Chapter Two – Sensitivity, Ice Magic and a Sea Captain or What do you do with a Drunk Sailor?
A/N If anything I write is wrong, do not hesitate to correct me. Updates may become less frequent during the next three weeks due to GCSEs, after that should be smooth sailing for a while. I liked having two titles for the last chapter so I am going to keep doing that. Disclaimer: Own nothing, I do. I would once again like to thank Forrestib for pointing out my lack of ability for setting, so I will try harder on that front.
Late November
The journey to Arendelle took three hours in the league's private jet. When they arrived, it was bitingly cold and the heavy, pregnant, black clouds looked ready to snow. They were standing on a desolate runway with a small village of maybe one hundred to one hundred and fifty wooden and wood clad buildings with smoke merrily piping out the chimneys. Most of the buildings were one or two story buildings, only two of the buildings were tall; one was four stories, with a sign swing in front. The other tall building was the modern airport, whilst small by other airports' standards it was so out of place next to the small village it looked like an alien ship on the edge of the village. Aside from the airport the village looked like it had jumped out of a postcard, the village was twenty miles from Arendelle city, because beyond that point the terrain became too mountainous for the planes to continue. Mina and Quartermain were both outfitted in thick black coats, and equally thick black trousers to keep out the cold, as well as big black snow boots.
"It looks like it will snow Mrs Harker," said Quartermain looking at the clouds
"Of course it will Quartermain, we are near the Arctic Circle in the middle of winter."
As she finished saying this, the temperature dropped even further and a gale picks up.
"We better get inside before the storm worsens."
"Our hotel is just over there," Mina said indicating the four story timber-clad building. With a sign reading:
Wandering Oaken's Trading Post, Sauna and Hotel
"Best hotel in the Kingdom of Arendelle," she said walking over to the hotel.
The hotel interior looked like a shop, with three rows of long, wooden shelves containing everything from clothing to food. Behind a low wooden desk sat a very large man with brown hair and sideburns that connected to his moustache and a serious expression on his face.*
"Yoo hoo, big winter blow-out." He said suddenly smiling.
"Hello, Mr Oaken, long time no see." said Mina as she put down her hood.
"Ah, Mrs Harker, haven't seen ya for many years," said Oaken looking happy.
"I booked two rooms for me and Quartermain here", she says indicating Quartermain.
"Oh, what brings all the both of ya here?"
"We are here to see Princess Elsa."
"Oh, she is in her palace near Arendelle at the moment, you are lucky she just got back from a visit to the Norwegian court."
"Thank you, Oaken." Mina said. "Which rooms are we in?"
"Both on the top floor, your usual Mrs Harker," Oaken says gesturing to a staircase half-hidden by several toboggans, two giant cuddly moose/mooses/meese? (A/N I need checked on that one), and what appeared to be a half a tree strapped to a snowmobile. "Call if you need anything, breakfast is served at seven until ten so don't be late".
"Thank you again Mr Oaken." Mina said as she went up the stairs. Quartermain followed carrying their bags.
As they reached the narrow corridor on the top floor Mina took her bag from Quartermain, "we will leave in the morning after breakfast; we have to catch the bus at nine".
"Of course Mrs Harker," Quartermain said entering his room.
Quartermain's rooms were very nicely decorated, he had a living room with a dining area, and the walls were light yellow decorated with several photographs, paintings and snow related objects (like old fashioned wooden skis), with a cream ceiling and a light green carpet. There was a plush, dark green sofa, and a wooden table with magazines (in Swedish) and books (in several languages including English), and a roaring log fire. The dining area had a dark ebony table with two matching padded seats. There was also two other rooms, a pristine white bathroom, with white tiled walls and floor, with a sink, a toilet, and a bathtub with gilded claw feet. There was also a bedroom, with a huge four-poster bed with sea blue covers and a window with wooden shutters. The same shade was used for the walls and carpet as in the main room; there were also two large oak wardrobes and an oak bedside table.
"This is a very nice place", Quartermain said looking around; his gaze finally rests on the table where he sees a silver platter with a silver dome. Quartermain realising how hungry he was, walked over, and lifted the lid, underneath was a plate of roast tuna and a glass of steaming mulled wine.
After dinner (which was delightful), Quartermain sat on the sofa and read until he decided to turn in for the night.
The next morning was very different to the day before: the storm had blown over leaving the day still, and sunny, but also very cold, thankfully though not quite as cold as the day before. Quartermain walked downstairs to order his breakfast from Oaken, and was surprised to see Mina up, she was not normally an early riser. However, there Mina was sitting next to the fire in the dining room.
"What can aye get for ya Mr Quartermain?" Oaken asked appearing behind him, Quartermain jumped, as he had not heard the man walk up behind him.
"You gave me a shock Mr Oaken, I did not hear you walk up, and I will have two fried eggs, two rashers of bacon, two slices of toast, and a glass of orange juice, if you please."
"Very well, yoo hoo did ya catch that dear?" Oaken shouted to a door marked 'kitchen'.
"Aye dear", came the reply from Oaken's wife in the kitchen.
After breakfast, Mina and Quartermain boarded the bus to Arendelle; the city was made of wooden and stone buildings that looked like they had been pulled from a storybook, with some more modern buildings around the large harbour and on the outskirts. Towering over everything was the massive granite castle in the middle of the city, which was flying the snowflake flag of Arendelle proudly.
"This place looks like it hasn't changed in some places since before I was born," observed Quartermain stepping off the bus into the cobbled streets.
"That's because in places it has not, Arendelle has not had any wars, any major fires, or plagues for hundreds of years. And the surrounding kingdoms ignore it, Arendelle is not a member of any large organisations, they avoid the UN, the EU, the EEA, and even the Scandinavian defence union, they are very much xenophobic only looking after themselves."
"Well, we better get a move on, which way?"
"Up that mountain," said Mina pointing at a glowing speck a quarter of the way up the North Mountain.
"I hate hiking," muttered Quartermain, glaring at the mountain as though it was the mountain's fault he had to climb it.
The half-day hike along the path up the mountain, whilst uneventful provided the two hikers with beautiful views of the gleaming bay and bustling city, with several medium sized fishing boats, and one or two large cargo ships at harbour. Through the hike, Quartermain got more and more annoyed by the snow, the path, the gradient, pretty much everything. **
"We're here Quartermain," Mina said gesturing towards a large and beautiful ice bridge with an enormous fairy tale ice palace on the other side, larger even than the granite castle in Arendelle.
"GO AWAY." Shouted something behind them, they both spin round to see a humanoid shape that was taller and broader than even Mr Hyde was, Quartermain taken by surprise started fumbling with his rifle
"Ah, I take it you are Marshmallow then," said Mina seemingly unfazed by the creature.
"Wait, Marshmallow? Really? What kind of name is Marshmallow?" Quartermain yelled at Mina, whilst aiming his rifle at the creatures head.
"Stand down Marshmallow," shouted a commanding voice behind them coming from the ice palace doors.
Quartermain span around to see a tall woman with long, platinum blond hair wearing a blue gown that looked like was made of ice standing in the doorway to the ice palace.
"They are here to speak to me, not harm me", Marshmallow turned round and sat down under an outcrop of rock and appeared to fall asleep.
"He is not asleep, he is just resting, my snow creatures do not sleep." Stated the lady answering the unasked question. "Mrs Harker I want to know why you are here, so you should come inside", she turned and went back between the giant ice doors.
"Thank you Princess Elsa," Mina said as she and Quartermain followed suit.
The inside of the palace was even more spectacular, with the light reflecting off the walls, and illuminating the interior walls, which were made of coloured ice***. Elsa led them into a small parlour of sorts, with a roaring fire in a stone fireplace, deep blue ice walls, ceiling, and floor. Along one wall was a line of cushioned chairs, there was a pair of bookcases along two of the other walls, with the fourth wall bare except for the fireplace, the only other piece of furniture in the room was two ice side tables, one with a decanter of wine on, and a chair by the fire
"Please take a seat", Elsa sitting in the chair by the fire, which turned around when she got near, she gestured and two of the chairs walked over. Now that Quartermain could see her better, he realised that she had a very beautiful face, with ice-blue eyes that looked too old for her face.
"Thank you very much" Quartermain said sitting on the one closest to the decanter.
"Help yourself Mr…" Elsa trailed off realising she did not know his name.
"Quartermain, Allen Quartermain" he said getting up and walking over to the decanter, "where are the glasses?" He asked turning to the princess.
"Oh, sorry," she waved her hand and an ice goblet appeared on the table.
"Thank you", he picked up the glass and poured himself a glass of wine, and sat back in his seat
"Now, I take it you are here for the same reason you were last time Mrs Harker, you wish me to join your league."
"That is correct Your Highness."
"So, what has changed in the hundred years since you were last here?"
"Wait," Quartermain said, "you are over one hundred years old?" He turned to Mina, "I do not remember trying to recruit her."
"No, it was on your extended leave of absence, after Moriarty," Mina said turning back to Elsa, "What has changed is this," Mina handed Elsa the same report that she handed to Sir Integra.
"Hmm, this is most worrying, are you sure this is accurate? I have seen nothing like this in all my years."
"Just how old are you Princess Elsa", Quartermain asked his interest piqued.
"210 years old Mr Quartermain, but you should know it is rude to ask a lady's age", Elsa said not looking up from the reports.
"Sorry Your Highness, another question, but how come you have not aged, I mean I do not age because of a spell put on me by a witch doctor out of gratitude for saving his village, Mina does not age due to her vampirism, but what about you?"
"My magic, I do not understand it personally, but I stopped aging after my twenty first birthday".
"Very interesting milady," Quartermain muttered.
"Well, after reviewing these reports I have no choice but to join you in your endeavour," Elsa said handing the reports back to Mina, "when and where do you want me?"
"MI6 headquarters, present the guards with this invitation and they should allow you entry", Mina handed Elsa an electronic swipe card with her description on, "be there on January the 6th".
"Very well, see you then, Mrs Harker."
"Come on Quartermain we have to leave now if we want to get back to the hotel before they stop serving dinner", Quartermain groaned very loudly at the idea of hiking down again.
As they step out in to the corridor, Mina is tackled to the floor by a cold, wet, and child size creature. "Hi I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs," the creature, which turned out to be a snowman, said hugging Mina tightly with his stick like arms.
"I forgot about you," groaned Mina.
"Who are you?" Olaf asked whilst detaching himself from Mina and standing up.
"Mina Harker, Olaf."
"Oh yeah, I remember you, scary bat lady who needs to lighten up and smile", said Olaf in his usual over enthusiastic approach.
"Leave Mina alone Olaf she needs to get back to her hotel." Elsa said whilst chuckling into her glove.
"Fine", Olaf said with mock exasperation and he started skipping back down the corridor.
"Sorry about Olaf, you know how he is", Elsa apologized whilst helping Mina up.
"That's ok Elsa, well we better be off, see you in January."
The hike down the mountain and the bus journey back was equally uneventful, except for one moment in the hike when Quartermain stopped his angry mutterings of spatula murder, icy hatred, and murdering snowmen when he saw a lump of ice appear to blink.
"Did that ice just blink?" He whispered to Mina
"Yes, that is one of Elsa's creatures they cover this mountain, they watched us on the way up as well, there are currently six watching us that I can see, that is how she knew we were coming."
"Oh, I did not think..." Quartermain muttered feeling rather embarrassed by the whole affair.
"Come on don't dilly-dally, we have a bus to catch."
At the airport the next day, the weather was glorious once again as if it was apologising to Quartermain for his forced hike, but Mina and Quartermain were fated to waste some of the glorious weather in a plane
"Where to now Mrs Harker?" The pilot asked, he was a small, thin man in his mid-years, he was balding, and what hair he did still have was grey, despite this his blue eyes still held a twinkle of youth, and his face as yet held very few creases.
"Antwerp, Belgium."
Upon arrival in the large city of Antwerp the weather was not as nice as when they set off, it was drizzling, the kind of drizzle that is annoying and gets everywhere, especially down the back of your neck, despite this Mina headed straight for the docks dragging Quartermain along with her. Mina and Quartermain were wearing normal clothes to blend in with other tourists; Quartermain even had a camera around his neck.
"Who are we going to see Mrs Harker?"
"A captain for the Nautilus Two," Mina mutters, "TAXI!" she shouts upon seeing a taxi pull up.
They got into the taxi; the driver's face could not be seen because of his headrest and the tinted glass all that can be seen is a silhouette of his head.
"Waar wil je naar toe wilt," he asked his passengers.
(Where do you want to go)
"De haven", Mina replied in English accented Dutch; the driver nodded and started to drive off.
(The port)
"Er zijn gevaarlijke plaatsen in de buurt van de haven, veel schooiers," the driver told Mina.
(There are dangerous places near the port, lots of lowlifes)
"We zullen wel goed", Mina replied, "we zijn gewoon oppakken iemand." To which the cabbie's only response was a grunt.
(We will be fine, we are just picking someone up.)
"What did he say", Quartermain, who does not speak Dutch, hissed.
"He was just warning us that it is a rough part of town and I replied we will be fine."
"Ok Mrs Harker, what are we looking for exactly?"
"A ship, the Karaboudjan," Mina replied.
"The what?" Quartermain inquired as he scratched his head.
"The Karaboudjan, it's an Armenian merchant vessel," Mina explained.
"Armenia does not have a coastline though, now I am more confused."
"Well, it is listed as Armenian, but the name itself is Turkish, it means 'This Black Spirit'.
"What a weird name for a ship."
"Well, it is strange, but it is not the ship we are after but the captain he may be an alcoholic, but he is one the best out there."
The port was a large and modern with hundreds of vessels, both large and small, from the giant container ships to small trawlers, dredgers and everything in between, the taxi driver evidently overheard their conversation and dropped them off at the end of the pier that where the Karaboudjan was anchored.
"Dank u meneer, houd de verandering", Mina said handing the driver a €50 note.
(Thank you mister, keep the change)
"Zeer gewaardeerd", the driver said and drove off.
(Much appreciated)
Mina walked up to the Karaboudjan and shouts up the side, "Ik wil graag met de kapitein te spreken".
(I would like to speak with the Captain).
One of the sailors leaned over the side and shouted, "you can speak English, we are all English and the Captain is drunk."
"He's always drunk, but I would still like to talk to him about hiring his services." Mina shouted in reply.
"Ok, don't say I did not warn you", the sailor replied lowering the gangway, as Mina and Quartermain walked up the gangway he gave a mock bows to Mina. "Welcome aboard the Karaboudjan, first mate Allan at your service".
"Thank you, now where is the captain, and how drunk is he?"
"Not as drunk as a lord, maybe as drunk as a knight or an MP." Came the reply form the first mate who evidently thought he was hilarious, Mina only rolled her eyes in reply.
"So, he is not delusional yet then and he can still think straight?"
"That about sums his state up, unless he has gotten drunker in the last ten minutes, and he is in his office".
"Well lead the way."
The sailor led them across the deck to the cabin at the back. "Here we are, the captain is inside. Now, I have duties to attend to."
Mina dismissed him with an absent-minded wave of her hand, "yes, yes, go about your duties".
The sailor walked off, and Mina and Quartermain enter he captain's cabin. What happened first was they were hit with the stench of alcohol and pipe tobacco, like a cheap bar that had not been cleaned for a while. Despite the smell, the room itself was actually quite tidy, for the most part; the room was wood panelled on the ceiling, floor, and walls. There was a desk and an office chair, which was facing the massive window that lined one side of the cabin, dozens of charts were scattered over the desk, most stained with alcohol and tobacco, also on the table was an ash tray containing several dozen pipefuls of burnt tobacco and pouch of tobacco. There was a side table with several bottles of rum and whiskey, some full, some empty and some in between, there were also glasses, some clean, some dirty and some half full of alcohol. There was also a partition, which probably hid a bedroom.
"Captain Archibald Haddock, I do presume." Mina said
"Who wanshs to know," comes the slurred response. The chair span around to reveal the captain, he was a tall, barrel chested man with a large nose, blues eyes with a squint in his right eye evidently from looking at the sun too much in his time navigating as a captain, and a big bushy black beard from which peaked a smoking pipe. He wore a dishevelled black coat and trousers, a stained blue shirt with an anchor below the collar, and a black cap with two gold bands around the rim, and a gold emblem of an anchor in the middle.
"Mrs Mina Harker, I wish for you to follow in your ancestor's footsteps," Mina said ignoring the captain's rotten attitude.
"hic, thath's improssible, my hic grangpappy hag sise twelsh feek."
"No, I wish to hire your service Captain", Mina said starting to get annoyed.
"I aink no pleas ure boack cakcin".
"Captain, I wish you to join the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," Mina said now exasperated by the drunkard with his slurred speech and addled mind
"Whash, the league of esht-eshtra-eshtraor-eshtraordingnairy genshtlemen?"
"A group of people with extraordinary abilities, talents, and powers," Mina said picking up a large glass of water off the side table and throwing it at the captain, the surprise, and the evidently cold water sobered the captain up a bit.
"What was that for?" Haddock asked wring water from his cap, his speech was less slurred now, but it was evident that the earlier slurring had been an act.
"To sober you up captain, so will you do it Captain Haddock? Will you join the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? Will you take your Great-Great-Grandfather Nemo's place as the Captain of the Nautilus?"
"You have found the Nautilus?" Haddock asked looking suddenly excited.
"We never lost it, it is still in dry-dock in England, where Nemo left it, however whilst in its time it was the swiftest vessel in the world, now it no longer holds that accolade, so we have the Nautilus two, the new fastest vessel in the seven seas, with more tricks up its sleeves than a meeting of the magic circle."
"Of course I'll do it," shouted the captain jumping up from behind his desk upsetting a glass of rum, "to pilot the Nautilus has been a dream of mine since I was a wee nipper, I'll leave Allan in charge here, he is a capable sailor, and a good friend, he will steer the old boat right".
"Very well, you will turn up to MI6 in London on the 6th of January, and present the guards with this invitation", Mina handed Haddock a similar card she handed to Elsa, "you will be presentable and sober. Is that understood Captain Haddock?"
"Of course, now, if we prepare to leave today we can be in London for Christmas, I shall be there, Madam."
"Good, I will see you then Captain Haddock," Mina turned, pulled open the door, and she along with Quartermain left the room and got a taxi back to the airport.
"Well that went well don't you think?"
"Better than I expected Mr Quartermain".
"Where to next?"
"America, home of everything strange."
"Where in America though Mrs Harker? America is a very large place."
"Amity Park, Illinois****".
*This is not the same Wandering Oaken; it is a descendant of his, also the trading post has been moved down the mountain.
** Do not forget that Quartermain loves the African Savanah, so does like the snow, the cold, or the mountains.
*** It is shown in the movie that Elsa can change the colour of the ice, although in the movie she did it accidentally when she was scared, further Elsa note, she has abdicated, because she got bored, and now acts as a dignitary to various kingdoms and a public figure. (Otherwise she would not be able to leave Arendelle for so long.
**** It is never specified in the show where Amity Park is, but most fan-fics believe it to be Illinois
A/N Tell me what you think of my changed writing style and as always any input will be considered and answered. Please review and follow. I will be most grateful. I know nothing of Antwerp, so I made up it being rough around the port, mainly to provide some action, I am sure it is a lovely place. Translations from google translate so not my fault if wrong. Mina knows Dutch because she spent a lot of time with Abraham Van Hellsing who taught her Dutch (this makes it convenient). Please note that the reason that the Arendellian characters speak English is because 1) Wandering Oaken works at a hotel, so of course he speaks English and 2) Elsa is a foreign dignitary so speaks English in case she needs to come to the UK or USA, and Olaf speaks whatever language Elsa does. Finally, I promise this story will go somewhere eventually; next chapter, a fight scene. I GOT MY FIRST EVER FAVOURITE, THANK YOU JONARDO, also thanks for the two reviews (both from Jonardo) and picking up on my spelling error (I could not find the second one), I have changed the offending mistake so it shall never both us again. Wow this is a lot of Author's Notes.
Personal note to a friend: Joe please stop telling me to ship Elsa x Seras, it is not happening.