Chapter 14!
Enjoy!
They'll be fine. Everything will be just fine.
Elsa wringles her hands together impatiently as she strolls through the buzzing village of Arendelle. People chatted and scurried from stall to stall purchasing necessities to make it through the oncoming winter.
"Hot chocolate you majesty?" The local sugar and spices sales person offers her a steaming cup of aromatic hot chocolate.
"Oh my favorite! Thank you, it smells delicious!" She takes it with both hands and smiles at him.
"My pleasure my lady." He bows with proud grin. She bows her head and continues walking through the village until she reaches the pier. Upon looking towards the mountains, she could see the storm growing stronger and louder. She worried for her soon to be brother in law whom she had sent into the mountains just a day before. If only she had known he had proposed, she would've sent someone else. But who else knows the north mountain better than Kristoff?
"We still can't leave? What's the problem now?" A familiar voice pulls her out of her thoughts. Following the pier, she caught sight of John and what must be his crew gathered by his ship. The only ship still docked at the pier from two nights ago.
"I'm sorry your Majesty, but the storm. It's getting bigger and you know I don't like sailing through storms sire." Said the young captain of the vessel. John just rolled his eyes.
"No offense, but I get the feeling you just don't like sailing in general." He snapped and impatiently ran his now ungloved fingers through his hair. Elsa couldn't help but stand and stare at the conversation goers with curiosity.
"My apologies your highness, but please, can we stay until the storm passes?" The captain begs.
"Which could take a whole week! If we leave now, we'll be gone before the storm reaches the mountains edge!" John exclaims and points into the distance in the direction of the storm clouds gathering above the north mountain. Elsa couldn't help but feel a little disappointed over hearing how eager John seemed at the prospect of leaving. They didn't even see each other the day before and she wanted to spend a little more time with him. Just thinking about it made her blush.
"My lord, please, I do not want to take any chances. I don't want to be in the middle of the ocean if that storm reaches us. The wind could pick up or-or the snow could start falling above us! The chances are inevitable!" The poor captain starts pleaing. He was only five seconds short of dropping on his knees. With a long and deep sigh, John finally nods.
"Fine, we'll stay until the storm passes AND ONCE IT DOES-we are returning home. Is that clear?" He glares down at the captain. John had about five inches on the young sailor. He nods furiously in response.
"Yes my lord, loud and clear!" He bows and quickly retreats into the vessel. The small group of crew for the ship disperse with groans and sighs.
"A few more days gentlemen, you'll be home with your families soon." John says to his men as they wander off. Once alone, he sighs again and looks around solemnly. He looks around at the villagers of Arendelle with exhausted eyes until they land on Elsa, and they remained on her. She wondered why he was staring at her until she realized she was staring herself. She had been staring for the past five minutes, but he didn't need to know that. With a slight grin, he raises his arm and waves to her. She grins nervously and waves back. She couldn't get his face out of her head. Those tired eyes and that tiny smile he flashed. The next thing she knew, he was making his way right toward her. She didn't know if she should stay put or meet him half way. She decided to stay put, since her feet were stuck out of nerves.
"Your Majesty. I didn't expect to see you out here so early in the morning. With no cloak either, don't you think it's a bit cold out?" He says when he stops in front of her.
"Uh, well yes, but no, I mean yes, I'm sure it's cold outside, but no, the cold doesn't bother me, it never has." She smiles nervously at her stuttering. He laughs in response and flashes a pearl white grin that made the corners of his sleepy eyes wrinkle.
"You look tired. Haven't been getting much sleep?" She asks and grips her cup of hot chocolate tighter in her hands. He nods and turns to look back at his vessel.
"Yeah, I guess I'm not used to sleeping on a boat above water. It tends to rock a lot and it doesn't help me fall asleep." He sighs with a grin.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I see your captain isn't fond of sailing through stormy waters." She smiles and giggles.
"Personally, I don't think he like sailing through any waters. Unless it's through the bathtub with a toy boat." He raises his eyebrows sarcastically. She couldn't help but burst into laughter at his comment.
"I honestly have no idea why my parents would hire someone like him as the royal captain. My personal butler could probably do a better job than him, and he's a butler!" John laughs with Elsa. They continue laughing together until they're cut short by a familiar voice interrupting them.
"Elsa!" Anna pushes through the crowd of villagers with a stern look on her face. Elsa turns around and stares at her sister stomping in her direction.
"Anna?! Is everything alright?" She asks when Anna is in front of her gasping for air.
"He's not back yet!" Anna says between breaths.
"Of course not, it's only been a day and-" Elsa starts when Anna interrupts.
"I want to go out there and find him!" She yells over Elsa's babbling.
"What? Absolutely not Anna!" Elsa replies.
"But he could be in trouble!" Anna bounces in place with impatience.
"Or he could be just fine!"
"But what if he's not?! Every second we stand here and wait could be ticking away at his life!" Anna over dramatically gestures her arms into the distance.
"Or every second we stand here could be ticking away at his mission which is probably what he is working on RIGHT now!" Elsa places her hands on her hips.
"Please Elsa! I need to know that he's safe!" Anna laces her fingers together and begs. Her sister just shakes her head.
"Give him a few more days Anna. If he isn't back by then-"
"I need to know NOW!" Anna grabs her sister's shoulders.
"Okay, fine! One more day Anna! Give it one more day and if we haven't heard from him, then I will send some men to the mountain alright?" Elsa moves her sister's hands from her shoulders and into her own.
"Fine." Anna sighs and looks away with disappointment.
"Hey" Elsa takes Anna's chin with her finger and turns her head to face Elsa.
"He'll be okay. Everything will be okay." She gathers Anna in a tight hug. With a quick squeeze, Anna lets go and turns around. She slowly makes her way back to the palace.
"I'm sorry Anna." Elsa whispers as she watches her sister walk away with her head down.
"Ahem." She jerks and whips her head around at the realization that John was still standing behind her. She looks at him and smiles with a shrug.
"Sibling troubles?" He steps closer to her with a sympathetic grin. Elsa laughs nervously.
"You have no idea." She readjusts a strand if hair behind her ear.
"Well, being one of thirteen children, I think I can relate. Oh be careful, you dropped something there." He reaches out to stop her and points to the ground.
"Oh!" She exclaims when she sees the spilled cup of hot chocolate. She must've dropped it when Anna grabbed her shoulders. She hadn't realized.
"Here, careful it could be slippery." He extends a hand for her. Taken by surprise, she steps back and slips on the icy pavement.
"Uh oh! Careful!" He takes another step towards her. She sucks in a breath and reaches out behind her using an icy blast to propel herself back upright. When she's standing again, she sighs with satisfaction and looks up to meet John's astonished gaze.
"Wow, that was pretty-WHOA!" He starts complimenting her when he himself slips. He swings his arms out and starts flailing while his feet betray him. The next second, he's on the ground, his crisp white uniform covered in brown liquid.
"That hurt..." He moans and slowly sits up reaching behind to rub his head.
"Oh, are you alright?" She kneels by his side.
"Oh yeah. Just a...wake up call I guess..." He pulls himself to a sitting position before standing up.
"Oh, I'm so sorry about your jacket." Elsa frowns at the brown smears on his clothing.
"Nah don't worry about it." He motions with his hand as he examines himself.
"I've got plenty more where these came from. I'm fine, please don't worry about me." He shrugs with a smile.
"Are you sure?" She bends down and picks up the broken mug. Then she looks around in search of a garbage disposal.
"Over there, let me." He points to a trash bin nearby and takes the broken ceramic from her.
"Oh, thank you." She says and follows him to the bin. After he drops the pieces into the trash he turns around and meets her gaze.
"So, your sister. Can I ask what's troubling her?" He readjusts his jacket and composes himself again.
"Oh Anna, well she's worried about her boyfriend. He's the royal ice deliverer and I had to send him out on an errand for me." She places her hands together in front of her. He laughs when she mentions Kristoff's occupation.
"Royal ice deliverer? I'm sorry, but is that actually a thing?" He folds his hands behind him and they begin walking again.
"Oh, well, if it's not, then it is now." She replies and he nods in approval.
"She's just worried about him because I sent him out, they just recently got engaged and, well, I didn't have a choice really." She continues.
"Well being Queen isn't exactly an easy occupation." He replies.
"But it gets easier, don't worry." He smiles down to her.
"How are you so sure?" She asks.
"One of the only times my father spoke to me, probably one of the three, maybe four times, I remember he told me that being the rulers of a kingdom can be hard at first. But over time you get adjusted to the decisions you'll have to make for the good of your kingdom. He supports that saying, you get wiser as you get older." He explains.
"I see, so there must've been a lot of struggle for attention from your parents?" She assumes. He looks at her questioningly.
"What do you mean?" He asks.
"Well if your father only spoke to you three or four times, and seeing how you are the third eldest out of all of your siblings." She says.
"Oh! Right! Yes, there was a mighty struggle, but he is the king and he was very busy back then, both of them were." He frowns and stares straight ahead.
"Well, at least you had each other?" Elsa suggests. He chuckles and shakes his head.
"Barely, but yes, we horsed around a lot as kids." He says with a forced smile. Elsa looks up at his sad expression and quickly thinks up another subject.
"Well, how do you like the village of Arendelle?" She asks and motions around. He stops and looks around.
"You know, I'm sure your people are very nice. But considering my brother nearly killed their Queen, I don't think they like me. One gentlemen made me pay extra for food, and then he started making faces at me when I turned my back." He sighs with a smile.
"How did you know they were making faces?" She asks through a giggle. He sighs deeply a and shakes his head again.
"Mirrors. I can't tell whether to be grateful for them or just depressed."
Don't forget to leave a review for this chapter! Thank you For reading!