me as such" Adriana said with a amused smile before it fell and a dark look entered her eyes "But do not forget your place with me, understood?"
"Yes my q-... my lady" Peter said with a small bow while Adriana stepped back with a pleased look upon her face.
"Good" the dark haired beauty said with a nod "I shall see you in the morning than"
Without any further acknowledgement, Adriana turned and led her guard away from the place and back to the docks where a boat waited to return her to her ship currently anchored in the fjord. Peter watched her go until she and her guard disappeared from his line of sight and he was left standing outside the gates to Elsa's palace alone. After a few minutes of silence, Peter sighed and turned back towards the palace, ignoring the looks of pity he was likin earning from the guards before he came to a screeching halt as something occurred to him.
"Wait a minute... my stuff's still on the ship!"
...
And done.
Next chapter, Royal duties and courting...epic fail on both fronts.