Anna had 'skimmed' a few more of the stories on the captain's bookshelf, loving every last one of them. She was currently reading a book called Treasure Island, which was about a pirate named 'Long John Silver' who was searching for an island full of gold and riches. If the princess was truly being honest with herself, she would admit that she had developed a sudden fascination with pirates lately. But since she was still in partial denial at the moment, she told herself it had absolutely nothing to do with a certain blonde captain. Anna shook her head before turning the page.
"He should be back soon…" she murmured to herself as her eyes scanned the text in front of her. Elric had told her he would return as swiftly as possible.
Just as she finished that thought, the blonde captain strode into the room. He smiled when he saw the book she'd been reading. "Treasure Island, eh?" came the light tease, "What do you think of Long John Silver?"
Anna felt her cheeks redden and she put the book back in its place on the shelf. "He's nothing like you, captain." She finally said.
There was a silence as the blonde let her words sink in. Anna had begun to fear that they had been taken the wrong way. It was meant as just the opposite, really. In the story, Long John Silver was a ruthless pirate captain that commanded his crew with an iron fist. Captain Elric was…he was kind, and fair. And gorgeous.
The blonde finally spoke. "Well, thank you," he said softly, "I was worried you thought ill of me after today."
Anna was quick to shake her head and reassure him that she understood that he did what was expected of him. He smiled slightly at that.
"It's impossible, you know," the captain said suddenly, his beautiful blue eyes gazing at the bookshelf, "To command a crew so harshly and selfishly like he did. A captain must respect his crew, must always carry their wishes in his heart, in order for them to truly respect and follow him."
Anna didn't know what to say. She was struck speechless by how noble that statement sounded. The captain's words could almost pass for those said by a monarch; a person of royal blood must always act in accordance with the will of the people. I guess the same goes for pirate captains.
The blonde straightened, dusting off some invisible dirt from his dark blue jacket. "Anyway, a brief meeting is to be held in the navigation room to plot our course to Corona."
A pirate meeting? Anna had to admit her curiosity was piqued. "Can I join you?" she asked innocently.
The captain eyed her warily for a moment. "I don't think that's a good idea…" he began.
"Pretty please?" Anna batted her eyelashes playfully. Her mother would admonish her for acting childish if she were present. The captain seemed taken aback by her as well, his eyes widening and his cheeks turning pink. Anna found it absolutely adorable.
He cleared his throat awkwardly, eyes gluing themselves to the ceiling. "I-If that is what you really want," he relented, "I suppose I can arrange it."
Overcome with excitement, Anna squealed happily and pulled him to her for a big hug. He was surprisingly slender. And soft…The captain squeaked and pulled away, eyes wide and face the color of a tomato. Suddenly they narrowed and the captain straightened with anger.
"Do not touch me again, princess," the blonde ordered harshly, voice shaking with what Anna could only imagine was irritation. He turned away from her. "Or else I will be forced to revoke my kindness."
Anna wilted, realizing her mistake. She'd obviously overstepped her bounds with the blonde. She had to apologize, to make things right again between them. "I'm sorry, captain," she murmured softly.
Elsa felt that familiar stirring of guilt in her chest when she heard Anna's quiet apology. She wanted to comfort the princess, to turn around and pull her into a close embrace and tell her not to be sorry for anything. But Elsa knew that she was treading thin ice right now. Anna had almost gotten too close, had almost found out her secret.
"It's quite alright," Elsa said, not turning around because she knew her control would give if she saw Anna right now. "We should be going now, though. Follow me, princess."
With that, she strode to the door, not looking back. She knew Anna was following her by the soft treading of delicate footsteps behind her. Oh Neptune, how could I have not noticed such an adorable gait? She sighed the thought away. Her mind was becoming a treacherous place in the presence of the princess.
She opened the door to the navigation room, holding it open for Anna to enter first. The princess seemed a bit pleased by the show of courtesy, offering a flushed smile in thanks. Elsa reveled in the small victory.
The victory was short lived, when she found the other occupants of the room in the midst of a heated argument over different kinds of rum. They all completely ignored the two new occupants.
"I wouldn't wash the hole o' my ass with that French shit!" Hawkeye growled, slamming his fist down on the table. A few rolls of paper were knocked to the floor.
Elsa noticed that Anna had sidled closer to her, eyes wide and a bit nervous as she watched on.
The Beast snarled, the bulging muscles in his arms flexing wildly. "You probably don't even wash the hole of your ass, boy!"
Kristoff sat in the corner, looking slightly uncomfortable. The man never had a stomach for arguments.
"Ehem!" Elsa cleared her throat loudly, silencing the room and drawing everyone's attention, "Now that pleasantries have been settled, let's get down to business."
Everyone mumbled in agreement, gathering around the table. A large naval map lay sprawled across the surface, various pins of all colors stuck into the yellowing parchment.
A brown haired man with a fancy mustache narrowed his eyes at Anna. "What's a woman doing here?" he grumbled accusingly.
Elsa placed a protective hand on the princess' shoulder. Anna looked hurt by the man's comment, which did not sit well with the blonde. She raised a challenging eyebrow to the man. If only he knew! Ha!
"She's here because I want her to be." she declared firmly, staring him down.
He immediately backed down under the scolding blue eyed gaze.
The Beast grinned knowingly but said nothing. Elsa cleared her throat and approached the table.
"Alright, here's the plan," she ran a hand over the map, "We leave tomorrow morning for Corona. Now, if the wind's in our favor then we should reach the very edge of Dun Broch by tomorrow evening."
All the men nodded obediently, which urged Elsa to continue explaining her plan. If there was one thing she knew, it was the seas. No one understood the waters and winds like she did, and she reveled in it. Even Anna seemed impressed (not that Elsa was trying to impress her or anything).
"However, I propose we take a short cut, right here." Elsa pointed to a small water way that sliced through Dun Broch on the map. "It will decrease our travel time by nearly half."
The whole room suddenly broke into uproar then. Noise spanned from worried mumblings to outraged complaints. Anna seemed a little unnerved by all the shouting, her hand reaching out to grasp Elsa's forearm. The blonde unconsciously took a step closer to the princess.
"You're mad!" the pompous man with the fancy mustache exclaimed.
"Shut it, Cogsworth!" The Beast suddenly snarled.
"But captain, he's trying to get us all killed!" Cogsworth complained.
"If yer that worried about my cap'n's decision, I'll be glad to just off ya now!" Hawkeye spat back at him, drawing a dagger out of his boot.
Anna glanced up at Elsa with worry etched onto her face. "Why is everyone fighting?" she asked in a whisper.
Elsa bent over slightly so that her lips were next to Anna's ear. "Because I just said something crazy." She murmured back.
The Beast slammed a giant fist on the table, silencing everyone. He turned to address Elsa. "Now, Captain Elric, are you being serious in your suggestion?" he asked evenly.
Elsa straightened her shoulders, attempting to appear as authoritative and firm as possible. "Of course I am. No one knows the seas like I do, and you know it."
"True words, boy," The Beast said with a slight chuckle, "And if there's one man I'd sail through The Bear's Teeth with, it'd be you."
Elsa smiled gratefully. "So it's settled then?"
The Beast grinned, his two gold canines glinting in the light. "Aye. Hope you're ready."
Cogsworth gulped loudly. "Sir, you can't be serious! The Bear's Teeth is nearly impossible to sail through!"
The large man just laughed heartily, clapping the thin man on the shoulder. "What's life without a challenge, eh?" he gazed at Elsa once more, grave sincerity appearing behind the mirthful curtain in his eyes. "Plus, we got a timetable to keep, eh lad?"
Elsa returned his gaze and nodded. "That we do, friend."
The Weasel would not escape this time. Elsa swore to herself that she would not let him slip through her fingers again. This time she was older, wiser, and had The Beast by her side. Yes, this time she would succeed.
Anna followed the captain down to the galley. The kitchens were surprisingly empty, but then again most of the crew was still ashore.
"You'll have to forgive my cooking skills," the captain apologized, gaze falling to the floor, "I'm afraid it's been awhile since I had to prepare anything in a kitchen. Normally our chef makes everything."
Anna smiled at how shy the blonde was being, all while feeling herself rising to the challenge of cooking. Finally, something from mother's lessons that I can actually use. The Queen had made sure that Anna had been tutored in all the 'homemaking' arts. According to her, it was vital that Anna knew how to cook, clean, and sew for her future husband. That didn't stop the princess from being extremely clumsy in nearly everything she tried. Anna cringed internally.
"Here captain," she grabbed a kitchen knife and handed it to him, "You can chop up the vegetables, seeing as how you're so skilled with blades and all." And I can't really be trusted with dangerous objects, she added mentally.
The captain looked a bit surprised at being directed, but nodded with a small smile. The blonde proceeded to gather some of the vegetables that Anna had pointed to, slicing them into perfectly uniform pieces. Anna silently admired Elric's precision and concentration.
The redhead began gathering up some spices to make a decent broth to boil the vegetables in. They both worked in slightly awkward silence. Both wanted to say something, but neither knew what to say. Finally, Anna broke the ice.
"So…" she began conversationally, "Who's The Weasel?"
She had asked the wrong question apparently, because the captain's shoulders suddenly tensed and the chopping sounds of the knife stopped. After a pause, the blonde continued working. "Why do you wish to know?" the captain questioned.
Anna detected the defensiveness in his voice and knew that she had to be careful with her next words. She paused to think and added another dash of salt to the broth.
"I was just curious," she opted for honesty. It was the best policy after all, right? "I want to know more about you."
Elsa felt her heart stir in her chest at the princess' admission. She actually wants to get to know me? A small smile spread across her lips. "Tell me something about yourself first, princess." She asked, hoping that Anna would go along with it because she wanted to learn more about the beautiful redhead.
Anna hummed thoughtfully, adding some of the vegetables Elsa had chopped to the broth. The ease with which they cooked together was not lost on either of them. The domesticity of it all was surprisingly pleasant.
"Alright then," Anna said with a nod, "My favorite color is blue and I like to draw. Now you go."
Elsa chuckled a bit at Anna's silly gesture, as if she'd been introducing herself to some dignitary. Two can play at that game. "Very well then," she thought for a moment, "My favorite color is also blue, and I enjoy swimming." Elsa honestly couldn't remember the last time she swam just for fun. After all, in her position, swimming was dangerous to her secret. She did love it all the same.
Anna looked intrigued. "You like to swim?" she asked, gazing up at Elsa with curious eyes.
The blonde nodded. "Indeed I do. There's something about immersing yourself in the water, letting it envelope your senses…I feel as if I'm one with the sea." Her eyes were locked with Anna's, as if their gazes were magnets. The room seemed to grow smaller, the air heavier.
The princess seemed to notice the fact that they were staring at each other for longer than was deemed appropriate and dropped her gaze to the floorboards. "I don't know how to swim." She admitted quietly.
A feeling of boldness rose up within Elsa, and she cupped her fingers underneath Anna's chin, lifting it so their eyes met once more. "I could teach you." She offered, her voice even lower than normal. Her tone sounded breathy, almost seductive in pitch.
A beautiful blush spread across freckle dusted cheeks as the princess backed away. Their eyes never left each other. "I-I…I think the stew is ready." She mumbled out, her cheeks still red. She quickly turned away to get some bowls and ladle some of the stew in each. Elsa couldn't help but note that her hands trembled slightly.
The blonde suddenly felt displeased with herself. She'd made Anna feel uncomfortable. Yet again. I seem to have a knack for upsetting her. Elsa mentally scolded herself for being so forward. With a princess, no less! Someone that she could never have in a million years.
They both sat at a wooden table with their bowls of stew, slowly eating in silence. Elsa decided that she must rectify the situation before Anna actually resented her.
"The stew is quite good." See? Compliments are nice, polite, and safe for normal conversation.
Anna smiled shyly. "Thank you. My mother made sure I was schooled in cooking."
Elsa nodded, filing that bit of information away for later. "Did she also have you schooled in drawing?"
Anna shook her head. "No, she actually would scold me if she knew I liked such a useless activity." That didn't sit right with Elsa.
"It's not useless if it's something you enjoy." Elsa assured her firmly. "Things that bring you happiness are things that make life worth living." That was something her father always said. It made Anna smile genuinely, her eyes seemed to sparkle in the light. She is so beautiful when she smiles like that.
"Thank you, captain." Anna took a coy sip of her stew, "Perhaps I'll show you my work sometime."
The flirtatious tone of her voice was not lost on Elsa. Was that a wink? Suddenly she felt like her heart was starting a riot in her chest. Anna was flirting with her. Her throat felt very dry, so she took a hearty spoonful of her stew. Which turned out to be a bad idea, because it was still quite hot and burned against her parched esophagus. She sputtered and started coughing.
Anna stood up and moved to pat her back, concern etched onto her pretty face. "I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" she questioned with worry.
Elsa nodded, her face burning with embarrassment. She was truly lucky her crewmen weren't there to see her, lest she become the laughing stock of the ship.
"I'm…ehem…I'm fine," Elsa managed, "And yes, I would enjoy seeing some of your drawings."
Anna grinned excitedly, the debacle seconds ago quickly forgotten. "Oh good, I have some really neat ones that I've been working on."
Elsa smiled fondly, and was about to reply when the galley door slammed open.
"Hey we caught a whiff o' that tasty stew!" Hawkeye called as he and some other men clomped down the stairs. The Beast smacked him on the head.
"Look who you're talking to before you speak boy!" he growled, pointing to the two sitting at the table.
Hawkeye blanched when he saw Elsa. "C-Cap'n!" he sputtered in shock, "M-My apologies, cap'n. Normally Gerda's the one who does the cooking 'round here."
Elsa stood up and nodded. Gerda was the ship's cook and nurse, and coincidently the only woman allowed to work on the ship. She was a portly old lady who'd looked after Elsa ever since she was born, which made her like a second mother. She was also one of two people on the entire ship that knew her secret, the other being her childhood friend Kristoff.
"Calm yourself, Hawkeye. I take no offense," Elsa diffused the tension quickly, "Gerda left for the mainland to order more supplies. She'll be back by first light."
Kristoff came down the stairs and smiled at everybody. "I heard there was stew?"
Elsa rolled her eyes and pointed. "Yes, you mongrels, there's stew right over there," then with a bit of cheek, she added, "And you lot better treat it like gold, because it was made by the princess."
That seemed to set all of them off scrambling towards the large kettle, shoving each other out of the way to try and fill their bowls. The Beast waited a few moments before plowing his way to the front of the group.
Anna watched on with a mix of surprise and amusement. It was almost like watching a bunch of puppies trying to eat from the same bowl. "Are they always like that with food?"
Elsa shook her head and sighed. "I'm afraid so," she grinned, "But even more so when it's food made by a lady's delicate hands."
Anna giggled and her cheeks turned pink.
Kristoff joined them at their table with a smile and a bowl of stew. He nodded to Elsa. "Captain," he greeted, then nodded to Anna, "Princess."
Anna smiled at him. "Hi, um…"
"Kristoff." He supplied easily, "I'm the quartermaster of this fine vessel."
Anna's eyes lit up. "Oh, you're the captain's second in command, right? I read that from a pirate book."
Elsa fought off a smile at Anna's curiosity. It was quite adorable.
The Beast joined them at the table. He nodded a greeting to everyone. "Been reading up on our way of life, have you?" he asked the princess, who nodded in response.
The large man chuckled heartily. "Just don't believe everything you read, alright lass? We are actually quite an honorable bunch." At that moment, a loud belch was heard at another table, followed by rancorous cheering.
Kristoff smiled sheepishly. "Most of the time, anyway." The scruffy blonde man added.
Elsa straightened her jacket and picked up her empty bowl, depositing it in the sink. "Well mates, I have a letter to write to Arendelle," She still had to give correspondence on where the deal would take place, "I'd best be off."
She left Anna to Kristoff and The Beast. She knew that they would look out for her in case anything happened. Plus, Anna seemed to like being around them. The princess was asking a multitude of questions, which they seemed quite obliged to answer.
Right now, Elsa steeled herself for the ransom letter she had to write. It wasn't something she wanted to do, but it had to be done. The princess didn't belong with her, she belonged back home in her kingdom, with her people. Elsa wouldn't rob that life away from her.
No matter how much she wanted Anna to stay.
I'm back! Sorry for the long wait everyone. As I said in my Agent Anna posting yesterday, I've been trapped in the hellish torrent that is summer college classes. But here it is! Hopefully you won't have to wait forever for the next update, yeah?