The sunlight slowly creeps through the balcony window until it reaches the peacefully sleeping royals. Anna has her whole body extended across the bed with her arms outstretched forcing Elsa to a small section of the bed. Elsa slowly opens, and gently rubs her eyes. She slowly sits up, and looks down at Anna sleeping very unprincess like with a small streak of dried saliva on her chin. Elsa lets out a small smile.
A couple knocks catch her attention.
"Your Majesty, breakfast is ready," One of the servants says from outside.
"I'll be down in a bit thank you." Elsa replies still trying to wake herself up.
"Yes, ma'am."
Elsa gently nudges Anna who moves a little, "Anna wake up." Anna murmurs something, but doesn't wake up. "C'mon breakfast is ready. Get up."
"I don't wanna," Anna replies with her eyes still shut.
"C'mon it's late."
"What time is it?" She asks as she turns away from her sister, and bundles herself up even more.
"A little past ten."
Anna's eyes shoot open as she quickly sits up, and jumps out of bed."
"I gotta go, gotta go, gotta go." Anna rushes for the door.
"Where you off to in such a hurry?"
"I promised Kristoff I would see him before he goes up the mountain."
"You're not going to have breakfast with me?" Anna stops at the door, and looks back at Elsa with a disheartened look on her face, but Elsa gives her a faint smile, "It's fine. Go, I'll see you later."
"I'll make up to you I promise." Anna replies, and leaves the room. As soon as the door shuts Elsa drops back onto the bed letting out a long sigh, and looks over at the door, "Be safe." Elsa raises her hand and struggles to form a snowflake. The snowflake chances from blue, to yellow, to red, to purple. She takes a deep breath, and snowflake slowly changes back to the color blue. She intensely stares at the snowflake that gently floats, but she quickly flicks her wrist, and the snowflake disappears. She finally gets out of bed and begins to put her hair in her traditional braid as she goes over to her vanity mirror.
Meanwhile down at the far end of the market there is a little shop with the a sign that reads Kris and Sven's Ice Delivery. Sven stands outside tied to the sled. The door swings open, and Kristoff walks out holding various pieces of supplies covering up his vision. He cautiously approaches the sled, but ends up bumping into it, and almost drops everything. Sven bellows.
"Don't worry I got it." Kristoff puts the supplies into the back of the sled, "That's the last of it." Kristoff looks up towards the castle, "Do you think she forgot?" Sven looks at Kristoff, and frowns.
Kristoff in Sven's voice, "Maybe she's just running late."
"Do you think so? She's never missed to show up before." Sven nods. Antonio and four other pirates look around until one of them points to Kristoff's little shop.
"Hello, would you happen to know where we could find the Ice Master?"
"Um...yeah that's me. I'm Kristoff, and this here is my buddy Sven." Kristoff pats Sven on the head.
Antonio extends his hand, and Kristoff shakes it. "Nice to meet you my name is Antonio. We were told to find you. Apparently you're the man to talk to if someone has to go into the forest and mountains."
"Yeah that's pretty much me. Why do you need to go out there?"
" We need some lumber to fix our ship."
" Well I'm not much of a carpenter, but I know some places. By when do you need it?"
"The sooner the better."
"Well I was about to head out right now...so if you would like to accompany us-"
"Yes, that would be perfect." Sven nudges Kristoff and bellows, "Hey duty calls. Anna didn't show, but hey maybe she'll be here when we get back." Sven rolls his eyes and snorts, "Oh stop being over dramatic. Let's get going then." Antonio nods.
Fernando walks up to the castle gate, and is stopped by guard at the gate.
"Can I help you?"
"I would like an audience with the Queen."
"The Queen doesn't take audiences until noon."
"I can't wait until noon. This is urgent."
"Very well. Give me your name, and I'll see if her Majesty will see you.
"I'm Captain Fernando de las Casas from Puerto Real."
"Wait here, but I won't guarantee you anything." Fernando nods. The guard heads inside, and as soon as the gate opens Anna rushes out. She barely avoids bumping into Fernando as runs towards town. She looks back and screams, "Sorry!"
Elsa sits at the large dinning room table, and eats her breakfast alone. She smears some jelly on a piece of bread. She takes a small bite of it, and then a sip of her orange juice. The guard rushes into the dinning hall, "Queen Elsa."
Elsa looks over towards the door, and the guard right away bows. "Yes?"
"I'm very sorry to bother you this early Ma'am, but there's a ship captain that has request an audience with you immediately."
There's a ship captain that has requested an audience with you.
"The citizens know that I don't accept audiences until noon." Elsa takes another sip of her juice.
"He's not from Arendelle."
"Who is he?"
"He said his name is Fernando de las Casas from Puerto Real."Elsa puts down her glass, and looks at the guard intrigued.
"Puerto Real?"
"Yes, ma'am." Elsa turns away from the guard, and says softly to herself, "Puerto Real? We have no trade agreements with them, and that kingdom is ridiculously far south. What's one of their ships doing here?"
"Ma'am should I send him away?"
"No, bring him to the throne room. I want to meet him."
"As you wish your Majesty." The guard does another quick bow and leaves the room.
Inside the castle Fernando closely follows the guard. Fernando looks around and notices multiple expensive looking paintings, and artifacts making him let out a tiny smirk. As they reach an intersecting hallway Olaf the quirky snowman bumps into Fernando's leg. Olaf's carrot nose is pushed back into the back of his head.
"WOOOOAAAHHH!" Olaf yelps as he struggles to fix his nose, "A little help please." The guard fixes Olaf's nose while Fernando stares at Olaf in astonishment. Once his nose is back in its place Olaf looks up at Fernando and gives him a big smile, "Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs."
"I'm Fernando...you're a talking..."
Olaf giggles, "Snowman! You don't have snowmen where you're from?"
"It doesn't snow much where I'm from." He answers as he notices the flurry floating over Olaf.
"Who made you?"
"Oh it was El-"
"Come the Queen is waiting for you." The guard interrupts him.
"Yes, we wouldn't want to keep her waiting." They continue to walk towards the throne room.
Olaf waves at Fernando, "Nice meeting you!"
"Elsa impatiently sits on her throne as she taps her fingers on the armrest. The door opens and the guard lets Fernando in.
Fernando stares at Elsa in awe as he is quickly taken aback by her beauty, but also that without saying one word she gave off such a commanding presence.
"Captain Fernando de las Casas, I present you Queen Elsa of Arendelle." The guard introduces him. Fernando gives a slight bow, but Elsa just suspiciously observes him.
"Captain, good morning."
Fernando clears his throat, "Good morning, your majesty."
"You may leave us." The guard looks at her in complete confusion, but all she returns is the tiniest of nods.
"Yes, your Majesty." The guard leaves the room.
"First I would like to thank you for accepting to see me on such short notice your Majesty, and out of your normal schedule." Fernando tells her as he tries to read her.
"I only accepted because you peaked my curiosity." Fernando gives Elsa a puzzled look. "What I want to know is why is there a Puerto Real ship in my dock?"
"Could I please explain?" Elsa raises her eyebrow.
"Please do."
"Your Majesty, I'm a simple ship captain. I was on my way to deliver some supplies to Fritoria when my ship was attacked-"
"Attacked by who?"
"Pirates, they tried to board my ship, but I managed to hide in a thick fog. Your kingdom was the closest port." Elsa looks at Fernando unconvinced as she tries to read his intentions as well.
"So what is it that you seek from this audience?"
"Your Majesty's permission to buy weapons." Elsa closely observes Fernando who keeps a stone cold expression," Why can't I let go of this weird feeling like he's hiding something." She thinks to herself, as she looks into his eyes.
"I'll have to think it over..."Fernando starts to opens his mouth, "But until then why don't you take a walk with me, Captain. I would like to ask you about those pirates."
Back at the market Anna approaches Kristoff's shop. She tries to open the door, but it won't budge. Anna looks through the window on the door. The inside of the shop is dark and empty. Anna turns back towards the market. She leans against the door and slides down until she's sitting on the floor, and leans her head back against the door, " Dang it. I'm to late. He's probably going to really mad when he gets back."
"Anna!" Olaf excitedly yells as he runs to Anna's, but right away notices something is wrong, "What's wrong why do you look so sad?"
"I promised Kristoff, I would come see him before he left, but he's already gone."
"I'm sure he won't mind, and I bet he'll be super happy to see you when he gets back." Anna smiles, "But how about until then we go to Mrs. Andersen's and smell some of her new flowers."
"I'd really like that actually, and maybe we can get Elsa some. Make up for leaving her alone at breakfast."
"Yeah! Let's go!"
Kristoff and Sven lead the way through the woods followed by Antonio and the group of pirates, "So this your first time in Arendelle?" Kristoff asks trying to make small talk.
"Yes, unfortunately."
"Where you from?"
"A kingdom far south called Puerto Real."
"So what are you doing all the way up here?"
"We were making a delivery, but we were forced to make an emergency stop."
"Bad weather?"
"Something like that."
"Not surprised we had a crazy snow storm not that long ago."
"I heard stories."
"What kind?"
"Of a snow witch that lives in the mountains."
Kristoff nervously chuckles, "That's ridiculous."
"You don't believe in sorcery?"
"I do...just not in the story of the witch."
"Why not?"
"I would have found her by now." Kristoff says with a smile, "I've been all over these mountains. I know them as well as I know the back of my hand."The group reaches a group of large, healthy looking trees, "Here we are." The area is in the outskirts of the forest, and overlooks Arendelle. "Beautiful view don't you think." Kristoff unlatches Sven who very excitedly follows him.
Antonio looks down at Arendelle, and looks around and realizes its completely surrounded by mountains. He turns his attention to the sea, and sees the only way in or out is through the small fjord.
"Without a doubt. Arendelle is special" Antonio walks up to one of the trees and puts his hand on the trunk, and slowly moves his hand down the trunk, "Yes, these will do. Men get to cutting." Antonio starts to move his hand up the trunk, and his sleeve slides down revealing the letter P branded on his forearm. Kristoff right away notices the P.
"What's that?"
Kristoff points to Antonio's branded arm. Antonio looks down at his arm and then back at Kristoff, "It's a branding of the letter P"
"Is it like some military thing?"
Antonio shakes his head.
"Then what does the P stand for?" Antonio signals two of the men with his head. Kristoff doesn't notice Kovo a calculating, and conniving slender man, and Obalode a large, bulky man, whose sole purpose on the crew was to be pure muscle sneak up behind him.
Antonio menacingly smiles, "Pirate." Kristoff's eyes widen with fear as the sudden realization dawns on him, but it's too late, "Olabode, Kovo."
The two pirates behind Kristoff apprehend him and force him down on his knees. Kristoff tries his hardest to fight them off.
"Sven run! Find help!" Sven right away takes off towards Arendelle at full speed.
"Get the reindeer." Antonio orders. Three of the pirates chase after Sven. Antonio quickly pulls out a dagger, and throws it at Sven. The knife zips through the air towards it's target.
Will Sven escape? Will Elsa learn the truth about Fernando? What are Antonio's plans for Kristoff, and possibly Arendelle?
Hope you are all enjoying the story. Feedback always appreciated :D
