A/N: Hey I'm back! Thank you for following and favoriting my story so far, I didn't think I was gonna get any reviews with only the prologue and stuff :)
As always, constructive criticism is appreciated and rEVIEWS ARE MUCH NEEDED THANK YOU
[Arendelle]
Diana was well known for her tolerance of stupidity; after all, she practically lived with twelve grown men who didn't know when they needed to shut the fuck up in delicate situations. She often had to smack them with the hilt of her sword to get them to be quiet, and it was normal for her to carry small metal rivets in a pouch hooked at her waist, often using her men as target practice as she bounced the heavy object off the backs of their helmets. If she was extremely pissed off, she wouldn't even bother worrying if they had a helmet on or not.
That being said, Diana's hand had been twitching next to her trusty pouch of rivets for the past five minutes, her left eyebrow twitching with irritation. She couldn't believe how this man – this messenger of sorts - had survived to the ripe age of thirty three. She was standing on the deck of the queen's travel vessel (the smallest boat in their country's fleet), struggling not to strangle the infuriating man jabbering away before her.
His lips flapped obnoxiously as jab after jab of anti-feministic slurs pierced Diana's ears, her temper slowly rising along with the color in her face. Finally, she took in a deep breath, holding up a hand to silence the man finally.
"Sir, if you wish to stand here and insult me while avoiding the true mission you have been sent here on, I would strongly suggest you shut up now." Her pale green eyes darkened and narrowed dangerously. "Before I toss you overboard into the harbor."
The messenger scoffed at her, giving her a crude smile that sent shivers down Diana's spine.
"I would be happy to give you a mission..if you know what I mean.." He chuckled, oblivious to the warning looks shot by the rest of the crew on the vessel.
The next thing he knew, the blood was rushing to his face as he dangled over the side of the boat, the water crashing against the wooden sides and soaking his face in a salty spray. His leg was screaming in protest, echoed by his own vocal chords.
Diana leaned against the messenger's leg, using it as leverage to keep the man attached to the boat in some form, a smug look on her face as she stared down at the rude man. His knee was obviously straining from carrying the whole of his weight on one limb. Diana assumed that it hurt more than she would probably ever known, which made her smile to herself, ever so slightly.
"What was the message sir? I can't seem to hear you over the waves and your stupidity." The captain called mockingly, drawing raucous laughter from the crew behind her.
"YOU'RE CRAZY!" He screamed, scrambling to cling to anything he could reach, his nails scraping the sides of the vessel, his leg twisting even more from holding his entire body weight on a single limb.
"Only slightly." Diana shrugged, smirking with satisfaction. She let the man slip even further over the side, her weight pressing down on the messenger's leg to keep him above the water. "Tell me your message, and I'll reconsider pulling you back in board."
"F-fine! The king sends his apologies, but you can't stay in the diplomat housing in Arendelle! You have to stay at an inn in the town!"
Diana frowned, sighing in irritation. "That's it? I was going to stay at an inn anyways..."
A sly smile lifted her lips, and she leaned over the side to look down at the rude man. "Thank you for cooperating, nonetheless. Have a nice day, sir." She leaned back, releasing his leg and allowing him to plummet into the freezing cold water below. His shocked scream reached her ears, her lips pulling into a bright smile. Diana nodded at a few of the men on deck as she headed to the captain's quarters.
"Fish him out before he catches hypothermia." She ordered, "Once he's on the dock, load the rest of the supplies and we'll set sail for Arendelle. We have two weeks to get there and I want to sight-see before I'm locked in a room full of diplomats for a month."
The crew chuckled around her and immediately set to work, assigning a few men to go fishing for the drowning messenger while the rest loaded supplies. Diana slipped into her quarters, her shoulders slumping as soon as the door was shut behind her. She ran a hand through her short dark hair, looking around her room quizzically. Why did she come in here again?
Oh right, the gift.
When visiting other countries, it was custom in Kolovak (and the country they seceded from a century ago) to bring a housewarming gift of some sort. It also benefitted their relations with countries in trade, so they saw no reason to terminate the custom. Diana had been given the gift by the queen, which immediately made the soldier trepidatious. She wouldn't trust the queen with anything involving diplomacy; she had a bit of a god-complex that blinded her from seeing those around her as human. Her worry was well deserved, as when Diana spotted the gift on her desk, she unconsciously flinched.
An urn, was what she had to give the queen of Arendelle.
A fucking urn. With the Kolovak royal seal placed in the center and small swirls around it to keep it pretty. The captain scowled at the urn, irritation rolling off of her in waves. The urn could be taken as a careless gesture in Arendelle's court, or even worse, as an insult to the former king and queen.
Diana knew she couldn't give the 'gift' – for god's sake, even her men had given her better presents! The captain took the handle of the urn, hissing as she heaved it off of her desk and placed it on the floor. She fought the urge to kick it on its side to vent her frustration over her irresponsible monarch.
With an explosive sigh, she collapsed into her chair and cradled her head in her hands, groaning softly.
"What the hell am I supposed to do..." She mumbled, looking up at the ceiling and relaxing as much as she could. The tension in her shoulders would make any masseuse weep.
The captain sat there, contemplating her options while listening to the crew members shout at each other from outside. They were almost ready to ship off, and Diana felt a familiar shot of pain in her temples. Ah yes, the stress migraines. She was too young to get such severe headaches, but then again, she was a bit young to be in a captain's position as well.
Diana rubbed her pounding temple, wincing visibly when a crew member rapped his knuckles against her door loudly.
"What." She growled, unable to keep the sharp edge of irritation from her voice.
"Ah.. We're about t' shove off ma'am.." came the uncertain reply.
"Oh..." Diana sighed and stood, gripping the edge of her desk when the room began to spin. Damn.. she needed some sleep, and maybe some water. Spinning rooms weren't common, and they were not a good sign. "Good. I'm not feeling too well, so I'm going to rest up a bit. Don't wait for me to have dinner, alright?"
"Yes ma'am. Do y' need any water or anyfin?"
"Ah, yes please. Just leave a skin at the door, thank you. What's your name?"
"Thomas McKinley, ma'am."
"Thank you Mr. McKinley. I'll remember your kindness."
"Thank you ma'am."
Diana listened as his footsteps faded away onto the deck, relaxing her shoulders. She moved to the cot squeezed into the corner of the room, kicking off her boots and unbuckling her belt. She took off any uncomfortable accessories or clothing; like her chest binding and her gauntlet that she always had on, with or without armor to accompany it. Her gauntlet served as a source of eternal comfort for her; a piece of home she could take anywhere.
Her father had given her the gauntlet just before he died, made specifically for her hand alone. Unique in its own right, it was made of black metal, rather than a silver sheen that most armor had.
A knock came at her door one more, signaling that her water skin was there. She smiled in relief, silently padding over to the door and opening it a crack. Diana looked into the hall, making sure no one was around to see her before she snatched the skin and clicked the door shut behind her. She quickly took a deep gulp from it, a bit disappointed to find that her headache only faded a fraction with the hydration.
Diana shook her head, immediately regretting the action soon after because her migraine only pounded harder against her skull, as though it was trying to escape the confines of her bones. The tired captain chose the option of sleeping off her pain, shuffling to her cot and collapsing on top of it, groaning into her pillow childishly. She pushed any and all thoughts of her duties to the back of her mind with practiced ease, curling up in her thin blankets and allowing darkness to converge on her.
For the next week, Diana busied herself with figuring out a suitable gift for the royalty of Arendelle. Not only did she need to appeal to the queen's tastes, but also the princess' as well. Plus it was the princess' birthday, and Diana would die before she let the princess go without a birthday present. She had to work with essentially zero information on their tastes, and she couldn't order anything because she was on a ship in the middle of the ocean. She had heard about the royal's affinity for chocolate, but there was no time to order any from Kolovak at this point, so that idea had been shot down rather quickly.
In the end, Diana just decided to make something.
The captain (bless her) typically did not adhere to the normal image of a housewife, who could cook extravagant meals and sew a quilt within a day's work. She had nothing against the women who could accomplish those tasks; she understood how long it took to perfect each craft, and in some ways they could be as taxing as a full day of weapons training. Diana was utterly useless with a sewing needle (unless she needed to stab someone), and heaven knows how she survived without sneaking stuff from the castle kitchens.
That didn't mean that she was devoid of creative ability, though.
Diana was...specialized. She had a creative streak in her that glared vibrantly red most days. She utilized her creativity in nearly every task she did, whether it be an idea for training or just doodling on one of her work papers. Her true talent, however, lied in the craft of metals.
From all types of metals, she could create beauty unmatched by most blacksmiths. Blacksmiths created weapons and tools; the captain created pieces of art. Scrap metals bent to her every whim, twisting and curving at her touch into the most extravagant sculptures. Having grown up in a smithery herself, her talent was not as out of place as it seemed. Diana was aware that she had some talent, but she refused to fully acknowledge the sheer awe and wonder of those admiring her works. Humble to a fault, she adamantly responded to most praise with, "It's not my best. It lacks something," often leaving her admirers with confusion and various misunderstandings.
The week of sailing had passed faster than she could blink, and her final day on the ship was spent holed up in her office as she sketched out a design for the royals. Diana was eternally grateful for leaving earlier than planned; the ship docked in Arendelle's port a week ahead of schedule, leaving the captain with enough time to sneak away from the boat before Arendelle's royal greeters came to meet them.
The moment she stepped off the ship, she nearly crashed into the nearest stack of crates. Her balance had been affected from a week's worth of constant motion beneath her boots, and it took a moment for her to correct herself, fighting back the slightly sick feeling rising in her stomach. It felt as though she were still on the rocking waves of the ocean, her insides swaying with the waves, but her body remaining stationary. She shook her head, shaking out her limbs and stomping her boots onto the wooden dock. If she could regain a state of stability, she could start off searching for the blacksmith. With a deep inhale and an experimental step forward, she found her footing and headed into town, patting her front vest pocket to make sure the paper with her design was still there.
Decked out in a white long sleeved shirt, a brown vest, and pants tucking into her leather boots, Diana looked like any other errand boy running around the small town. Her short, dark wavy hair and light, sea foam green eyes did capture some unwanted attention while she trotted her way through the cobblestone streets. Her features were uncommon in Arendelle's regions; although, her features were also uncommon in Kolovak as well. Light hair and light eyes were the norm in most northern regions.
Diana looked around the quaint little town, feeling a smile beginning to grow as she observed the children playing in the streets and the cheerful expressions on the adults' faces. She grinned and waved when a few children stopped to stare at her foreign features, amused at the fascination in their innocent eyes. She reluctantly moved on, walking over to the adults nearby and greeting them respectfully.
"Excuse me, could you direct me to the nearest blacksmith?" The captain asked, smiling in the hope that they would be kind enough to give her directions.
The people were surprisingly friendly, pointing her in the direction of the blacksmith almost immediately. They wished her a good day, to which she returned with enthusiasm, and after a few more words, she started off down the street once more. Despite being trained vigorously to focus completely on a single task, Diana found herself spinning as she walked, taking in the scenery around her for the first time since she stepped off the boat.
Arendelle was beautiful in the summer time; clear blue skies shining as bright as the sun, rolling grassy knolls near the edges of the town, and flowers of every shade and color at each windowsill. It was enough colorful stimulation to make Diana feel dizzy, and she could have sworn her head did a happy spin when the scent of sweet flowers and baked goods wafted in her path. The wind changed direction as though it was trying to make her wander away from her task, giving her a completely different scent coming from the ocean, the salty tang settling in the back of her mouth, right behind her molars. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, another rich scent making her mouth start to water and causing an incessant growling to erupt in her stomach.
Chocolate.
Diana would deny it to the moon and back; nothing could make her admit her one fatal weakness. Her troop back home all knew it, but they were the only human beings in the world who she would ever trust with this information.
The captain, ever fierce and dangerous as she was, had a severe weakness for anything covered in chocolate. It was like a drug for her, no joke. The very scent had her craving for a taste of Arendelle chocolate; her motor functions were absolutely useless against the pull of her craving. Before she knew it, her feet started to move on their own. A bell jingled suddenly, and the smell of chocolate trapped her in its grasp as she walked into the chocolatier shop. She was so distracted by the smell that she didn't even see where she was going.
"Oof!" A crash followed the yelp, a few boxes of chocolate crashing to ground as the girl Diana bumped into tripped over her feet and fell into a display table.
Diana snapped out of her chocolate-induced trance, immediately assessing the damage and commotion she caused, her eyes widening. She hurried to the girl's side, placing a hand on her shoulder in worry.
"I-I am so sorry, are you alright?" Diana asked worriedly, gently taking the girl's upper arm and helping her up. Apologies rapidly spewed from her lips, a flustered and ashamed look accompanying her streams of 'Are you alright?' and 'My god I am so sorry-!' as she gathered the fallen boxes and rearranged them back on the table.
Her volley of questions was halted quickly enough by a sudden burst of giggles from the other girl, and a comforting hand patting her shoulder. Diana snapped her mouth shut, flushing brightly to her own surprise. The girl was only a few inches shorter than the captain, with vibrant copper hair tied into pigtails and a pretty sleeveless dress sweeping her ankles. The green hues of the dress really brought out the bright cerulean blue of her eyes, Diana thought pointlessly.
"Oh I'm alright, I'm used to crashing into things." The girl said with a giggle, a broad grin stretching over her freckled face. "Plus, I don't think there's ever a bad situation when you end up covered in chocolate!"
Diana was surprised by the laugh from the girl, and she found herself returning the girl's cheerful smile. She still felt bad about sending the poor girl crashing into a table though. She brightened when an idea came to her, and the captain reached into her back pocket, bringing out a wallet.
"I agree wholeheartedly." Diana said with a smile, moving around the girl and gesturing to the chocolatier behind the counter. "Here, how about I buy some chocolate for you as an apology? It's the least I can do."
The girl flushed, looking torn between taking up Diana's offer and being humble enough to refuse the kind gesture. She bounced on her toes anxiously, nibbling her bottom lip as she struggled to decide. The captain waited patiently, an amused smile slipping into her expression. After a moment of contemplation, the girl shot her a sheepish look and nodded, accepting Diana's offer.
"B-but nothing too expensive!" She blurted out as Diana scooted closer to the counter. The captain noticed with interest that the girl seemed to give the chocolatier a warning look, as though she wasn't really directing the request to Diana. The captain found that it was kind of funny how the girl tried to look fierce, but honestly she looked like a cute lion cub attempting to be bigger than she really was.
The captain smiled and chuckled, nodding in assent. "Alright, but you'll have to help me find the right chocolate. I'm not familiar with Arendelle's sweets, unfortunately."
The girl blinked, joining Diana up at the counter. "You aren't? I thought I heard a bit of an accent in your voice but I wasn't sure.." She trailed off, an interested spark alighting in her blue eyes. "Are you here on vacation? A lot of people come here during the summer cause El- er, the queen creates this ice rink in the castle court yard, and also because we have great weather here, like have you seen how beautiful the sky is today?! It was so nice this morning! I try to wake up early to watch the sunrise with my sister and sometimes I see it with my boyfriend too - I mean, if you're staying here a while you should totally wake up early to watch it, it's definitely something to see! Especially from high up, although I don't think climbing a tree is the safest thing to do cause I tried that once and I nearly broke my arm!"
To say that the captain was surprised would have been an understatement. How on earth could such a small body produce that much oxygen in such a short amount of time, she wondered. Diana would have been annoyed had the girl been any less...sincere. For some reason, the rambling seemed to add to the girl's charm, leaving the captain with a confusing but not altogether unpleasant feeling of fondness for her. Diana shook her head with a laugh, feeling shockingly relaxed for the first time since...well, since forever. Her line of work was extremely stressful, and even a warm bath wasn't enough to relax her so much.
With this situation, she almost felt...normal.
"I'm actually here on business." Diana confessed as the girl took in a deep breath, glancing at the amused vender watching them from behind the counter. She sent him a sheepish smile, a bit worried that they were using his time up needlessly. She checked behind them, relieved to see that they were the only two in the shop for now. "I am supposed to attend the princess's birthday ball and festival, after negotiating trade with the queen. I'm representing the kingdom of Kolovak, which is a bit more north from here."
The girl's eyebrows shot up into her bangs, an excited look taking over her expression. Dang, this girl could change looks at the drop of a hat. Diana jumped at the excited squeal that came from her companion, startled by the sudden noise.
"Oh my gosh are you really? That's-that's awesome! I'll see you at my ball then!"
"Your ball?" Diana repeated, her attention now entirely focused on the excited red-head beside her.
The girl nodded vigorously, a blinding white toothed grin nearly splitting her face in two.
"Yes! Oh, I didn't introduce myself did I?" The girl curtsied to Diana, lifting her head with the same grin on her carefree face. "My name is Anna, Princess of Arendelle."