Block. Block. Dodge. Riposte. Anna grunted in frustration when her attempt to counter was blocked by the sword of a seasoned warrior. There were no openings, and she could only stay on the defensive, not allowing him to get his sword anywhere near her. Incoming. Dodge. Feint to the left. Draw cut. Her only advantage is that she had stamina, built by 13 years of training that began when she was five. Her opponent, a large, broad, and burly man knew this judging by how he's been attempting to finish the spar as quickly as possible.
The problem is hubris. Anna wanted to beat her opponent before he becomes too tired to keep up the strength of his swings and the speed of his footwork. The sole purpose is to test her skills against the kingdom's most powerful warrior. So she used all the speed she had and used her height to her advantage. Block. Block. Block. An opening! She stepped forward preparing to dodge the incoming attack and use the few seconds to reach her opponent's throat. Dodge. Thrust!
Sir Stoick laughed in between pants, his sword tip against her throat and hers against his.
"I would call that a draw," he said, drawing back his sword and putting his hands against his knees. Anna giggled, high on adrenaline.
"I was so close!" Anna exclaimed as she dropped her own blade. Sticking it to the ground, she removed her helmet, revealing a shock of red hair and mischievous blue-green eyes. Stoick slapped her arm. She reciprocated with a fist to his chest. Both were laughing, too high on adrenaline to gather the strength to stop and to care about the fond look of the guards around the perimeter.
Sir Stoick met Anna when she was cradled against Lillian's chest one fateful night. Lonely and alone, the hardened general of Arendelle's army fell in love with baby Anna when she wrapped his finger with a firm, warm hand, as she used her other hand to play with the wrap bracelet on the left arm that was holding his hand. Lillian had explained everything to him. It wasn't needed as he would be willing to provide shelter for the two regardless. But it was certainly useful when little, one-year-old Anna burned her crib to ashes when they forgot to put the bracelet back after a bath.
"If you two are quite done with trying to kill each other, take a shower. We're meeting the queen in a couple of hours." Lillian's stern voice carried through the field, guards involuntarily standing at attention. Anna and Stoick responded with a giggle, causing Lillian to roll her eyes. "For an 18-year-old and a brute, you, my lady and good sir, act like children."
"Alright, alright. Don't pop a vein now, Lillian," said Stoick, dragging Anna as he walked back to the manor
"Good morning, Lillian." Anna gave the other woman a hug, ignoring the shrieking about sweat and smell and "taking another bath." Lillian is the leader of the house. She unwillingly promoted herself from being a full-time maid and a part-time midwife when it became clear that Stoick was much too used to being alone.
"Good morning, Lady Anna," she said with an exasperated but fond sigh. "Will you be willing to wear a dress today?" Stoick's booming laughter echoed.
"Stop with the lady, please. It's only Miss today. And absolutely not. Please, Lillian, I'll stop eating chocolate for two days if it means I don't have to wear a dress today." Anna pleaded, making sure to give her the puppy dog eyes, knowing that Lillian's a sucker for the look. Inevitably, she sighed.
"I thought you might say that. You are so much like your mother." Anna gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Just a little more, Lillian." Anna opened her palm and conjured a ball of flames.
/
After a long bath, Anna trudged into her room, finding the clothes that she'll be wearing. She heard the announcement that the queen has arrived about a half hour ago. Knowing that she and Stoick will need time to discuss confidential matters, Anna set a leisurely pace.
On the bed laid a shirt, a coat, and trousers. Both the pants and the coat were all black. The long-sleeved shirt was a deep forest green, a color that she and Lillian are fond of. The coat had a high collar, and Anna groaned as she would undoubtedly be uncomfortably warm after the first two hours. Her only reprieve is the knowledge that the clothes were specifically tailored for her and to her liking, so the shirt, as form-fitting as it might be, still left a little room to breathe and was designed with a band collar smaller than the one for the coat.
"Here's to hoping the queen will allow me to remove my coat once I start sweating." Anna began putting on her clothes.
"I doubt it." Anna jumped at the sound of Lillian's voice, she promptly fell to the ground, her pants still halfway around her legs. Lillian suppressed a laugh. "Are you alright, my lady?"
"You're going to kill me." This time, Lillian laughed, helping Anna back on her feet before grabbing the shirt as the redhead pulled her pants on.
"Have you seen the queen? What does she look like? Do you think she's kind? I mean, even if she isn't I would still probably like her. Not like-like her! Just you know, like. Do you think she'd enjoy chocolates? Does she look sad? What if—" Anna was vibrating with giddiness and excitement. She'd heard stories about Queen Elsa and her power over ice and snow. Like many others, she couldn't blame her for the winter that lasted a year after the announcement that the King and Queen drowned on their way back home.
"Anna." She shot her a sheepish smile. Lillian sighed.
"No, I haven't seen her. But the maids talk, and they said she seemed aloof. Of course, you shouldn't take their word for it. You'll meet with her and Stoick in the study soon. Try to calm down and remember your etiquette lessons, please." Lillian held the coat up so that Anna can slip into it.
"Thank you, Lillian." Anna smiled as she tugged on the collar of her coat, hoping against all odds that it would disappear if she did.
"I know you're going to feel like you're being roasted in this. Don't worry. I'll be sure to bring you an 'ice cold hot chocolate' as you so eloquently put it." Lillian did the final finishes of Anna's clothes, gently slapping the hand on her collar. "I know you have the tendency to give too much information under pressure so I'm going to give you reminders now. You cannot reveal anything about your parents and the house you hail from lest we risk your father finding out that you and I are alive."
"He's not my father," Anna snapped, eyes momentarily glowing a bright red. Not missing the change, Lillian placed a gloved hand on her lady's feverish cheek. Eyes softening and returning to their normal color, Anna gave her an apologetic look and the bracelet she removed before taking a bath.
"I know." Lillian gently wrapped the leather material of the bracelet on Anna's wrist, holding the phoenix pendant for a few moments. "Be careful not use your fire. Don't rely on this bracelet as it is only meant to stop unintentional flames."
"I'll be fine. Try not to worry so much." Anna giggled, and Lillian responded with a sigh. A knock on the door alerted them.
"Lad… Miss Anna, Sir Stoick and Queen Elsa request your presence in the study." Anna gently squeezed the hands of the woman who raised her, before slipping on her boots and opening her bedroom door.
/
Queen Elsa is fond of General Stoick. He is a close family friend, and her father fostered a relationship based on trust and respect. She remembers the general as the giant. She met him when she was barely at the height of his knees. To her, he was rough around the edges but kind and gentle. When a letter and a harried rider burst into what would be her study, Stoick was there, telling her stories of her father when he was young. When the regretful rider hesitated to read the letter, the general stood up and placed a heavy but warm hand on her shoulder. When they heard what happened to her parents and his best friend, neither moved or made a noise as they gave the other comfort in the silence that was only broken by despairing sniffles and heartbroken sobs.
"Ah, Queen Elsa, it's been a while," Stoick said in greeting as soon as he met her outside the manor. He bowed and helped the queen out of the carriage. "Would it be alright for us to discuss in my study before heading for lunch, Your Majesty?" Receiving her nod, no further words were said until the door of the study closed with a click.
"My queen, how have you been?" Stoick's question was said with utter compassion that Elsa resisted the urge to cry.
"We're beyond formalities now, don't you think?" The corner of her lips twitched in what could be a smile. "I have been as well as you could expect. Better than I was a year ago, at least." Stoick leaned back into the sofa, relaxing at the amicable tone of the woman he cared for in the past year as if she's his own daughter.
"Will it ever get better?" Elsa asked as she brought the teacup to her lips, donning a look in her eyes she knew only Stoick can understand.
"I wouldn't know," said Stoick. Physically shaking his head and clenching his fist, the burly general forced himself to snap out of the devastation and grief. "Any news on who might be good enough to represent Arrendelle for the tourney? And before you ask, lass, I'm going nowhere near that stadium again. I can only imagine what the people are going to say about letting a war-seasoned general compete." Anna's rambling must be rubbing off on him.
Elsa appreciated Stoick's effort. Her lips twitched again, and Stoick wondered when Elsa will find it in her heart to smile again.
"Not yet. Most of those willing to volunteer backed out when they found out who will be participating for both Corona and Dunbroch," Elsa replied, placing the teacup back on its saucer. One thick eyebrow raised.
"And who might those be?" Elsa gave a frustrated sigh.
"Eugene, a knight of Corona and the husband of Princess Rapunzel, and Merida the Brave for Dunbroch, the daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. Not that it's worth mentioning, but Prince Hans from Southern Isles will also be there." The rare snide remark from the queen surprised Stoick into a bout of laughter, a much-needed change in the atmosphere and one that Elsa deeply appreciated.
"Oh gods, Hans doesn't stand a chance in all hell," gasped Stoick as he wiped a tear from his eye. "He's going to get pummeled, that arrogant ass." A smirk appeared on Elsa's face.
"Yes, well, regardless, we might end up being the laughing stock if we don't pick a representative soon." Elsa sighed, running over her mental list of candidates. "No one seems to want to enter the tourney, even if to have a go at Hans."
The statement sobered Stoick, who always had a competitive streak in him. All of a sudden, a thought struck him and a triumphant smile appeared on his bearded face. Standing up and earning a look of curiosity from the queen, the general opened the door and murmured instructions to the attending servant awaiting orders.
"I think I might have a candidate for you, Elsa." Mirth in his eyes, Stoick puffed his chest in pride. "I trained her myself."
"Her?" Elsa quirked a blonde eyebrow. "And who might this be?" Stoick laughed.
"You'll see." He plopped back on the sofa. A serious look overtook his face, and Elsa had an inkling on what he wants to say. "In the meantime, I would advise you to exercise caution in the upcoming tourney and in any and all travels you might take. Hans in Arendelle bodes a questionable future considering the reputation of his family. Dugar, that slimy bastard, is also still out there somewhere. He's set on revenge, be careful wherever you are."
"I will. I have the utmost trust in your instincts, General, and you will not see me defy your advice in the coming future. Arendelle cannot lose another monarch." It is in moments like this that General Stoick is reminded of why Queen Elsa holds the position. The determined set in her brows and the fearless look in her eyes remind him of the former King and the look he has when thinking about the safety and future of his people.
/
Nervous, Anna stood in front of the ornate doors. Beyond it, she is sure that she will find the man he considers her father and the woman she has longed to meet. Anna tried not to wring her hands, knowing that Lillian will reprimand her for it. She took a deep breath. She took several of it until she felt her heart slow and her head clear. Brilliant blue-green eyes turned to the attendant, and with a smile, she nodded. He sent her an encouraging look before raising his fist to knock on the door.
"Come in," the gruff voice of Stoick answered. Giving Anna time to take one final breath, the attendant, Luis, mouthed good luck to the redhead before opening the doors of the study. Calmly, she stared at no one and nothing in particular as she walked in. If she tripped now, she might as well beg the earth to swallow her. The door closed behind her. Having no more choice, she looked at Stoick and immediately felt the need to wipe the smirk off his face. Pale, blonde hair caught her peripheral view, and before she could stop herself, Anna turned to meet the queen's eyes with her own.
If she were to describe the feeling of finally looking at Queen Elsa, she would find that it is a task more difficult than it seems.
Something in Anna responded to the sight of Arendelle's well-loved queen. Her fingers tingled with power, and Anna had to make a conscious effort to control the beginnings of a flame forming, fighting to get out. The queen's hair was done in an ornate updo, letting only a few of her bangs to touch her pale face. Clad in a dress that Anna could only assume to be made of ice, Queen Elsa looked positively and incontestably drop-dead gorgeous. Beyond the face value of her queen, Anna saw deep-seated loneliness behind glowing blue eyes. Her shoulders suggested fatigue, and the reluctant upward motion of her lips gave away her grief. Anna has never seen anything more human and ethereal.
Her eyes dropped, and a fist pressed against her chest. Anna dropped to one knee, hard, steadfast, and eager.
"My Queen," Anna said in greeting, voice husky and rough with unsaid, conflicting, and inexplicable emotions. When Stoick's booming laughter broke her from her thoughts, Anna couldn't be more grateful.
"I feel well and truly ignored," Stoick said as his eyes crinkled in amusement. Winking at Anna, he turned to the silent queen. "Queen Elsa, this lass is Anna. I feel that she is more than capable of participating in the tourney as a representative of Arendelle."
"Wait, what?" Despite herself, Anna looked up and stared at Stoick in confusion. She felt another pair of eyes burning holes into her face but she willed herself to resist the urge to look, especially if she wants to keep from starting a fire.
Stoick turned to the queen.
"This kid has been under my wing for damn near 14 years. She's 18 as of the moment, which means she can lawfully participate in the tourney. Anna is a firecracker. At first, I almost gave up on her; she was a little terror and a crybaby," he explained, ignoring a flabbergasted look on his apprentice cum daughter. "She turned out to be a tough nut. Don't let her looks fool you, she's fast and strong. She almost beat me in today's spar," he added with a grumble.
It was not lost on Anna that the knight spoke freely and comfortably with the queen. Before Anna had the chance to think about it, the queen's voice interrupted her train of thought.
"Rise, Miss Anna." And Anna did. She fidgeted under the scrutiny of the queen.
"You're disarmingly beautiful." Promptly, as soon as the last word exited her mouth, Anna slapped an overheating hand to her mouth. "Oh, for god's sake, I wasn't supposed to say that out loud. Not that I don't mean it! I really do! Mean it, I mean. That's confusing. I meant to say… I should shut up now. Lillian's going to murder me."
A few moments of shock ensued before amusement took over. Stoick doubled over in laughter, tears flowing out his eyes. If she wasn't embarrassed enough to wish an early death, Anna would've glared at him. As it is, she could do nothing but glare at her feet in pure disbelief at herself. She dared to look up and found that she couldn't look away as she was held captive by stunning blue eyes.
"Thank you, Miss Anna," Elsa said with a shy smile. Stoick's laughter died down to amused snickers. This time, Anna did glare at him, missing the amusement in her queen's eyes.
"Didn't know you were such a sweet talker, lass. I'm proud and mortified," the general said with a proud smirk. Anna slapped a hand to her forehead. Stoick, Lillian, and Queen Elsa will be the death of her.
"Your Majesty, would you mind it terribly if I sat on the sofa and contemplated how many times must I embarrass myself before the earth agrees to open up and swallow me whole?" Anna pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation before lifting her eyes to smile softly at the queen. Unexpectedly, she responded with an amused smile causing Stoick to stare at the two with overwhelming affection in his eyes.
"Go ahead, Miss Anna.," said Elsa, and Anna officially counted herself thoroughly enamored by the woman in front of her.
"Just Anna is fine, Your Majesty." Elsa acquiesced with a nod. Not wasting another second in case she managed to put her foot in her mouth again, Anna strode to the sofa and slumped down on it, crossing her legs and looking anywhere but at the queen and the teasing smile she was sure Stoick donned.
After the general finally got himself together enough to proceed with the discussion of the tourney, Anna felt herself relax. Stoick and Elsa began talking about the logistics. Once the where and when were answered, Stoick turned to her and successfully catching her attention.
"Anna, I feel that you are the perfect candidate to represent Arendelle in the tourney. You have survived through the worst of my training, and your best shot sure looks to be better than everyone else's.," the general explained. Anna blushed, unused to compliments.
"Because Stoick believed in your skill, I have no qualms in allowing you to participate in the tourney," said Elsa. "The general has never been one to lie and mince his words. So, if he says you are the best Arendelle has to offer, then I'd be glad to have you on board."
"Your Majesty, isn't the tourney strictly for nobles? I am no knight. I would not want to sully Arendelle and her queen's reputation by entering the competition. After all, I am nothing but a freeloader in Sir Stoick's house." Predictably, the general looked affronted.
"If you believe that I do not value you as part of my house and as if you were my own daughter, you have another thing coming, child. I disagree, and I'm sure Lillian will be upset with you and so will everyone else in this place."
Elsa has not heard the authoritative and harsh tone of General Stoick for over a year. Hearing it now and directed at the sheepish redhead, she marveled at the relationship between the two. She couldn't help but wonder who Anna is. So far, she knew that Anna is honest to a fault, loyal, and considerate. But she also felt that the so-called nobody acted with an almost unconscious caution. Sitting beside the head of the house, the redhead moved when he did.
When Stoick reached for the newly refilled cup of coffee that the maid offered, Anna seemed to press herself into the sofa the moment his arm cross her space. When Stoick made a move to cross his legs, Anna shifted her own to the left, moving her limbs away from the general's. When the maid handed her a cup of what looked to be frozen hot chocolate, Anna made sure to keep her fingers from touching the maid's. Elsa wondered about Anna's bracelet. She wondered how the redhead met the burly man. She wondered who Lillian is. She wondered a lot about Anna, but she held her curiosity, choosing instead to sip from her cup of tea and watch their banter.
"Besides, you don't have to be a knight! For as long as he or she is 18 or above and a citizen of Arendelle, the queen's chosen champion is exempt from that rule," said Stoick, hands gesturing wildly. Elsa noted how Anna moved away when his limbs got too close to her.
"Why don't you enter then? You trained me! You're a general! I just want to eat chocolate until I die, please." Elsa raised an amused eyebrow at the non sequitur.
"That doesn't make sense, Anna." The general sighed. Slowly, he offered an open palm in the space between them. Elsa couldn't help but watch closely. Anna looked at his hand in surprise, wordlessly shooting a look into Stoick's eyes similar to how Kai would look at her if he felt uneasy with her decisions. Her general smiled.
Elsa watched as the redhead bit her lip, worrying it mercilessly. Finally, she took a deep breath. She placed a hand on Stoick's gigantic forearm and he placed a hand on hers, bypassing the wrap bracelet on Anna's wrist. The queen looked on in wonder as Anna seemed to be watching her hand on his skin intently and the reassuring smile Stoick offered.
"Stop worrying about menial things, lass. I'm confident that you'll do fine. The tournament might be good for you. We may spar, but there are many types of fighting styles out there, and this is a great opportunity for you test your skills," said Stoick. Anna sighed, recognizing that she's fighting a losing battle. She turned her gaze to the queen, who immediately offered a reassuring smile and nod.
"If Your Majesty is sure…" Anna squeezed Stoick's forearm before letting go, turning her body toward her queen.
"I am," Elsa responded. Anna nodded, and Stoick beamed.
"Then, I would love nothing more than to be your chosen champion."