Captain John Black, a.k.a. 'Blacksails' awoke with a groan. The previous night's debauchery laid heavily on his middle-aged body. His room, his whole house, actually, was filthy. Ever since he had lost his maid/step-daughter/unconditional slave, his domestic quality of life had taken quite a beating. Almost as bad as the beatings he used to dole out on her. Given the angle of the sun through the window, he was about an hour late to the meeting with his crew, and, given their disposition, would send them into a bad mood. Or they were drunk. Or both.

He rose up, "Baaaabe!"

There was no response. He couldn't even remember her name, really.

"Do you mean Anita? Five-four, two hundred ten pounds, hair blond, eyes green, Forty-five years old, eighteen-year old son, grew up in Meridian? Yeah, she passed away about an hour and a half ago."

Black turned to see Prince Hans Westerguard standing quietly in the corner of his room. He let out another groan.

"Dogs don't have good sight, but they have a powerful sense of smell..."

The drunkard just puzzled at the intruder, "huh?"

"You know," said Hans, "When you agreed to transport Sarah to the Meridian, I never thought that someday she would marry you."

Black shrugged, "I could support her, and change her name. She's was hiding from you, you know."

Hans bowed his head, "I... know."

"Never did get much out of her. The kid, on the other hand," He clenched his eyes shut, blocking out the hang-over, "She was ever so beneficial."

"It's almost too bad I took her away from you."

"Yeah, you're the uncle of the year," Black rose to his feet, waveringly, "...you ever have a queen? Hmmm...?"

Hans stood stock still.

"It's like nothing else. All that power," Black made a fist, "In the palm of your hand." He chuckled darkly, "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"No more than I usually am."

CHING!

Hans blocked the hidden blade, deflecting the dagger away.

"Saw it coming?" Asked Black.

"Saw it coming," Answered Hans.

"...You're here to kill me or what? You know... what're you here for? Another steamer-trunk special?"

Hans shook his head, "No, no..."

"Revenge for the brat?"

"No..."

"Then why?"

"Because you, and your men, are a threat to Sophia," Black barely felt Hans' sword sink into his flesh, "And I'm here to eliminate that threat."

Black gasped his last breath. His body would be found by a barkeep in a secret tavern room surrounded by his dead crew. That barkeep would bribe another sea captain to dump the bodies in the sea. From there, the infamous criminal's body would wash up on shore, discovered by the watch, who, in turn, would report it to the queen.

Elsa took the news with some gravity. The link between the kingdom of the Southern Isles and the missing heir was gone.

She picked up a quill, and wrote to Archer, expressing all that had transpired, and all the evidence she had. Looking out the window, the young queen watched Princess Sophia, Heir to the Southern Isles, giggle madly as Anna blew on her belly.

"Your highness?" Elsa stood silently for a moment. Every bit of her felt like tearing up the letter and banning any and all dealings with the Southern Isles. But her duty as queen was clear.

A week later a response arrived. A weighty response, one too heavy for a girl Sophia's age. Elsa carried it.

Anna was in a library playing a game of checkers when Elsa arrived.

"Elsa...?"

Elsa stood ram-rod straight, "Sophia... do you remember your mother?"

She nodded.

"Her name...?"

"Sarah, your highness."

For a second, Elsa cracked under the pressure. She already knew all this, but-

"By spirit you are a royal of Arrendelle, but by blood," she bit her tongue, knowing she could never unsay this, "You are the one true heir to the throne of the Southern Isles."

Elsa opened the package, bestowing the tiara, "I recognize you, Princess Sophia, and hereby order your safety while in my kingdom."

Sophia gasped, looking around as servants bowed. Even Kristoff took a knee. Anna was confused, but followed her sister's lead and curtsied. It was all the love and respect she could ever want.

Elsa continued, "I never believed there was ever a noble young lady with half your courage and light until I met you. From the moment we saw you, Anna and I knew you were destined for great things." She bent down, affixing the tiara, "Princess Sophia, I cannot tell you how much it means to me to have you here."

Anna hugged Sophia, letting out a long, tense sigh, "Oh, baby girl, I can't believe this! Of course you're going to be a great princess," She laughed nervously, "Oh my, I don't know what to say. I just want you to know how happy you've made all of us. I get to spend every day of my life with the prettiest, smartest, most wonderful girl in the whole entire world. And let me tell you; being a princess is pretty awesome."

They all laughed. Anna brushed a stray hair back from her face, then an identical one off Sophia's, "There is so much I want for your life. But mostly, you just need to know that Elsa and I will always, always love you," She sniffed a bit, "And that... if you ever... need us-!"

Kristoff put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her off to comfort, "So yeah, you're a princess, good for you!" He said cheerily.

Sophia ran out of the room.

A.N. No lie, when I wrote this in my head, I started tearing up a bit.