The Return
A/N #1: Welcome to my first Frozen story.
A/N #2: This is perhaps my most challenging story as it will appear both within the Frozen fandom and the Tangled fandom, but with different points of view. Please look for it in both!
A/N #3: I do not own Frozen or Tangled, although I do own my OCs and this storyline…
A/N #4: This is a definite AU story…so please keep that in mind!
A/N #5: Finally, in this story, the queens of Arendelle and Corona are sisters.
A Princess Dreams, Part 2
"So, my little one," King Christian began in response to her comment. "Are you ready for the beginning of the most remarkable story ever told concerning the Kingdom of Arendelle-of-the-Fjords?"
"The beginning…?" Astrid asked.
"Yes. You see, my wonderful Astrid, this story is ongoing even as we speak. Before I get too far into the details, let me explain the events we are about to describe."
"You mean there is more to this?" Astrid asked.
"Yes. There is a whole lot more. To save confusion, though, we will only describe those events that directly affect your grandmother and me, and our fair kingdom."
"You were saying that it began with a dream?" The young Astrid not so patiently asked her grandfather.
"Yes. It was a bright morning about 13 years ago and it was apparent to all that something was up with the young Princess Rebecca Catherine of the Royal Kingdom of Corona-by-the-Sea."
"Something was up with her?"
"Yes…"
Thirteen Years Previous…
It was obvious to Queen Catherine, and many of the staffers, that something was up with her granddaughter. Rapunzel and Eugene shared this view and, while they knew what might occur soon (in fact what WOULD occur soon), they were conspicuously mum as to limit potential hard feelings or anguish should their insight prove incorrect, not that they expected it. Similarly, both Amanda and Rupert (who also knew what was to occur and could hardly wait) also chose this very time to go on a much belated vacation; not unnoticed by residents, staffers, and the citizens of Corona. This deafening silence among those in the best position to lend credence to the tale led to some wild speculation among the staffers and residents of Corona. Thus, while some of the signs could be explained away by those certain changes that the young woman was going through or her reaction to the young 14 year old Johannes, the young noble she met during her mother's most recent visit to the Royal Kingdom of Arendelle-of-the-Fjords, it was not quite that simple.
In fact, the revelation was to leave not only the two royal families, but also the citizens of both kingdoms not only shocked, and overjoyed in the case of one of them, but also simply amazed at the inherent strength of the newest member of the Coronian royal family. This strength, while somehow coming from both her adopted parents, was greatly amplified within the young Rebecca simply because of who she was.
"Good morning, Becky." Queen Catherine stated with a smile as she watched her granddaughter haphazardly enter the dining room, her eyes open a sliver. Her lack of full sight, accompanied by her awkward gait caused her to barely miss – like by a quarter inch – a servant with a full tray of breakfast beverages as she made a rapid, and graceful, 360 degree spin around them without even missing a beat all the while grabbing a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
"Good morning, Nana." Becky groggily replied between two huge yawns as she plopped very ungraciously into her normal place at her grandmother's right side without spilling a drop of orange juice.
Catherine quickly realized that there was more here than met the eye as she leaned over to kiss her granddaughter's cheek and take a closer look at her. Becky's appearance, somewhat mimicking that of Eugene several years earlier, led Catherine to realize that something momentous was about to occur. It would take all of her vast diplomatic skill to entice her fiercely independent granddaughter to spill the beans, so to speak. She was, therefore, quite pleasantly surprised when Becky herself took control of the conversation and deliberately moved it in that very direction.
"Nana…?" Becky began, quite hesitantly.
"Yes, Becky?"
"Do you believe that dreams can predict the future?"
It took every ounce of Catherine's mental toughness learned over the past 20 plus years to maintain her façade of normalcy in the face of the most improbable question ever heard on Sonnen III in general and the continents of Io and Europa, for that matter, in particular. The chance that her granddaughter was to ask such a question was simply astronomical to the point of being incalculable. She was, never the less, quite prepared for her response to her granddaughter's question.
"Yes, Becky, I do."
"You do…?" Becky replied, naturally shocked and confused. She was also relieved that she had someone confidential to talk to.
"I do, for one simple fact."
"One simple fact? What is it?"
"You, my sweet Becky."
"Me?"
"Yes. You, my dear. I know such events are very possible for the simple fact that you yourself are sitting here with me as are 95 percent of the citizens of not only Corona but also Constella, Estrella, and Orion because of Eugene's proactive response to a dream or vision he himself endured for about ten days. In his case, he had a dream, or vision, of an alternate timeline that would render life as we knew it destroyed with many millions grievously ill or deceased. He also somehow knew where to find you and what to do to save your life as you were the center-point of the threat."
"He did?"
"Yes. He became the toast of all Sonnen III as a direct result of this dream and his quite heroic reaction to it. Would you care to describe your recurring dream that have been ongoing for about three weeks now?"
"I… What!? How did you…?" Becky blurted out in a very unprincessly way.
"I realized something was going on soon after your return from your first state visit to Arendelle with your mom and dad. At first, and after discussing it with your mom and dad, I thought it might have something to do with Jo…"
"NANA!" A blushing Becky blurted out.
"…hannes. Or maybe something with the changes you are under go…"
"NANA; PLEASE!"
"I am sorry. I guess I could be more sensitive to your feelings." A giggling Catherine remarked, much to the dismay of her granddaughter.
"While I am quite fortunate to count Johannes among my friends that is all that we are. F-r-i-e-n-d-s. And as for the other thing, my mom is quite capable of handling that part of my education, so let us keep our focus where we need it; my dreams and their meaning. Ok? You are correct to presume that they began almost immediately after our return to Corona."
"Agreed, Becky. I was only kidding anyway. I can see that something you encountered while in Arendelle, and not of this world, during your visit set off some sort of reaction that has manifested itself in your dreams. Can you describe them?"
Becky sat there for a moment, gathering her thoughts. Her initial attempt to tell of her dream was to leave Catherine disappointed, but hopeful.
"Well, Nana, as part of my visit, I went to the markers for Queen Elsa's and Princess Anna's parents. Such a tragedy to befall such a wonderful family. Anyway, while I was there walking between the two large stones that marked their memorial, I felt something that seemed to latch onto me or my spirit."
"Latch onto you or your spirit?" Queen Catherine remarked as she remained quite stoic at the mention of this fact.
"Yes. What's more, this feeling followed me throughout the remainder of the visit. It was as if I was being followed by something. Every time I turned around, which was noticed by others, there seemed to be nothing there. I did not really feel anything unusual or menacing about it even when I was sleeping in the Royal Palace there in Arendelle."
"I see. What else can to tell me?"
"The presence seemed more curious about who I was; as if I was something special. The dreams, or the visions, began almost as soon as I landed back here in Corona three and a half weeks ago."
"You are indeed quite special, Becky. Please never forget that! Moving on, can you describe your dreams?"
"Yes, Nana. In my dream, it is apparently night although the profound darkness might also be due to a very thick layer of clouds; a layer that blots out all sunlight although I do believe that it is night. Thus, the sky, or what I believe is the sky is very, very dark and almost colorless except that I can see what appears to be shades of dark and angry grey blobs resembling clouds, I think."
"Very dark? You believe you see what could be storm clouds?"
"Yes. But there are flashes throughout the scene."
"Can you tell if the flashes you are seeing might be lightning, and if it is from a storm or something?"
"I think so, but I am not really sure as there seems to be something else that alternately blocks my sight directly in front of me and then clears away; before blocking it again almost immediately.
"Is the ground steady?" Catherine asked as she began to believe the most improbable of thoughts possible in a sane woman.
"No, Nana, it is not."
"Is the movement smooth or rough?"
"I believe I would be accurate in saying that it is a combination of the two. The motion also seems to vary in length and severity."
"Can you see any people?"
Rebecca sat there, motionless and quite silent. She easily entered a trance and was so deep in thought that she did not see her grandfather, King William the Fourth, enter the room. Nor did she see or notice her grandmother frantically, yet quietly, waving to him to be quiet and still as he took his seat at the head of the table and began to quietly eat his breakfast. As she ordered and reviewed her recollections, she could not remember seeing any individuals. It is possible, she thought to herself, that they were below deck.
"I cannot seem to detect any. This is not to say that they are not there. My view is very limited." Rebecca finally stated as she came out of an apparently self-induced trance.
Despite her disappointment, Catherine remained hopeful that the answer to this very question would come soon enough. She therefore decided to move her questioning in another direction.
"Becky, can you tell what you are standing on?" Catherine finally asked.
"Yes. I can now." Becky stated with a new found confidence.
"And…?
"It appears to consist of wooden planking that is constructed of strips of wood about six inches in width running lengthwise in front and away from me. I can also see how each line of wood strips are interwoven with the others."
"Have you seen such a platform before?" King William asked as his curiosity got the better of him.
"Grandfather! Good morning!" Becky excitedly replied, a new found energy obviously present, as she got up to briefly hug and kiss the cheek of her grandfather who had somehow went unnoticed during her trance and its immediate aftermath.
"Good morning yourself. Please forgive my impulsive question."
"It is alright, grandfather. To answer your question, though, I have seen such a platform before.
"Is it a ship?" William asked.
"It resembles the RCNS King Johnathan the First." Becky confidently replied.
The Royal Coronian Navy Ship King Johnathan the First was Becky's first exposure to the wonders of the sea, her tutored history and other such lessons igniting her desire to learn as much as she could. It was not much of a ship, however, being about 100 feet long with a 30 foot beam, but it was her first command. As a 12 year old, Becky first began to display traits that led many to believe that her salvation at the hand of her dad, Eugene, had done far, far more to her than just the obvious healing of her severe illness and its effects.
"Wait a minute! You mean it seems that you are standing on a ship?" Catherine asked, the disbelief on her face clear for all to see.
"Yes, Nana. I appear to be on what appears to be a ship that is maybe 75 feet long with a very small beam of about 25 feet. I cannot see how such a ship should be used more than five miles from any shoreline…"
"…and…?" William asked, his dread for what this conversation would do to Catherine slowly rising.
"It appears that this ship is completely out of its ideal element, grandfather. The angry flashes of lightning, coming one after the other, reveal the almost total destruction of the sails, leaving the ship helpless to propel itself clear of the storm that appears to be a very large cyclone. I can also feel that the rudder has been torn away from the stern leaving the ship at the total mercy of the weather. Additionally, it seems the waves are almost 50 feet tall and coming one right after the other. This ship, which is also healing over what seems to be 70 degrees to the left and right, is definitely fighting a losing battle."
At this final comment, Queen Catherine, whose massive emerald eyes had been growing ever redder as she lost her battle to stay calm and stoic, suddenly could take no more, got up and ran out of the room, her sobs echoing long after her footsteps had faded into nothingness. Becky was as shocked as anyone could be concerning the reaction of her grandmother. She said as much to William as the two of them sat in an uncomfortable silence for two or three minutes.
"What did I say, grandfather? Did I do something wrong?" A very concerned Becky asked.
"It is nothing you said, personally. It seems to me now that your vision, rather than being of an event in the future as was the case with Eugene and what you first thought, is actually one of a past event. You seem to be reliving an event from four years ago."
"Four years ago?" Becky asked.
"Yes. You have, in your dreams, found yourself in the midst of an event of the past. Have we ever told you the complete history of your grandmother's family and how the five siblings all took up residence outside the Royal Kingdom of Estrella-by-the-Bay?"
Princess Rebecca Catherine Rapunzel Fitzherbert counted many skills among her very varied talents; both inherent and obtained. It was thus quite easy for her to deduce the significance of this small ship. The pair sat there in a now comfortable silence as William watched the massive intellect of his granddaughter as it went into overdrive to determine the passengers of this small ship and their significance. It did not take her more than fifteen seconds to arrive at the quite correct conclusion.
"This is about her fraternal twin sister and her husband, the former monarchs of the Royal Kingdom of Arendelle-of-the-Fjords, isn't it? And, how they were lost coming to take part in mom and dad's wedding celebration." Becky asked as she took in the sight of her grandfather silently nodding.
A/N #6: Please read, enjoy and review…